Taco Bell Pulls Off Elaborate Big Ben Stunt for London Opening

On Monday, Taco Bell announced its return to London after two decades by enlisting the help of another famous bell: the one that sits atop Big Ben.

According to an article in Nation’s Restaurant News, the quick-service chain digitized its signature ‘bong’ to mimic the prominent landmark’s famous chimes. The brand's newest London store will open on November 23.

Taco Bell enlisted an audio engineer to compose the chimes, which were played through multiple speakers strategically placed throughout the area surrounding Big Ben and rang every hour from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. The landmark has been under construction, so the ringing was unexpected for tourists and locals alike.

“We took an urban camouflage approach, and mounted the speakers on unbranded rickshaws which traveled around the vicinity of Westminster Bridge and Big Ben, sharing the chimes for all to hear,” the company told NRN.

The article also noted that this wasn't Taco Bell’s first bell-themed prank; in 1996, the brand put out a fake ad that it had purchased the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and renamed it the ‘Taco Liberty Bell’ for April Fool’s Day.