Why Does Taco Bell Remove Items That Sell?


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When I was pregnant with my first and second child, the one thing I craved was Taco Bell’s Caramel Apple Empanadas! That wonderful, delicious caramel apple treat was the one thing I would beg my husband on his way home from work at 1am to get me. 

He was great about getting them for me very faithfully. A few times he even planned to get them for me to surprise me when I woke up in the morning. 

However, when I was pregnant with my third, and once again craving my mouth watering caramel apple empanadas, we discovered that they were taken off the menu! No amount of tears and begging allowed the poor cashier to bring them back! 

Let me just say, you never want to disappoint a pregnant woman. The cravings are very real. Why? Why did Taco Bell take their one item that I actually loved off the menu? This question definitely deserves an answer!

There are many different reasons that Taco Bell removes items from their menu. 

The two main reasons why Taco Bell will discontinue a popular item is because of the cost of the ingredients and the difficulty in either getting them or transporting them. Sometimes the cost of an ingredient will skyrocket so rather than raising the price of the item instead it will just be discontinued. 

One of the reasons is that part of the supply chain has a limited amount of what’s needed. If they keep running out of the item, then hungry customers are not happy either. This promotes bad business as they want to keep their customers, who are the ones paying for their food, happy. 

Wanting to keep a good name among their faithful supporters is just part of the business. If they run out of an ingredient due to the demand, then even though it’s popular, they just don’t have enough of the supplies to keep their customers completely satisfied with their name and products. 

Once the fact is settled that the item that is so popular isn’t able to keep up with the demand, then they take the item off the menu so as to keep their customers in a happy position as they are no longer being told their cravings aren’t able to be met. 

It just is no longer an option. It’s one reason why they have a good menu that’s constantly evolving.

Another reason is that Taco Bell makes a smaller profit from an item. The goal in business is to make money. If something doesn’t make enough money to the owners satisfaction, then they do have the option to get rid of it. 

Unfortunately, even if that item is a fan favorite, it can still be removed. The bottom line for businesses is money. They want to make a profit. 

They will put all the cost of each ingredient needed to make an item, and then determine the price. If the item loses money, then it’s not worth it to the business to keep the item around. 

As mentioned earlier the price of the ingredients can also change. It would depend on shipping, inflation, and production as well as even the time of the year. 

Ultimately, at the end of the day, the business wants to make a profit, and they will take things off of their menu if they don’t feel like they can make a profit that is good enough for them.

No matter the issue, I know I’m personally disappointed when Taco Bell removes my favorite items. I’m still hoping that Caramel Apple Empanadas will return; however, since it’s been a few years, I may never see that on their menu again.

My advice: enjoy whatever you decide to order from Taco Bell as it may be the last time you will see it on their menu. Or you can possibly find a copycat recipe to make what you crave. 

Thankfully, I still enjoy the different menu items from Taco Bell, so I may end up being a lifelong customer!

What Does The Taco Bell App Do?

With everything going digital these days and all the new apps that are constantly being put out, is it any wonder that Taco Bell has its own app? With Taco Bell being a very popular fast food destination, it’s not surprising that they have jumped at the opportunity to be a part of the digital age.

With most people having phones that are always in their pocket, if you have a Taco Bell app, it’ll possibly bring those cravings pretty often to your mind. Many fast food chains have specials or bonus options if you download their app. 

If you download the Taco Bell app, what can it do?

If you download the Taco Bell app, there are several options that will be available to you. Some of the benefits are you can order and pay ahead, skip the lines that may happen at the counter, plus you will also receive special deals, offers, and more. There is also the fact that you get rewards for each purchase that can be used towards future purchases. 

Those are just a few perks. 

Another perk is free food! Who doesn’t enjoy free food?! When you sign up for the rewards program, you get a free item which you can redeem at any time in the first 14 days of signing up. 

As much as I love going to Taco Bell, another perk of free food will keep me coming back for more and more.

Even better for birthdays, if you have the Taco Bell app, you get a free Mountain Dew Baja Blast freeze on your birthday! What a way to celebrate your birthday! Since I always say my 2 favorite holidays are my birthday and Christmas, I know I will definitely go to Taco Bell to claim my birthday present.

A question that may come up when you download the app is how to pay for your order. 

The Taco Bell app accepts several different payment options. One option is a debit or credit card. There are also Taco Bell cards you can use for payment. Lastly there are also digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay you can use to pay for your order. With the Taco Bell app, you have many options to pay for your food.

So how do you get the free Taco Bell app? First you will download the app. Then you can track your points and earn rewards. When you order, you earn points when you order through the app, online, at the kiosk, or scan your receipt in the store! 

The rewards are pretty simple to remember. You earn 10 points for every qualifying $1 spent. You will unlock even more points and rewards as you earn more and more points. 

Since you’re going to Taco Bell anyway, why not earn the rewards at the same time?

Final Thoughts

With the digital age that we are living in now, I’m always happy when I’m offered free things. Since I carry my phone everywhere I go, I know it’s even better for me to earn offers and rewards with just a click of my fingers. 

Whenever I crave Taco Bell and order, I feel even better about my choices knowing that I get a little something extra added to my account with the app available. Whether it’s free food, rewards, or deals that can come exclusively through the app, is it any wonder that the app has become a success? 

Next time you have that craving for Taco Bell, make sure you download the Taco Bell app so you can make your trip that much better!

Hannah R.

Hey, I'm Hannah and I'm the founder of Get Eatin'.

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