Taco Bell knows how to motivate, and manipulate, its customer base.
The fast-food chain moves items on and off its menu because the method has proved that absence truly does make the heart, and appetite, grow fonder.
Some items are clearly limited-time offers. Fans of the chain know that special sauces and certain new toppings will be featured for a while and then disappear. In many cases, Taco Bell will quickly bring back a popular choice, while in others it will make customers wait to build up excitement.
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In most cases, fans of the Yum Brands (YUM) -) chain accept that Taco Bell's menu will change frequently. But that was not the case in 2020 when the chain took its beloved Mexican Pizza off the menu.
At the time, the change was attributed to Taco Bell needing to simplify its menu due to the covid pandemic. Because dining rooms were closed and sales had shifted to takeout and delivery, the chain needed to focus on making sure it could operate efficiently.
The move outraged a lot of the chain's biggest fans while others assumed it was a sort of New Coke scenario. When Coca-Cola (KO) -) replaced its classic formula with a new one, many people assumed it was a marketing ploy designed so "Classic Coke" could make a triumphant return.
That's what happened with Coke bringing back its classic formula, giving the brand a huge publicity bump, and it's what happened with the Mexican Pizza. Taco Bell brought the beloved product back in May 2022, only to have it sell out quickly and disappear again until it came back to the "permanent" menu in the fall of 2022.
Now, after it tested the item in Oklahoma back in December, the chain will launch a new take on its classic Mexican Pizza nationwide on Sept. 7.
Image source: TheStreet
Taco Bell menu adds a new Mexican Pizza
While Taco Bell offers new takes on tacos, burritos, and other Mexican menu classics all the time, it has been fairly protective of its Mexican Pizza. The chain sells the classic version of its take on pizza as well as a Veggie Mexican Pizza, which leaves out the ground beef.
It's also possible to order a vegan-friendly version if you order the Veggie Mexican Pizza without the cheese. (Taco Bell, however, does not have a separate kitchen area to prepare vegetarian or vegan dishes so cross-contamination remains a risk.)
Now, Taco Bell will add a new take on the classic beginning Sept. 7, although some locations have jumped the gun and started selling it.
"The Cheesy Jalapeño Mexican Pizza features seasoned beef and refried beans between two pizza shells with pizza sauce, three-cheese blend, nacho cheese sauce, tomatoes, and jalapeños on top," Chew Boom reported.
In theory, you could order a vegetarian version without the beef and a vegan version if you leave out the beef and cheese. Taco Bell also allows customers to customize their orders by adding other items as well.
The new pizza costs $4.99 on its own, although prices may vary. You can also order it as part of combo where "you get a Cheesy Jalapeño Mexican Pizza, two Crunchy Tacos Supreme, and a large fountain drink for $9.99," the food website shared.
Taco Bell has not said when the new promotion will end. A traditional Taco Bell Mexican Pizza has 530 calories, while the veggie version has 470. The chain has not shared nutritional information for the Cheesy Jalapeño Mexican Pizza but it will be added to Taco Bell's website when the version goes on sale.
