Taco Bell offers $1 Mexican Pizza to recover foot traffic following cyclosporiasis outbreak
Taco Bell is offering its Mexican Pizza for $1 at participating locations through 11:59 p.m. PT on July 28. The promotion aims to entice customers back to the chain after a significant decline in foot traffic caused by an ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak. While the parasite was initially linked to Taylor Farms lettuce used by the chain, the Food and Drug Administration later noted that while the supply chain evidence remains, no produce samples have returned a positive test for the parasite to date. Data from Placer.ai indicates that Taco Bell's traffic was down by more than 30% on July 17, a drop that was approximately 16 times worse than the broader fast-food category. This decline contributed to a 10% drop in the stock price of Yum! Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, which erased roughly $4.3 billion in market value. To mitigate the impact, the administration announced that the chain would offer lettuce-free specials, including a $1 Enchirito and the current $1 Mexican Pizza deal. CEO Sean Tresvant stated that the chain is earning loyalty one meal at a time.