Taco Bell Might Be Teasing The Return Of The Mexican Pizza

Update, January 24, 2022: Taco Bell is a bottomless pit of perpetual mystery. We have so many questions: Why did you release chicken wings, Taco Bell? Was the Chicken Sandwich Taco a sandwich or a taco? And why, oh why, are you teasing us with perpetual reminders that we can't currently order the dearly departed Taco Bell Mexican Pizza?

After initial rumblings in November 2021 that Taco Bell vice president and COO Mike Grams confirmed to franchisees that the Mexican Pizza would potentially return in 2022, we've been waiting to see whether further clues would drop. Today, we might have seen one over at the official Taco Bell Twitter account, which is currently getting salty about being hounded for menu updates:

Number 1 question you're tired of answering from the brand account, we'll go first: WhEN iS MExicAn PiZzA CoMiNg BAcK?

— Taco Bell (@tacobell) January 24, 2022

"Number 1 question you're tired of answering from the brand account, we'll go first: WhEN iS MExicAn PiZzA CoMiNg BAcK?" tweeted Taco Bell this morning, petulantly.

Notably, this is not only a direct invocation of a menu item that has been rumored to return in 2022, but it's also now the pinned tweet on Taco Bell's Twitter account. The company wants us to be thinking about the Mexican Pizza, dropping coy replies to the irritated masses pointing out, reasonably, that if Taco Bell wanted customers to stop asking about the potential return of the Mexican Pizza, there's a very easy solution to this problem. Bring. It. Back.

This is almost certainly good news to fans of the beloved menu item everywhere. But how much longer must we wait? We'll let you know as soon as we hear anything. Watch this space.

Original post, November 18, 2021: In September of 2020, Taco Bell announced that it would be discontinuing the Mexican Pizza, breaking the hearts of millions of people (including Doja Cat). Anticipating the distress this announcement would cause, Taco Bell offered these words of solace in the Mexican Pizza's death announcement:

"One silver lining of saying goodbye to the Mexican Pizza that might help you rest easy is that removing it from our menus helps us work towards our commitment to leave a lighter footprint on our planet. Currently, Mexican Pizza packaging accounts for over 7 million pounds of paperboard material per year in the U.S."

So that's good, I guess? I mean, it's probably a drop in the bucket when it comes to all the garbage produced at Taco Bell, but it's enough to put me in a pretty awkward situation. If I complain about the demise of Mexican Pizza, does it mean I'm rooting for the garbage? If I hear a rumor that the Mexican Pizza might be returning, should I feel bad that it excites me? If I manage to all but confirm that Mexican Pizza is (probably) coming back at Taco Bell, should I feel guilt for shouting it from the rooftops, so that all those broken hearts out there can begin to heal?

The writer behind Living Mas, the internet's foremost Taco Bell fan site, tells The Takeout that they were anonymously sent a video of a September 2021 franchise convention meeting in Colorado at which the resurrection of the Mexican Pizza was allegedly discussed. While Living Mas is keeping the video confidential, you can read the video transcript here—and Living Mas told us they are "95% sure" the Mexican Pizza will be returning to Taco Bell sometime in the first half of 2022.

"Okay Liz, we're bringing back the Mexican Pizza!" Mike Grams, vice president and COO at Taco Bell, allegedly tells Liz Matthews, chief food innovation officer, in the video clip.

Living Mas also directed us to the LivingMas subreddit, where an anonymous user, listed as a Verified Employee of Taco Bell, has confirmed the rumor. According to the user, here's what's in store at Taco Bell:

• A revamped value menu that includes a double beef burrito, a chicken ranch burrito, and a "Fiesta Veggie" Burrito
• The return of Crispy Chicken in February, which will more than likely be offered only as strips and not a sandwich
• Taco Bell's Wings will be coming back at some point, but only for two weeks
• Because of supply chain woes, there is no firm return date for the Mexican Pizza. It might be in April or May, but the return of the pizza appears to be in the cards.

We have contacted Taco Bell and will keep you posted with further details as they emerge. Living Mas claims that every piece of Taco Bell intel this mysterious "Verified Employee" has ever leaked on Reddit has come true. Fingers crossed.