People really wanted Taco Bell to bring back the Mexican Pizza. The Yum! Brands (YUM) chain got rid of the popular treat when it revamped its menu during the pandemic.
The company dropped items that were harder to make or required special ingredients. In the case of the Mexican Pizza, it dropped a very popular item at least partly because its packaging was inefficient.
In reality, it's also possible Taco Bell took Mexican Pizza away so it could bring it back. The company certainly seems aware of how customers feel about it.
“Our menu is full of fan-favorites, but the Mexican Pizza is at the top of that list,” Taco Bell CEO Mark King sad in a press release. “From its flashy introduction to menus in 1985 as ‘Pizzazz Pizza’ to its inspiration behind the creation of infamous jingles, Mexican Pizza has a long history with the brand and I’m glad we could give fans what they crave and bring our classic Mexican Pizza back home where it belongs.”
Fans have both rejoiced and complained over the newly-returned Mexican Pizza, but it's very clear that the products return has overshadowed two other new menu items.
Taco Bell
Taco Bell Takes Drinks Seriously
Taco Bell has focused on its drinks platform. That makes sense because beverages are very high margin and are easy to produce. The chain has been inventive with its drinks menu and has leaned into bold flavors that serve its audience while not being particularly in line with its food offerings.
Now, at the same time it brought back the Mexican Pizza, it has also added two new drinks to its beverage menu -- Brisk Dragon Paradise Sparkling Iced Tea, and Dole Lemonade Strawberry Squeeze.
Brisk Dragon Paradise Sparkling Iced Tea is a sparkling sweet hibiscus tea with dragon fruit, raspberry, and blackberry flavors," Chewboom reported. "Meanwhile, Dole Lemonade Strawberry Squeeze features Dole lemonade with a burst of strawberry flavor."
Both are considered limited-time offers.
Taco Bell Weathers the Pandemic
Taco Bell did change its menu during the pandemic, but Yum CEO David Gibbs made it clear that the brand, which represents about a third of the company's sales, continues to perform well during its first-quarter earnings call.
"Given the brand's role as a culture leader in the industry, it's easy to forget its experience and heritage, all of which makes us even more confident in the brand's ability to navigate any economic environment," he said. "Taco Bell is executing on its strategy to inspire and enable the world to live mas by remaining relevant, easy and distinctive to its customers."
He credited much of that success to the chain continuing to innovate both when it comes to food and value.
"On the relevance front, Taco Bell continued to champion customer value with new offerings to meet all occasions, including the introduction of $2 burritos on the new Cravings Value Menu, adding to Taco Bell's existing $1 menu offering. The combination of Taco Bell's new Cravings Value Menu with its box and combo offerings positions Taco Bell well to serve the needs of all customers," he added.
