As a fast-food franchise that has been a part of our lives for decades, Yum Brands' (YUM) Taco Bell clearly knows how to please its customers.
And while some of its innovations didn't stick, like that weird seafood salad they once served in a fried taco shell, others have remained on the menu for many years due to customers buying them again and again.
But Taco Bell has been making strategic changes to its menu over the last few years. As if 2020 wasn't already an agonizing hellscape we all genuinely wondered if we had the mettle to survive, Taco Bell announced in November 2020 it was discontinuing several menu items, including Nachos Supreme, Loaded Grillers, and potatoes.
But perhaps the most distressing of all was that Taco Bell also said it intended to remove an item from its menu that seems as if its been there since the dawn of time: The Mexican Pizza.
"And while change is hard, a simplified menu and innovation process will leave room for new fan favorites, continued progress in categories such as plant-based diets, and even opportunities for the return of some classics on a limited time basis," the company announced.
The Fight To Rescue the Mexican Pizza
Joshua Blanchard/Getty Images for Taco Bell
One would think that getting rid of two fried tortillas sandwiching ground beef and cheese wouldn't be a huge deal for the chain. And considering its reasons--the product's packaging majorly contributing to how much waste the chain produces--it seemed as if this was a strategic move that would help Taco Bell further its environmental impact goals, which have included recyclable cups, sustainable packaging, and using only palm oil.
Instead, a fan uproar followed. Social media outlets like Twitter exploded, spawning dedicated accounts solely to beg for the meal's return. More than 171,000 people signed a Change.org petition begging the chain to bring it back. Life was simply not the same without it for these folks.
A similar (albeit smaller) uproar over the chain's removal of potatoes from its menu ensured, resulting in a return to the menu in March 2021. But despite constant outcry about the Mexican Pizza, it seemed as if Taco Bell simply wasn't willing to bring it back without a solution to the packaging problem.
The Mexican Pizza is Back (And More Eco-Friendly)
But Taco Bell's plans to bring back the Mexican Pizza were happening behind the scenes all along, and it intended to do so in a big way. To do so, it partnered with Doja Cat, who mentioned it in on stage in her concert over the weekend.
The Mexican Pizza will return to Taco Bell menus on May 17 for Loyalty program members and May 19 for the rest of us plebians. While Taco Bell didn't get specific about how it solved the packaging, it did mention making some other changes.
"Saucy fan pleas alone aren’t all it took to get the Mexican Pizza back to menus, as the masterminds in the Taco Bell test kitchen worked to streamline operations and ingredient sourcing, and leave a lighter footprint at the same time," the press release says.
Taco Bell's goal by 2025 is to swap all its packaging for recyclable, compostable, or reusable packaging. One step towards this was its announcement of a sauce packet recycling program in late 2021.
