Taco Bell Is Finally Answering The Prayers Of Mexican Pizza Fans
Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza has been a fan favorite ever since it landed in restaurants over 30 years ago — so when the company announced that the item would be discontinued in late 2020, customers were far from happy, reported Food Network.
According to a September 2020 press release, Taco Bell decided to discontinue the immensely popular dish because it didn't align with the brand's long-term environmental impact goals: In the U.S., packaging for Mexican Pizzas contributed over 7 million pounds of paperboard waste annually. As a result, the dish was officially pulled from store menus on November 5, 2020.
Customers did not receive the decision well, sparking outrage on social media and a wildly successful Change.org petition. And it appears all the pushback has paid off. During her Coachella performance on April 17, rapper Doja Cat announced next month's official return of the Mexican Pizza to Taco Bell restaurants, as confirmed by the company's statement.
Why is Mexican Pizza so beloved?
According to Taco Bell, Mexican Pizza was first called the 'Pizzazz Pizza' when it was launched over 30 years ago. But aside from the name change, the dish is pretty similar to its original iteration. Today, the Mexican Pizza consists of two crispy tortillas layered with ground beef and beans and topped with pizza sauce, cheese, and tomatoes.
According to the brand, Mexican Pizza has been especially beloved among vegetarians, as the items can be customized and made without ground beef. "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," explained Krish Jagirdar, organizer of the Change.org petition, per Taco Bell.
To make the return possible, Taco Bell said that it has "worked to streamline operations and ingredient sourcing" for the dish, which will "leave a lighter footprint at the same time." Mexican Pizza will officially return to Taco Bell restaurants on May 19, 2022.