Taco 'bout a victory!
Those who've mourned the loss of Taco Bell’s Mexican pizza for the past two years can get ready for a fiesta! The cult-favorite item, which was removed from the menu in 2020, is officially making a comeback. In a press release shared with TODAY Food, the Mexican-inspired fast-food chain revealed it's bringing the cheesy creation back to menus starting May 19.
The dish — ground beef and refried beans sandwiched between two crispy tortillas, topped with melted cheese and tomatoes — is easily customizable, so it served as a sort of fast-food haven to those who adhere to a vegetarian or halal diet.
“While rumors of the Mexican Pizza’s return have been swirling for months, it hasn’t been publicly confirmed until now,” Taco Bell shared in its statement, which revealed that the franchise had tapped Doja Cat, “the voice of the Taco Bell people,” to break the news to fans on her TikTok and Twitter.
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
"We finally did it, the Mexican Pizza is coming back on 5/19 @tacoBell," she wrote on both platforms Monday, with a video of her announcing the news to her Coachella audience: "I brought back the Mexican Pizza by the way!"
The "Kiss Me More" rapper became a mouthpiece for the beloved menu item in 2021, she implored Taco Bell to put Mexican Pizza back on the menu and charmingly pulled rank in an attempt to encourage them to do so. She has worked alongside the chain to create its tunes for commercials and promotions in the past.
“Hey @tacobell, just heard my song in your commercial...,” she tweeted at the time. “I’m a #TacoBellPartner now. So where’s my Mexican Pizza?”
Taco Bell announced plans to retire Mexican Pizza from its menu in September 2020, when many chains were paring down their menus during the pandemic, pointing to the item’s packaging as an impediment to its sustainability goals. According to the chain, the packaging for the pizza accounted for more than 7 million pounds of paperboard annually in the U.S.
In response to the Mexican Pizza's departure, digital entrepreneur Krish Jagirdar started a Change.org petition in September 2020 to save it from its hapless fate, citing its importance in particular to the South Asian community. It has nearly 172,000 signatures.
"Losing this item would not only be the loss of one of our favorite foods but a piece of our childhood & heritage as Indian Americans," he wrote. "Please band together, show support, and save the Mexican Pizza.”
And just last month, Doja Cat got people talking about the item's potential return in a very reluctant TikTok recording of an original song called "Refried Beans (Mexican Pizza)."
"This ain’t even Mexican food / But I don’t care when the clock hits 2 a.m., p.m. if that is your mood," she raps in the video over a beat that incorporates the Taco Bell “bong” sound.
“Mexican Pizza is the pizza for you and me,” she sings at the end, in a nod to the "Krusty Krab Pizza" song from SpongeBob SquarePants.
The Scene
In addition to bringing the saucy goodness back, Taco Bell announced it would reward select petition participations and fans who tweet #IBroughtBackTheMexicanPizza by giving them exclusive merchandise.
In addition, select Taco Bell Rewards Members will receive the chance to get a free Mexican Pizza on May 19. Taco Bell’s Loyalty members will receive the VIP treatment by getting early access to the menu item starting on May 17.
Mexican Pizza lovers can look forward to snatching up the meal without leaving home through DoorDash on the first week the time is back: May 19 through May 26. DashPass members can knock $2 off their order of one Mexican Pizza by using the promo code MEXPIZZA.
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
