Tacos are one of the few things that Americans of all political and social allegiances can agree on. Even crappy American fast food tacos are crunchy, cheesy, and full of goodness. What’s not to love? Taco Bell knows this and they want to capitalize on it. As of today, Taco Bell is offering a taco subscription service that gives subscribers a taco a day. But as the saying goes: If it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably a marketing scam.
The subscription service, called Taco Lover’s Pass, is available to members of Taco Bell’s awards program who use their eponymous app and gives customers a taco a day for only $10 a month. Subscribers can choose between several tacos included in the subscription — a soft taco, spicy potato soft taco, crunchy tacos and Doritos tacos, CNN reported. A taco a day for less than two bucks a week sounds pretty great, but there are a few catches.
First of all, who among us has ever eaten a single taco? There’s no way. Taco Bell knows that once you order one taco, you’re probably going to order seven more, a crunch wrap supreme, and Dr. Pepper. Even if you go into the subscription knowing that you’re basically just signing up for a bonus taco on each order, it will probably make you spend more money than usual at Taco Bell because that one fateful taco has whet your appetite.
Many fast food chains have recently implemented reward membership programs because they drive sales, and Taco Bell has actually been testing this program since September in Arizona, so they already know it’s profitable. In fact, the program increased membership in its rewards program by 20%, CNN reported. That membership increase could mean a lot of money, since some studies suggest that loyalty programs make customers 60% more likely to spend money on a brand once they’ve joined.
Plus, the thing about ordering on the app is that it gives Taco Bell an easy centralized place to collect data about your preferences and habits. Sure, they tell you that they do that so they can tailor what’s offered to you, but what that actually means is knowing when, where, and what you order puts them in a better position to sell you more without having to do that much.
A daily Taco Bell taco is basically the settler colonist American Dream and, like all the fantasies this country breeds, it’s not exactly what it seems. Yes, for just $10 a month you can have a taco every day, but don't forget the hidden fees Taco Bell will collect by way of your data. Plus, I love tacos, but I don’t actually want to live in a body that eats a Dorito anything every day.
