The Wait Is Over as Fans Celebrate the Return of Taco Bell's Cult-Favorite Menu Item: 'Nature Is Healing' The beloved menu item was abruptly removed two years ago amid pandemic-related issues.
By Emily Rella Edited by Amanda Breen
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The two-year long wait is over in what some fast-food fans are calling a "National Holiday", as Taco Bell has brought back its fan-favorite Mexican Pizza to menus nationwide.
The beloved item, which consists of two tostadas layered with pizza sauce and beans or ground beef and then topped with cheese, tomatoes and more sauce, was quietly removed from menus in 2020 as the company attempted to cut down on pandemic-related supply chain issues and rising costs.
But hell hath no fury like a Taco Bell customer who can no longer "Live Más" after one of their cult-favorite menu items is removed (lest we forget the great Quesalupa removal exactly one year ago), and, naturally, fans made an uproar on the internet to bring it back.
First there was a Change.org petition that garnered over 200,000 signatures, started by Taco Bell Stan Krish Jagirdar who explained that the pizza was a way for the South Asian community to still enjoy fast-food while abiding by cultural dietary restrictions.
Related: Internet Has Meltdown After Taco Bell Removes Fan-Favorite Menu Item: 'My Life is Over'
"Like many Indian-Americans who grew up vegetarian, we had limited access to the 'fun' fast food, so Taco Bell became a bridge to belonging in American culture for many kids like me who grew up in immigrant households," Jagirdar explained in a statement via Taco Bell. "Listening to their fans is clearly embedded in [Taco Bell's] DNA. It's one of the many reasons Taco Bell is more than just another fast-food restaurant."
Then came Grammy Award-winning artist Doja Cat, who used her mass following on TikTok to write a song to Taco Bell about bringing back the pizza, which garnered over 8.4 million likes and over 37.3 million views, re-sparking a national interest in the menu item among her fanbase and beyond.
@dojacat♬ original sound - Doja Cat
Fans everywhere rejoiced on Thursday when the Mexican Pizza finally dropped, declaring their excitement and adoration across social media.
Happy Return of Mexican Pizza to Taco Bell Day to those who celebrate
— Temple of the Forbidden Bri (@brresler) May 18, 2022
How many Taco Bell's are going to run out of Mexican pizza's today?
— Momsense Ensues (@momsense_ensues) May 19, 2022
We can't have world peace but @tacobell bringing back the Mexican Pizza is pretty damn close
— Kyle (@SpearheadKyle) May 19, 2022
I wonder if I go to Taco Bell rn can I get a Mexican pizza even though it's 7:20am
— Tee (@planejane_____) May 19, 2022
Just ate the Mexican pizza and honestly God is on the side of Taco Bell and so am I
— M.M. Carrigan (@thesurfingpizza) May 17, 2022
good morning to everyone, especially @tacobell, for bringing back my beloved Mexican pizza. Today is a good day.
— KT (@skatelync_) May 19, 2022
ITS MEXICAN PIZZA DAY @tacobell it is a great day to be alive
— Gooby (@ggarz10) May 19, 2022
just had a mexican pizza from taco bell nature is healing
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"Our menu is full of fan-favorites, but the Mexican Pizza is at the top of that list," Taco Bell CEO Mark King admitted in a statement. "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."
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Hungry customers in the U.S. and participating restaurants in Aruba, Costa Rica and Dominican Republic will be able to get their hands on the saucy snack starting Thursday.
Yum! Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, was down around 7% year over year as of Thursday afternoon.
