Between Twitter uprisings and actual support hotlines, Taco Bell’s decision to get rid
of their signature Mexican Pizza was contentious, to say the least.
So — why did they make it?
Keep watching to find out.
In 1985, Taco Bell added some pizzazz to its brand by launching the Pizzazz Pizza on its
menu.
The pizza was just large enough to cover your palms and fill your stomach, serving the brand’s
belief in making food that could be:
“Held in your hands, and in your heart”
It was made with tortilla shells and was crispy and cheesy at the same time.
If that sounds suspiciously like the Mexican Pizza we know and love, it’s because they
were essentially the same product.
Taco Bell just advertised them differently in the early days.
Taco Bell had originally wanted to launch the pizza as "Mexican style Pizza,” but
its advertising agency advised the chain to go with Pizzazz Pizza instead.
According to a report from Justia US Law, the agency had argued that the term “Mexican
Pizza” was not an accurate representation of the item, and that it implied a certain
amount of spicy flavor that could turn off some customers.
While Pizzazz Pizza was popularized as a satisfying midnight snack, the product was rebranded
in 1988 as the Mexican Pizza, which was described as being,
"A love child of Mexican and Italian cuisine"
“Pizza?!
Now that’s what I call a taco.”
The pizza-taco hybrid never changed its name again and remained a staple on the menu until
Taco Bell decided to let it go in November 2020.
Those who started 2020 comforted by the reliability of Taco Bell’s quick pick-me-up menu were
in for a shock.
The first blow came in August when the brand decided to pull a total of 11 items from its
menu.
These included some favorites like the cheesy fiesta potatoes, beefy Fritos burrito, and
nachos supreme.
And just as taco lovers were probably filling the void by nurturing a sourdough starter
during the 2020 pandemic lockdown, Taco Bell dropped another bomb.
They made the brutal decision to remove three more items — pico de gallo, shredded chicken,
and, of course, the Mexican Pizza.
While some items, like the 7-layer burrito, could still be ordered via the Taco Bell app,
there was no way to enjoy a bite of the Mexican Pizza except by turning back time.
Probably taking a page out of Marie Kondo's book, Taco Bell went on a decluttering frenzy
back in 2019.
Announcing that they were getting rid of two flavors of the classic Doritos Locos Tacos,
the brand had said on its blog:
"As you can see, we gave our menu a brand new look-and-feel to help make ordering easier
[...] It's kind of like our version of decluttering a closet."
This philosophy appeared to carry over into the following year, though the decluttering
process clearly did not spark joy for the fans.
But Taco Bell's justification, as explained in a statement from July 2020, was that the
changes would allow for:
"... new fan favorites, continued progress in categories such as plant-based diets and
even opportunities for the return of some classics on a limited time basis."
Indeed, the 2020 menu change brought in many new items: the Grande Nachos Box, a value
menu beef burrito, a new green sauce recipe, a dragon fruit freeze, and the list goes on.
They even brought back their classic quesalupa.
All good additions for sure — but they didn't come close to compensating for the loss of
Mexican Pizza.
Taco Bell's decision to pull Mexican Pizza from its menu was at least not an impulsive
one.
According to the company, months of thought went into this change.
The COVID-19 pandemic had people mostly staying at home, and when they did go out, they preferred
not to step out of their cars.
So Taco Bell adapted by enforcing drive thru and take-out only options in its restaurants.
It also invested in ways to make its service quick and safe.
To do so, they needed to have a simplified menu that could be prepared and delivered
to the customer easily.
They reduced the number of combos by half, adopting the trend many other fast food chains
followed during the pandemic.
For example, McDonald's removed its all-day breakfast option, Chick-fil-A downsized its
offerings, and IHOP's menu slimmed down to a single page.
Like these other companies, safety was Taco Bell’s main priority.
The paperboard box that all-too-neatly held Taco Bell's Mexican pizza was one of the reasons
that the item itself had to go.
According to the company’s 2020 research, about seven million pounds of paperboard material
was used per year in the U.S. alone.
Why was this a problem?
Paperboard is a similar material to cardboard, but they have to be recycled separately.
And as it turns out, it is easier to find a center to recycle cardboard than it is for
paperboard.
Though paperboard is absolutely recyclable, its mass production undeniably contributes
to deforestation.
Taco Bell’s parent company, Yum!
Brands, has said they are committed to sustainable packaging, waste reduction, and ending forest
loss in their supply chain by 2030.
So it's only natural that they let go of Mexican Pizza, and thereby the generation of paperboard
waste.
