The cast of performers at Taco Bell’s NYC drag brunch on June 12. Courtesy of Taco Bell Corp. Taco Bell has been hosting drag brunches nationwide throughout the month of June.
Customers registered for free and were given food and drinks with the option to purchase alcohol. I went to the NYC brunch, and I was surprised by how genuine and non-corporate it felt. Taco Bell is hosting a traveling drag brunch in cities across the US.
Kay Sedia (center) performing at the NYC Taco Bell Drag Brunch on June 12. Courtesy of Taco Bell Corp. On May 1, the chain hosted its first drag show at the Taco Bell Cantina in Las Vegas.
Since then, the show, which stars Kay Sedia as its host, has traveled to Chicago, Nashville, and New York City, and it will end in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on June 26. According to the press release, the show is meant to celebrate drag culture and the LGBTQ+ community, and create “safe and welcoming spaces for all. ” The traveling show was conceptualized by an LGBTQ+ employee resource group at Taco Bell called Live Más Pride, and spotlights the It Gets Better Project (a nonprofit organization connecting LGBTQ+ youth around the world).
I went to the NYC brunch during Pride Month to check it out for myself. Taco Bell gave out purple glasses and more swag for guests. Rachel Askinasi/InsiderA representative for Taco Bell told me that the free tickets became available on OpenTable in April, and were completely booked within two hours of when they went live.
The seats were only available for Taco Bell Fire! Tier members of the chain’s rewards program. I’m not a Taco Bell rewards member, but the chain had limited seats available for press. The performance was hosted at Taco Bell Cantina in Times Square.
Taco Bell in Times Square, New York. Rachel Askinasi/InsiderWhile thousands of people were bustling around the city on their way to their own Sunday brunch plans, I headed up to Times Square for mine. Aside from the rotating digital advertising panels on the side of a building, this Taco Bell Cantina had pretty subtle signage compared to the many other chain restaurants in the neighborhood.
Personally, I avoid this area as much as I can. But it seemed to match my energy on this particular day, and I felt excited as I made my way to the gilded entrance that was hiding under scaffolding. The team had transformed the entire restaurant, and it felt like a club from the moment I got to the door.
There were bouncers and admissions stamps for attendees. Rachel Askinasi/InsiderI wasn’t sure what to expect, but I saw that the entire restaurant had been shut down for service and turned into what looked like a disco club. The first thing I noticed was that there were bouncers at the door dressed in suits and ties, employees in all-black outfits, and I had to give my name at the door and receive a stamp on my wrist like I was about to go into a nightclub.
Peering through the windows, I could see drapes of sequins, glowing lights, and then more sequins in the form of tablecloths. Something about it all made the experience feel more like a drag show than a Taco Bell event right from the start. Inside, the restaurant was decked out in bright colors and disco glitz.
A look at the interior of Taco Bell Cantina for the drag brunch. Rachel Askinasi/InsiderWhile a Taco Bell representative told me that the walls and ceiling always have the pop art designs, there were additional framed photos hung on the walls for this event specifically. In addition to the art, there was a disco ball hanging from the ceiling, reflective streamers by the counter, glittering tablecloths, feather boas made to function as a curtain, and seemingly endless amounts of draped fabric filled with sequins.
Every stool was also resurfaced with a festive seat cover. It definitely felt like a celebration. Each guest got specialty swag to take home.
There were paper fans, sunglasses, and a compact mirror at each place setting. Rachel Askinasi/InsiderAs each guest walked in, we were guided to our seats. Every place setting had a branded cloth napkin, a foldable paper fan, purple sunglasses, and a compact mirror all for guests to use during the show and take home with them afterward.
I thought this felt like the most corporate part of the entire event, and it didn’t even feel excessive — the fan and the napkin were meant to be used for cheering and showing the performers support during the show. Before the show started, free breakfast boxes were delivered to each guest. The box had a burrito, a hash brown, and two doughnuts inside.
Rachel Askinasi/InsiderAdmission to the brunch came with a complimentary Bell Breakfast Box, which included a grande toasted breakfast burrito, a hash brown, two Cinnabon Delights doughnut holes, and a Cinnabon Delights iced coffee. While it wasn’t on the menu, I was also given a red punch drink and noticed it was given to everyone else too. The food was true to the chain and definitely kept us in the Taco Bell mindset.
