Are You Excited? AZ Taco Bells are Bringing Back a Fan Favorite

A friend once told me, "As soon as I become a fan of something, it disappears for good."

Taco Bell Restaurant // Photo by Ethan Miller via Getty Images

Isn't that always the way? Especially at our local fast food restaurants. The minute we fall in love with a menu item, it's history.

The Mexican Pizza Leaves Taco Bell Menu

Take the lineup at Taco Bell. I know, menu items come and go. I'm sure there are a lot of factors that go into deciding what stays and what goes on any menu.

Mexican Pizza by Joshua Blanchard-Getty Images for Taco Bell

Take the Mexican Pizza, for example. Sometime in the murky depths of the Covid Lockdown, someone decided this delicious, crunchy slice of heaven was going to be 86'd from the menu.

As Mashed.com reported in November of 2020, at the height of the pandemic lockdown, someone decided to "declutter" the Taco Bell menu - and this beloved taco-pizza hybrid found its way onto the chopping block. Just when we needed the comfort food the most!

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The News Caused an Uproar!!

There was an uproar! Handwringing and despair crisscrossed the nation, as the stark reality of what happening began to set in!! (Okay, maybe that was our reaction to the lockdown. It's hard to tell. But we were pretty shaken about the Mexican Pizza decision, too.)

Okay, we might have been a bit more concerned about the lockdowns. Still, the Mexican Pizza removal caused a lot of sadness in an already sad world. Canva

Fans finally found relief when Taco Bell returned the beloved open-faced-taco-hybrid to the regular menu. As Business Insider relayed, the "much loved Mexican Pizza" returned to the permanent menu in May of 2022. Fans were so excited, Taco Bells everywhere regularly ran out of the ingredients in the first few weeks it was back.

Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos versus the Beefy Crunch Burrito

When Taco Bell removes items, it's a slash-and-burn on the menu board. Or better stated, a wrap and grill. Taco Bell removed the Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos in 2019 and the Beefy Crunch Burrito was taken off in 2011. Okay, not a slash an burn. But fans certainly noticed their favorite menu items were absent.

Taco Bell's Doritos Locos Tacos. // Photo by Joshua Blanchard // Getty Images for Taco Bell

If you're a fan, there's good news. These two items just went head to head on the Taco Bell app. Fans were allowed to vote once every day for the item they wanted returned to the menu. The winner of the contest was announced in April.

Fans Anticipate the Return of Taco Bell Menu Favorite

No need for a recount here. Fans made their voice heard with a resounding victory.

According to the website, AllRecipes.com, "The Beefy Crunch Burrito received a whopping 60% of the more than 950,000 votes and will return to Taco Bells nationwide for a limited time this summer."

A popular menu item during the 2010s, the Beefy Crunch Burrito made appearances off and on the menu, until it disappeared around 2018.

Taco Bell Bag // Photo by Joe Raedle via Getty Images

Thanks to the fan vote, it'll be back again in August. Get them while you can, because the Beefy Crunch Burrito will only be here for a limited time, and only while supplies last.