The opening date for a hotly-anticipated fast food restaurant serving Mexican-inspired cuisine has been set.

American chain Taco Bell is set to open its latest outlet in Tower Retail Park in Crayford, near Dartford.

Its favourites include its volcano burritos, quesadillas craving boxes, nachos, and crunchy tacos.

Customers can place orders in-person or online using the app.

The franchise has confirmed it will open at the retail unit next to Nandos formerly occupied by Game, who vacated the premises in 2019, this Friday, November 19.

It forms part of the American chain's national expansion that will see hundreds of new branches open outside London and across the UK.

A planning application for a change of use from retail to a mixed restaurant and hot food takeaway, incorporating alterations, was submitted to Bexley council earlier this year.

Increasingly, planners are being asked to consider the proximity of proposed takeaways to nearby primary and secondary schools.

Local planning policy states such establishments should not be within 400 metres walking distance of existing primary or secondary school.

However, as the proposed location was more than 700 metres from the nearest primaries – Wentworth primary in Dartford and St Paulinus C of E in Iron Mill Lane, Crayford – this was not deemed a problem and it was approved in September.

The proposed operating hours of the premises will be 11am to 11pm and it will be open seven days a week upon demand.

In its application the restaurant says it is likely to employ approximately 10 full-time staff and 15 part-time staff.

Excitement for the store's opening is building online, as well as for the new B&M store which will open nearby at the former Homebase site in Dartford the following Saturday, November 27.

Huge queues formed when the American restaurant chain opened its first and to date only Taco Bell branch in Kent at Chatham Dockside in 2019.

Rumours had circulated two years prior that the fast-food giant was looking to move into a unit vacated by KFC in Dartford High Street but these plans never came to fruition.

Plans have also previously been touted for additional stores in Maidstone and Canterbury.

Head to our business page for all of the latest news about businesses in Kent

Read more: All the latest news from Bexley and Bromley

Read more: All the latest news from Dartford