If you're a fast-food fan, there's nothing worse than going into one of your favorite chains expecting to order a menu item you love, only to learn that it has been discontinued,
Sometimes fans know that an item is available only for a limited time.
Starbucks (SBUX) fans, for example, know that the Pumpkin Spice Latte starts becoming hard to find once winter gets closer. McDonald's (MCD) customers understand the same thing about the Shamrock Shake once St. Patrick's Day has passed.
DON'T MISS: Burger King Puts Two New Whoppers On Menus Nationwide
It hurts, however, when you don't realize that a menu item you enjoy has an end date until you go to order it and it's not there. That can be a challenge at Yum Brands' (YUM) Taco Bell, where menu items come and go, sometimes quickly.
The chain regularly makes menu changes, and that can mean that adding something means taking something else away. Taco Bell also uses a constantly changing menu as a way to keep its customers engaged.
Since you never know what will be on the menu, fans visit more often, and when a new item gets offered, lapsed fans often hear about it by word of mouth. The system is good -- but it also leads to customers suffering the loss of well-liked items.
Now, an industrious fan of the taco chain has shared an easy way to recreate an item that left Taco Bell's menu in 2019.
Image source: Shutterstock
Welcome Back Taco Bell Double Decker
The Taco Bell Double Decker left the chain's menu in 2019 and has not been brought back since then. This fairly simple menu item featured a soft flour tortilla layered with beans and wrapped around a hard-shell taco filled with beef, lettuce, and shredded cheddar cheese.
It's actually fairly easy to recreate the item, according to an Instagram post shared by Yahoo, which has since been taken down.
"Next time you find yourself at Taco Bell, order a soft bean taco with no other fillings (i.e. lettuce or onions) alongside a crunchy taco with your favorite fillings. Then, just open up the soft taco and stick the whole crunchy taco right inside," the post shared.
Doing that will set you back about $3, a little more than the Double Decker's original cost, but it's essentially an exact replica that requires minimal work on your part.
Taco Bell's Strategy Has Been Working
Yum Brands Chief Executive David Gibbs outlined what has been working for Taco Bell and what's driving sales, during the company's first-quarter-earnings call.
"Taco Bell's first-quarter system sales grew 12%, led by 8% same-store sales growth and 6% unit growth. These incredible results build on years of sustained top-line strength as the team executes on its consistent growth formula, which leverages the combination of brand buzz with unparalleled value offerings, mass occasions, and digital initiatives," he said.
Gibbs cited the "customer buzz around craveable product offerings," including the Crispy Melt Taco and the Grilled Cheese Burrito and the value proposition of the chain's $2 burritos on the Cravings Value Menu.
He also noted that the company showed it could compete with its higher-end rival (the unnamed Chipotle (CMG)).
"Strong demand for the Grilled Cheese Burrito is a fantastic example that proves Taco Bell can win in the big burrito category and participate in higher price points while maintaining value leadership," he added.
