At 7 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3, Taco Bell officially opened at UC San Diego’s Price Center. Located between Subway and Lemongrass, the new location saw several hundred students order on opening day. 

Lines at peak-traffic times — around 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. — stretched from the Price Center foyer and seating area into the Price Center courtyard. One Taco Bell employee told The UCSD Guardian that from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m., employees had taken over 250 orders — approximately 1.67 orders per minute. 

At 3:30 p.m., Taco Bell’s mobile ordering system malfunctioned and was not restored until 6:30 p.m. — orders placed during this time were not made, yet were marked as complete. Taco Bell ran out of Baja Blast, hot sauce, and ice by approximately 4 p.m. As of writing, the UCSD location does not offer Taco Bell’s signature freezes and Mountain Dew Baja Midnight. 

The storefront is equipped with four kiosk screens as well as one register for in-person orders. Mobile order is also available via the Taco Bell app. 

Taco Bell was initially set to open at UCSD in Spring 2025 after the University first announced the restaurant’s new on-campus location during Winter 2025. However, by the start of September, the area’s signage reflected an opening date of Fall 2025.

The Guardian reached out to the assistant vice chancellor of Student Affairs and Campus Life, Patricia Mahaffey, for comment on the delay. Mahaffey did not respond.

On Tuesday, Dec. 2, University Centers, a department of Student Affairs and Campus Life, placed a sign in front of the Taco Bell area announcing that the restaurant would be open the following day without specifying a time.

University Centers sent out a mass email to students, faculty, and staff announcing the opening of Taco Bell on Dec. 3 at 3:13 p.m. The restaurant’s operating hours were not specified in the email. 

Hours on the official Taco Bell website report that the Price Center location will be open until 12:30 a.m. However, one worker informed The Guardian that it would be open until around 11 p.m. on Wednesday. Other Taco Bell workers said that hours are currently flexible, with one employee reporting that the restaurant may close earlier, depending on staffing and traffic.