Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza

[Puller]

Taco Bell is well known for its strategy of abruptly discontinuing and then bringing back popular menu items. One example is the Mexican Pizza, which was taken off the menus in 2020 much to the chagrin of fans, 166,000 of whom even signed a petition lobbying for its return. In fact, the item is still so popular that Taco Bell's main competitor, Del Taco, didn't even try to hide the fact that their Crunchtada was a close copy of it.

Since its removal, it has inspired a number of popular copycat recipes. I found several recipes on line that can be made at home, but I just don't get Taco Bell's reasoning, which corporate didn't really give a reason, for removing one of their top menu items.

 

[Pisgah]

I have yet to figure out Taco Bell's reason to exist, period. The stuff they sell bears no resemblance to Mexican food or, indeed, any sort of food at all.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

I thought Taco Bell was the Mexican phone company.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[Imissedagain]

You are what you eat.

The Green sauce was their best item.

 

[Erich]

I have yet to figure out Taco Bell's reason to exist, period. The stuff they sell bears no resemblance to Mexican food or, indeed, any sort of food at all.

 

[HenryT]

I liked the Mexican Pizza. The reason for removing it from the menu was environmental.

See:

Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza Is Already Being Removed From Menus

 

[Puller]

I liked the Mexican Pizza. The reason for removing it from the menu was environmental.

See:

Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza Is Already Being Removed From Menus

Are there really that many environmentalist who actually care how much cardboard is in the packaging? I think not, if there were that many people who actually cared and understood the issue we wouldn't be buying products from China by the shipload.

 

[arjay]

It must not have been a money maker

 

[UncleEd]

I have yet to figure out Taco Bell's reason to exist, period. The stuff they sell bears no resemblance to Mexican food or, indeed, any sort of food at all.

Where I live, many individual
Mexican-owned restaurants
exist. And I've seen many,
many Latinos eating at nearby
Taco Bells.

What most Mexican restaurants
around here and Taco Bell
represent is Tex-Mex and not
the best of Mexico's varied
cuisine.

 

[k22fan]

Admittedly I did not follow the link but I think I understand the environmentalists' objection was the Mexican Piza packaging used more cardboard than other menu items.

That's faulty reasoning. Most of my neighborhood is commercial timber. After each clear cut the decision of whether to replant or sell of lots for housing is a business calculation. Which will make more money? For the farms to be replanted there has to be demand for wood products including cardboard. Use cardboard instead of a non-wood based product and more farms will be replanted. Nothing else any business does is as good for the environment as growing trees.

As a purely greedy self interest, I'd rather live between tree farms than between suburbs.

 

[DWalt]

It's been a long time since I set foot inside a TB. Back then, TB often had some pretty good special deals and coupons, and the wife and I would go there. It was mainly for the tacos, especially the double taco which was a corn-shell taco wrapped inside a flour tortilla with refried beans between them. I thought that was a good idea, no idea if it is still available. Today, no coupons, no Taco Bell. I remember some past lawsuit where TB was being sued because their "ground beef" taco filling was mostly soy filler, and couldn't legally be called beef because the beef content was too low.

 

[Imissedagain]

Paperboy style delivery of pizza?
Just toss one to your porch from the pizza stack in the bikes basket?
It could happen.

Back in '67, my Uncle with three younger daughters and a sense of humor, invited me to the new great Mexican restaurant in their Southern California area.
Taco Bell.

 

[375hh1973]

Aint nothing better than Taco Bell after a long evening of drinkin beer

 

[glenwolde]

They do it because it makes them the most money. They didn't get to be the 800# Taco in the category by being stupid.

Humans are fickle creatures. We want what we can't have. Maybe they make more rotating through a list of "temporary" menu items. Maybe they don't have the capacity to add them all to the menu. Maybe their various vendors don't have the capacity year-round.

After all there is a limit to how many menu items they can have. They also learn a lot about their customers by their response to these temporary items. Could be if it was a regular menu item interest would wain.

My gut says this has a lot to do with their vendors having some limited production capacity left over and this is how they use it up. It also provides a testing system for product development.

It's no small feat rolling out a product to 5,000 locations.

 

[glenwolde]

I have yet to figure out Taco Bell's reason to exist, period. The stuff they sell bears no resemblance to Mexican food or, indeed, any sort of food at all.

I have a good friend who is Hispanic. Grew up speaking Spanish in the home. He's a first generation U.S. Citizen.

His favorite tacos are from Wendy's. Go figure.

 

[armorer951]

Why would you pay $300.00 for a colon cleanse when Taco Bell has a $4.99 special?

 

[LVSteve]

I took my late father to a Taco Bell once, having warned him that its connection to Mexican food was somewhat shaky. He loved the stuff, especially the Mexican Pizza. The English palate is not predictable.

 

[pantannojack]

I used to ask for Green Chili Tacos at the drive thru. Teen age'rs can make some funny looks when confused.

 

[reedman]

I miss their bean tostados and the green sauce they used behind the counter (like when you had the choice of a red or green burrito). Guess I'm showing my age. I had a friend growing up that loved their Bell Burger.

 

[Rustyt1953]

We have a TB very close to us that we frequent because the boys love it. I can always find something palatable there.

I miss the talking chihuahua.