Why You Might See Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza On The Menu Again

Taco Bell fans, get ready to fiesta. The popular fast food chain announced on Twitter on August 2 that the popular Mexican Pizza will be returning permanently in a little over a month on September 15.

Per NBC News, the Mexican Pizza was discontinued in November 2020 for numerous reasons, including supply chain issues and a concerning report that revealed its paperboard packaging accounted for 7 million pounds of waste each year. At the time, it was noted that in order to streamline their kitchens and "leave a lighter footprint on our planet," the fan-favorite item was cut. However, as NPR revealed, the discontinuation led to public outrage, particularly amongst Americans of South Asian descent and other vegetarians.

The Mexican Pizza, which NPR notes is not Mexican and doesn't really resemble a pizza, is made by sandwiching ground beef and refried beans between two flour tortillas (similar to a quesadilla) and is topped with tomato sauce, cheese, and diced tomatoes. The beef can be substituted for beans –making it popular with vegetarians — and the taco spicing gave it appeal to many. 

One particularly passionate fan, Krish Jagirdar, started a Change.org petition to bring back the snack that garnered over 170,000 signatures.

Hearing the outcry, Taco Bell tried to bring the Mexican Pizza back this spring, announcing on April 17 that the item would be back for a limited time in May, but, as Fortune reported, the chain quickly sold out after ordering ingredients for what was meant to be a six-month supply. Sales of the pizzas were seven times higher when it was relaunched than before its cancellation and all stores sold out in less than two months, leading to the item being pulled from menus once again.

Since then, fans have eagerly awaited news of the pizza's return. And while chatting with Fortune, Taco Bell CEO Mark King confirmed its September return. 

According to NBC News, the pizzas will still be served in a paperboard box, which the company plans on encouraging customers to recycle while it cuts down on waste in other ways.

Another mystery surrounding the revival is if the company will continue with its plan from May to debut "Mexican Pizza the Musical." Originally planned as a parody social media film documenting the "struggle" of fans to bring back the menu item as a stunt for the May relaunch, Today reports the project — set to feature original songs and performances by Dolly Parton and Doja Cat — was put on hiatus after stores sold out of the Mexican Pizza. According to CNBC, Taco Bell has told fans to "stay tuned" for updates on the production.