Like most fast-food chains, Yum Brands' (YUM) Taco Bell relies on changing up its formula to keep customers coming back.
And while many have joked that all the brand really does is rearrange the same ingredients, that formula has kept customers coming back for decades. So clearly it's doing something right.
Its most recent changes include tweaks to its $5 Breakfast Box and introducing $10 Cravings Meals, as well as announcing the return of its much-beloved Mexican Pizza.
It also announced a Drag Brunch in Las Vegas Cantina locations to benefit the It Gets Better project to support LGBTQ+ youth.
While all that is more than enough to keep its customers interested, Taco Bell is careful not to put all its efforts into any one thing, preferring to try a wider variety of approaches to see how people react.
Once they do, the company will often deepen the strategy by trying new tactics with the item or promotion of choice.
Its latest test involves its cult favorite Nacho Fries, which returned to its menu in early March. And if customers respond positively to it, the company is highly likely to make it available in all restaurant locations in the near future.
What Is Taco Bell Doing With Its Fries Now?
Taco Bell
One thing Taco Bell has lacked is the traditional fast-food side dish that's easy to eat on the go. Its Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes and Black Beans and Rice both sell, but you can't snack on them on your drive home.
The chain aimed to change that with Nacho Fries, and now it's offering a combo meal with them to make its meals a little more portable.
Chewboom reports that Taco Bell is first testing the combo in the Detroit area. The meal comes with two Taco Supremes, a small Nacho Fries with dipping sauce, and a large fountain drink for $5.99.
When the Nacho Fries came back in early March, Taco Bell indicated that they were a limited-release item. So there's no telling how long this combo will last or whether the chain is considering them as a permanent menu item.
What Else Does Taco Bell Have Coming This Summer?
On its February earnings call, Yum Brands said that 2021 was the strongest growth year in its history, which means it has room to experiment with fun new concepts like the Drag Brunch.
It also opened a total of 433 new locations in 2021, continuing to increase its footprint across the world. And it's moving forward with its Taco Bell Defy concept, which looks like some sort of sci-fi inspired bank for food.
Taco Bell Defy locations feature four lanes with three devoted to pickup of mobile orders using a QR code, further rewarding customers who place orders through the app versus at the drive-through window. Their orders are then delivered using a "proprietary lift system," keeping the experience contactless.
Taco Bell
While many of the major fast-food brands are leaning in the direction of subscription models and customer rewards programs, Taco Bell is the first to introduce locations built specifically to support the concept.
