The Popular Ingredient That Taco Bell Is Pulling From Its Menu
In a July 2020 post to Reddit, a Taco Bell employee leaked information about some serious menu changes that would allegedly begin in August 2020, and people were not pleased. They were especially upset to read that "all potato items" would be disappearing from the menu. Taco Bell's potato enthusiasts even created a Change.org petition titled "Save Taco Bell Potatoes" with over 9,000 signatures as of this writing. In the petition description, they state that "2020 has been hard enough" and ask signers to help vegetarians, vegans, and anyone "with taste" to save their beloved ingredient.
It's easy to understand why people were so obsessed with this rumor, as Taco Bell potato dishes have a bit of a cult following, with Eater declaring them the best thing available at Taco Bell. Eater states that a Reddit identified as a "Verified Employee" updated their information, stating that the only potato item that would remain on the menu is the Potato Bites, which will only be available during breakfast.
On July 17, Taco Bell has officially confirmed this potato-based loss in a statement released on the company website. They give the reason for simplifying the menu as an attempt to help customers and staff members process orders more easily and efficiently, claiming the more limited menu will allow them room to innovate. The potato dishes they highlight as being removed from the menu are the Spicy Potato Soft Taco, Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes, and the Cheesy Potato Loaded Grillers.
Taco Bell fans are not happy to see the potatoes go
Business Insider reports that Taco Bell's official announcement that they will remove almost all the menu items featuring potatoes did not go over well, especially with vegetarians and vegans. The outlet reached out to Taco Bell about the menu change, and a representative for the fast food company assured Business Insider that they had launched a "new Vegetarian Panel at the beginning of the year" and that "While some vegetarian favorites are retiring, we're continuing to innovate across all categories — including plant-based."
In their statement on their website, Taco Bell underscored this point, reminding fans that while many of the meat-free dishes were being discontinued, the menu has a specific symbol to help customers quickly find vegetarian options. They also said that almost all menu items are designed to be customizable, with the option to swap beans for any protein to create a meat-free version of classic Taco Bell dishes.