Taco Bell has been the most ingenious fast-food chain. It not only constantly innovates, it finds new ways to combine familiar ingredients, and maybe a hint of something new to create products that feel unique.
That's something rival Burger King has recently done as well. The Restaurant Brands International (QSR) -) chain has used the same strategy to turn its famed Whopper from a sandwich to a platform.
Related: McDonald's menu makes major changes to classic items
Add a new topping, or switch out the cheese and you have something entirely new that's also very familiar. That's a much easier marketing proposition than having innovations that don't borrow heavily from what came before.
Yum Brands (YUM) -) Taco Bell has built a lot of its success around pushing the limits of what it can put inside, around, or over a taco shell or a flour tortilla. This is the chain that created a runaway hit by incorporating the classic Doritos snack chip flavor into its Doritos Locos Taco.
The Mexican chain has also done a very good job of keeping fans on their toes. In many ways, any non-core menu item can go away at any time and any past favorite can return at any time.
Like a pro wrestler making an unexpected return from injury or showing up in a new promotion, these returns "pop" the audience. When a familiar limited-time offer gets brought back, customers get excited and either spend more money or visit Taco Bell when they may have gone somewhere else.
Now, with no fanfare, and no official advanced notice, the chain has brought back a fan-favorite menu item nationwide.
Image source: Taco Bell
Taco Bell welcomes back a classic
Most Taco Bell items are served on either a flour tortilla or a classic corn-shell taco. Yes, the chain has flatbread-based items, and has used other vessels (like its taco that had a fried chicken shell) but tacos and tortillas are at the core of many of its menu items.
Taco Bell's Double Decker taco saves customers from having to pick between the two classic offerings by giving them both in one product.
"The Double Decker Taco features a soft flour tortilla layered with beans, then wrapped around a traditional crunchy taco shell filled with seasoned beef, crispy lettuce, and cheddar cheese," Chew Boom reported. "Taco Bell is also offering the Double Decker Taco Supreme, which takes a Crunchy Taco Supreme and sits on a bed of warm refried beans, while the Flour Tortilla sits underneath."
Both products joined the chain's menu on Dec. 5 and will be around for an unspecified limited time.
Taco Bell is on a roll
Taco Bell has been a major driver for Yum Brands, especially in the United States. That's something the company's CEO David Gibbs talked about during his company's third-quarter earnings call.
"Taco Bell U.S. is in a class of its own in the domestic QSR category as a culturally iconic brand and clear leader in value perception with the most crave-worthy food in the industry. Taco Bell has unmatched menu flexibility, exceptional pricing power, industry-leading unit economics, and world-class franchise partners," he said.
Sales in the U.S. grew by 11% in the quarter with 8% being same-store sales growth and 3% coming from adding new locations.
Gibbs believes that innovation will drive sales going forward.
"A key component of the magic formula is 'mas occasions,' the brand's personal expression of building new category entry points," he shared. "One such example is the growth in chicken offerings, which the team plans to further expand with the launch of its Cantina menu. We're excited about the impact these new menu items will have as we roll out these offerings in 2024."