Taco Bell is also encouraging customers to send them their used sauce packets, which
the brand plans to recycle in collaboration with the waste management company TerraCycle.
If recent history has taught us anything, it's that Taco Bell thrives on its menu updates.
The chain makes it sound like tough love, justifying that it implements changes to bring
its customers a new set of favorites.
But that doesn't really silence the craving, does it?
“It’s nacho fries, isn’t it?”
“He can’t escape the cravings.”
For example, in 2018, when Taco Bell introduced the Nacho Fries, customers fell in love.
The new item was ordered 53 million times … until Taco Bell abruptly dropped it from
its menu in April of that year.
Just as disappointed customers were about to accept the decision, the chain brought
the fries back.
Taco Bell dropped and readded the item as many as seven times between 2018 and 2021.
And, apparently it works!
According to Insider, selling customer favorites for a limited time makes those items even
more appealing.
Many popular offerings, such as the cheesy fiesta potatoes and the naked chicken chalupa,
have been dropped for a short while before being brought back.
With that said, there are also a host of items that were never reincarnated on Taco Bell's
menu.
Remember the seafood salad?
No?
Fair enough — it never got a second life.
For many, it seems like Mexican Pizza was the main draw for visiting their nearest Taco
Bell.
So when the chain bid adieu to the crowd favorite, general disappointment was unleashed in the
form of tweets, with one user writing:
"Today is day 70 of my Taco Bell boycott.
No signs of cracking to this point.”
Another Twitter user's resolve was just as strong.
They wrote:
"Today is day 300 of my Taco Bell boycott until they bring back the #MexicanPizza."
Others publicly yearned for the popular item as well:
"Woke up this morning missing the Mexican pizza from [Taco Bell] a little extra”
American rapper Doja Cat also chimed in during the mass request to bring the item back.
A month after the chain’s decision, she tweeted:
"Please [Taco Bell] bring back Mexican pizza and spicy potato soft taco.
I'm asking you nicely first.”
The company didn't budge though, even after Cat's song "Get Into It (Yuh)!" was featured
in a Taco Bell ad.
Taco Bell customers were having it rough, and Del Taco, its arch rival, took notice.
Channeling the collective disappointment to its own use, the brand launched a campaign
where it took a dig at Taco Bell for leaving its customers hangry.
“We get it.
And we got you.”
They also took the opportunity to promote their own product, the Crunchtada — a Mexican
pizza look-alike with a variety of toppings on a freshly fried tortilla.
In a press release, the chain said it:
"[...] is offering emotional and culinary support to these disappointed fans via a Mexican
Pizza Ghosted Support Hotline at 1-877-3-Ghosted."
That was, by the way, an actual hotline number.
Those who called it got a promo code for Del Taco's crunchtada, and, according to Forbes:
"[...] words of encouragement from an actual real live human being."
The campaign was funny and the timing just couldn't have been better.
If Twitter is to be believed, some Taco Bell loyalists even converted.
One user tweeted:
"I've officially ghosted Taco Bell and am now texting Del Taco.”
Since customers were being ghosted by Taco Bell, they decided to ring the bell louder.
One fan started a petition called "Save the Mexican Pizza" on Change.org.
While the pizza might just be part of a larger menu for the chain, it meant a lot more than
that to its fans — especially for many South Asian Americans, who often struggle to find
options that are halal- or vegetarian-friendly.
According to the petition:
"Losing this item would not only be the loss of one of our favorite foods but a piece of
our childhood & heritage as Indian Americans."
In March 2021, the petition garnered an astounding 160,000 signatures.
So ... was Taco Bell moved?
Nah, not really.
They released a statement making it clear that they didn't have plans to bring the item
back, though they did offer a sliver of hope, saying:
"[...] Taco Bell is constantly listening to its fans and they never say never"
It's hard to believe that Mexican Pizza is really coming back, especially after the fake
news that went around in 2021.
But this time around, the news is well worth the celebration.
And here's why.
Firstly, food blogger and influencer Markie Devo shared with his 60,000+ fans that Taco
Bell is bringing back Mexican Pizza in April or May of 2022.
Secondly, Living Más, a Taco Bell news site and community forum, released a promising
PDF transcript from a Taco Bell Franchise convention.
In it, Mike Grams, Vice President and COO of Taco Bell, is reported to have said the
golden words:
"We are bringing back the Mexican Pizza!"
The item won't only be back in its iconic form but, if the transcript is to be believed,
it will also be available in new versions, like double cheesy, bacon ranch, chocolate
Mexican ganache, and so on.
New flavors, new styles — Taco Bell fans are about to live even más.
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