Taco Bell Reviving Fan-Loved Limited Edition Menu Item
Taco Bell is reviving its crispy chicken wings beginning on January 26, 2023.
Fast food restaurants are constantly retiring and then bringing back menu items to keep people interested in their brand. McDonald’s McRib sandwich is perhaps the most notorious of the repeatedly retired-then-resurrected fast food menu item, but Taco Bell also makes frequent swaps to its offerings. After a successful limited-time launch last year, the chain is bringing back its fan-favorite crispy chicken wings.
Alas, this latest release is only available for two weeks (January 26 through February 9), so act quickly if you want to enjoy them again. Each $6.99 order contains eight bone-in chicken wings coated with a crunchy queso-flavored seasoning. They are served with a side of spicy ranch dipping sauce, or you can kick up the heat by drizzling them with Taco Bell Diablo or Fire sauce.
When the crispy chicken wings were first released, Taco Bell praised their unusual menu addition. “Taco Bell is no stranger to taking a familiar favorite and putting a unique spin on it (nacho fries, anyone?!) and wings are the latest creation from the test kitchen masterminds,” the company said. Taco Bell added a wings filter on its app that shows customers which stores are selling the wings.
Chicken wings are such a popular restaurant menu item that even Chick-fil-a gave them a run at two concept stores last year. The restaurants are Little Blue Menu in Nashville, Tennessee, and Truett’s Chick-Fil-A in Stockbridge, Georgia. The restaurant chain is famous for its boneless chicken sandwiches, strips, and nuggets, but the bone-in wings are actually still available through February 11, or while supplies last.
Taco Bell made headlines last year when it brought back the fan-favorite Mexican Pizza. The simple stack of tortillas, sauce, and toppings was so popular, the chain sold out of its ingredients within weeks. Supply chain issues contributed to the pause in availability, but the pizzas are back now at locations across the United States.
Starting January 26, fans of both the crispy chicken wings and the Mexican pizza will be able to buy an Ultimate Game Day Box. It features one Mexican pizza, eight wings, and four crunchy tacos for $22. The box is meant to be shared and can be delivered through the app while you’re home enjoying the game.
“The Ultimate GameDay Box allows Taco Bell to compete in a space that’s been traditionally reserved for pizza and wings, in a way only this brand can,” said Sean Tresvant, the chief brand officer of Taco Bell’s parent company. “A shareable meal that delivers the Mexican Pizza, which over-exceeded our forecasts last year due to fan demand, Crunchy Tacos, which are one of our top-selling items, and the ultra-craveable Crispy Chicken Wings, which drove massive headlines and demand last year, makes this an easy choice for those debating on how to feed their friends and family, no matter the occasion.” Customers who order through the app can get an additional free Mexican pizza with any $15 minimum purchase through February 1.
Not only are crispy chicken wings and Mexican pizzas back, but Taco Bell is also test-marketing two new versions of the popular pizzas. Fans in Omaha, Nebraska get to sample the Triple Crunch Mexican Pizza. As the name suggests, it has three layers of tortillas and toppings instead of the standard two.
In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Taco Bell fans get to try the Cheesy Jalapeno Mexican Pizza. Its press release simply described it as spicy and extra cheesy, covered in extra cheese and plenty of sliced jalapeno peppers. If the two specialty Mexican pizzas do well in their test markets, they may be released at more locations across the country.
Although many customers become outraged when their favorite item disappears from the menu, others are just grateful when they come back—even if it’s for a limited time. Taco Bell and other fast food restaurants must constantly shake up their offerings to gain social media attention and draw in foot traffic. Most companies consider social media to play a huge role in their marketing strategies.
