While rumors of the Mexican Pizza’s return to Taco Bell’s menu have been swirling for months, it hasn’t been publicly confirmed, until now. On May 19, thanks in part to a successful online petition drive spearheaded superfan Kirsh Jagirdar (pictured above), the product will again be available at the quick service restaurant chain’s outlets across the USA, as well as in Aruba, Costa Rica and Dominican Republic.
The product is made up of two crispy flour shells, layered with beans, pizza sauce, seasoned beef, tomatoes and a melted three cheese blend. Selling for $4.49 at most locations, it is available vegetarian without the seasoned 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 were raised in immigrant households,” said Jagirdar. “That’s what made it especially devastating when the Mexican Pizza was pulled from menus in 2020, but fast forward two years later and I found myself on a conference call with the Taco Bell team as they shared news of the return of the Mexican Pizza, showing that listening to their fans is clearly embedded in their DNA.”
Customer pleas alone were not all it took to get the product back on menus, as the Taco Bell test kitchen team worked to streamline operations and ingredient sourcing, and leave a lighter footprint at the same time. To expedite its return, the Irvine, California-headquartered chain has been dedicated to improving its sustainability practices, including a sauce packet recycling program pilot with TerraCycle as the brand tracks towards its 2025 commitment for all recyclable, compostable or reusable consumer facing packaging.
Folks wishing to snag a Mexican Pizza without leaving their home can opt for the convenience of delivery exclusively through DoorDash for the first week menu item is back (May 19-26). Thereafter other delivery platforms will join the distribution system.
“Our menu is full of fan-favorites, but the Mexican Pizza is at the top of that list,” said Mark King, chief executive officer of Taco Bell. “From its flashy introduction to menus in 1985 as ‘Pizzazz Pizza’ to its inspiration behind the creation of infamous jingles, Mexican Pizza has a long history with the brand and I’m glad we could give customers what they crave and bring our classic Mexican Pizza back home where it belongs.”
The product is made up of two crispy flour shells, layered with beans, pizza sauce, seasoned beef, tomatoes and a melted three cheese blend. Selling for $4.49 at most outlets, it is available vegetarian without the seasoned beef.
