Beloved Taco Bell Menu Item Makes A Triumphant Return
At long last, a beloved fan-favorite Taco Bell menu item is slated to make a much-anticipated return.
This article is more than 2 years old
Taco Bell has been working on several new items this year. From limited-time additions like the Flamin’ Hot Cool Ranch Doritos Locos and Cantina Crispy Chicken Tacos, the eatery tried it all. But now the popular restaurant is finally bringing back an old favorite after a two-year hiatus. Early this week, the fast-food chain said its Mexican Pizza is officially returning on May 19th.
Touching on the chain’s cost-cutting reasons for dropping the product, Taco Bell said they have made some changes to the Mexican Pizza behind the scenes. According to Food & Wine, the fast-food chain has streamlined operations to keep kitchens moving quickly. They have also altered their ingredient sourcing and tweaked the packaging to leave a lighter carbon footprint.
Speaking about the re-launch, Taco Bell’s CEO Mark King said the eatery’s menu is full of fan favorites, but the Mexican Pizza is at the top of that list. “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.”
Taco Bell also credited Krish Jagirda as a key player in the menu item’s return. Soon after the Mexican Pizza was dropped, he created a Change.Org petition pleading with the food outlet to bring it back. It garnered more than 200,000 signatures. Speaking to People, Jagirdar shared his reasons for leading the campaign. “Like many Indian-Americans who grew up vegetarian, we had limited access to the fun fast foods,” he explained. “Taco Bell became a bridge to belonging in American culture for many kids who grew up in immigrant households.”
That’s what made it especially devastating for many folks when the Mexican Pizza was pulled from Taco Bell menus in 2020. “But fast forward two years later and I found myself on a conference call with the Taco Bell team as they shared news of the return of the Mexican Pizza,” Jagirda told the publication. The move is a clear indication that listening to their fans is embedded deep within their DNA.
Taco Bell partner, Doja Cat was among the first to confirm the news of the Mexican Pizza’s return during her performance at Coachella. “I brought back the Mexican Pizza by the way!” she excitedly told the audience. “She literally dropped the mic with the HOT news of the Mexican Pizza’s return this May,” Taco Bell added in their statement via People. Outside the United States, the food item will return to menus at participating restaurants in Aruba, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.
Since its introduction in 1985, Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza has been made with seasoned ground beef and refried beans sandwiched between two crisp pizza shell tostadas. This was topped with diced tomatoes, a three-cheese blend, and a spicy pizza sauce. It can also be ordered without the meat, making it a favorite for vegetarian food lovers.