A Cinnabon Delights doughnut hole (left) and a grande toasted breakfast burrito (right). Rachel Askinasi/InsiderWe were each given a choice between sausage and bacon for the breakfast burrito — I went with bacon. This was my first Taco Bell breakfast, and I was impressed.
I was able to taste the bacon inside my burrito and I loved the large pieces of potato that were inside. The eggs were fluffy, not dry, and the cheese wasn’t too overpowering. I love a good fast-food hash brown, and while this one was disappointingly soggy in the center, the edges were still crispy and enjoyable.
Taco Bell’s Cinnabon Delights are small, poppable confections you can easily eat in one bite. They’re filled with a cream that kind of feels like uncooked batter, and they taste like maple syrup. I was on board.
Guests who wanted to turn this into a boozy brunch were able to buy separate alcoholic beverages. Mimosas and cocktails were on offer, too. Rachel Askinasi/InsiderSince the events are being held at Taco Bell Cantinas — the brand’s restaurant concept that offers alcohol — anyone who wanted a cocktail or beer was able to purchase one at the register.
I kept it dry for this brunch. The real reason why everyone was there was for the performers, and they didn’t disappoint. Each queen gave a memorable performance.
Rachel Askinasi/InsiderWhile Kay Sedia, who has been a drag performer for over 22 years, is hosting all five brunches, the rest of the performers in each city are local. Taco Bell wanted to “highlight the rising talent in each of the cities we were in,” a representative said, so they chose performers based on auditions and publicly available videos. “The drag queens and kings that were a part of Taco Bell Drag Brunch were paid for their participation,” the representative told me.
From Pissi Myles’ lip-synced comedy classics to Zeta Jones’ acrobatic talents and a live opera performance by Jasmine Rice LaBeija, there was plenty to keep guests entertained. I was pleasantly surprised by how genuine and non-corporate the whole event felt. Performer Pissy Myles at the Taco Bell Drag Brunch in NYC on June 12.
Courtesy of Taco Bell Corp. I’ve been to many drag shows before, but never one hosted by a large corporation. So when I heard that Taco Bell was hosting its brunch and that it was put together by employees who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, I was intrigued.
Mainly, I was skeptical that it would feel more like a gimmick than an experience that really honors and respects the art of drag and the people who practice it. I was wrong. Even performer Zeta Jones told me she felt like it was a genuine expression of what drag performances can be, and said she felt genuine respect while working on this.
Not only was the production respectable, but the fans’ energy was, too. Diners heeded Kay Sedia’s three rules for the day: “Hoot and holler, wave your napkins, and tip your queens. ” Guests definitely got into the spirit and tipped with cash as the performers circled the room.
There was even some guest participation in small competitions. Other than a brief explanation of the event’s purpose, there wasn’t much that felt like a Taco Bell advertisement, which is what I was afraid of. At a time when drag in particular is the target of discrimination, it was both hopeful and emotional to be a part of this event.
Zeta Jones (left), Pissy Myles (center), and Jasmine Rice LaBeija (right). Rachel Askinasi/InsiderOn June 6, Texas state representative Bryan Slaton announced new legislation that would ban minors from attending drag shows. He said it was a necessary measure to “protect children from ‘perverted adults,'” according to NBC News.
The outlet reported that other lawmakers opposed the prospective bill. RuPaul, celebrity and TV host of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” also denounced the bill while on “The Late Late Show. “”I met myself through drag,” Kay Sedia said as she addressed the full restaurant to talk about the history of drag and tell diners about Taco Bell’s partnership with the It Gets Better Project.
“So I always tell people it does get better. I’m a true testament to that. “She talked about the partnership, which naturally reminded us all that we were at a corporate event, but she was able to do it with her own comedic flair that makes a drag show truly entertaining and captivating.
After it wrapped, decorations started to come down, and loose cash was picked up off the floor. I left feeling joyful, emotional, and generally impressed with what Taco Bell’s team pulled off. I’d love to see it be more of a year-round offering.
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From: insider
URL: https://insider.com/photos-taco-bell-brunch-drag-queen-performers-review-2022-6
