A new Taco Bell restaurant opened in Pennsauken New Jersey on Route 130, on the site of the former Penn Queen Diner.
The new restaurant features a dual lane drive-thru and a variety of more advanced fast food restaurant concepts including a walkup late night pick up window.
This redevelopment project was first announced at 42Freeway in December 2023 when then presented at the Planning Board.
Penn Queen originally opened in 1966, which over the years saw several expansions to the restaurant. With the redevelopment approval gained, the demolition of the diner started around July of 2024.
Taco Bell is the first of a three phase development effort at the extended property.
A Tim Hortons coffee shop is under construction directly next to Taco Bell, and a third mixed retail building is still to be developed.
There is also Wendy’s restaurant on the adjacent property, so inline you have Wendy’s, Taco Bell and the soon to open Tim Hortons.
Close by about a mile away South on Route 130, a Starbucks is getting closer to opening on a lot directly across from the Pennsauken Municipal Building.
Taco Bell Pennsauken
I stopped over at the new Taco Bell this afternoon and grabbed the small late lunch, and checked out what makes location unique.
One of the first things I noticed walking up to the main side entrance was the large outdoor covered patio which also includes a surrounding railing. Honestly it’s a nice addition to the building and provides additional seating options… I wish more fast=food restaurants would do similar!
To the right side of the main entrance is a pickup window for late night orders which is not something I’ve seen in this configuration… I know Deptford had put a pickup window within the main front door.
Even with the outdoor seating, the inside dining room is large and comparable size to other modern Taco Bells.
Inside features a variety of seating options including a center area high-top table as well as a wide desk-like area with outlets and chargers… perfect firing up the laptop and catching up on emails while at the “Bell”.
Taco Bell continues their evolution to a full digital ordering platform.
While there is a front counter area that appears to be a familiar setup, it has two customer ordering terminals right in the main portion of the counter. Opposite that counter are four more ordering terminals for a total of six.
Clearly Taco Bell wants you to place your own orders either in advance on mobile, or using the kiosk within the store. With the front counter area still developed with the store, I would imagine if you had difficulties using the digital screens a Taco Bell employee could assist.
Tim Hortons and Starbucks
Tim Hortons is rising directly next to the Taco Bell. They are a Canada based coffee and doughnut shop which really seems to be a Canadian version of our Dunkin.
Tim Hortons offers a variety of other products also, but one of their more signature doughnuts is the Canadian Maple donut.
As mentioned, a mile away south from this development a brand new Starbucks is under development.
I stopped at that location under construction and spoke to one of the contractors on site. It seems the exterior construction of the building shell and the parking lot areas are complete, and soon a second contractor will take over the development to build out the Starbucks interior.
I have no timelines on either the opening of these two restaurants but they are very far along in the development cycle, and I wouldn’t be surprised if both are opened early summer at the latest.
Links and Locations
Taco Bell – Rt 130 Pennsauken NOW OPEN!
7377 N Crescent Blvd
Pennsauken NJ
