Taco Bell closes 4 of its 5 dining rooms in Oakland
Several Taco Bell locations in Oakland have closed their dining rooms due to rising safety concerns.
Four out of the five fastfood chain outlets in the beleaguered East Bay city — specifically at 3535 35th Ave., 630 Hegenberger Road, 6900 Bancroft Ave. and 2255 Telegraph Ave. — have limited their services to drive-thru only, no longer accommodating walkin customers.
Taco Bell said in a statement to the Chronicle that these closures and changes in operations are decisions made by the franchise owner, Diversified Restaurant Group, not its parent company, Yum! Brands.
“Providing a safe environment for team members and customers is the priority at Taco Bell restaurants,” the company said. “The franchise owner and operator has informed us that they are consistently evaluating and working to ensure a safe environment by implementing procedures, such as closing dining rooms, and hiring security guards, and they have taken extra measures to meet with local law enforcement.”
An employee at one of the affected locations, where a prominent “DINING ROOM CLOSED” sign is displayed, told KRON that the closures were “because some people sometimes make trouble.”
The Taco Bell branch on Hegenberger Road is not the only one facing challenges near Oakland International Airport. Other nearby restaurants have either closed or modified their services in recent months. Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers shut down its dining room and moved employee parking to a gated lot last year, a Denny’s franchise shuttered in January, and In-N-Out plans to close its only Oakland restaurant by the end of the month due to persistent issues with crime.
A Starbucks at the Edgewater Drive plaza also shut its doors late last year, leaving placards in its boardedup windows advising motorists to protect their belongings.
Denny Warnick, the CEO of In-N-Out, said in a statement, “Despite taking repeated steps to create safer conditions, our customers and associates are regularly victimized by car break-ins, property damage, theft, and armed robberies.”
According to Oakland Police Department data, violent crime in the city last year increased 21% over 2022. Vehicle break-ins increased 23% and vehicle theft increased 45%.
Earlier this year, Huy Nguyen, president of the Oakland Police Officers Association, said the department is not adequately staffed to address crime in the area, particularly given the rise in violent crime and a call volume of about 1.2 million calls for service a year.