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The Street
The Street
Daniel Kline

Taco Bell menu brings back fan favorite, adds new tacos

Taco Bell never lets its customers rest. 

The chain seems to adds new items every few weeks, if not slightly more often.

The fast-food giant also regularly shifts up its value offerings and promotions. It can do that because the Yum Brands (YUM) -) chain has a large and stable core menu that rarely changes.

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Some customers, of course, just want to order their usual or from a small list of items they regularly choose from. In other cases, customers like the fact that Taco Bell always has something new. That can be a draw compared to McDonald's (MCD) -), Wendy's, and Burger King, which have far fewer limited-time offers.

Taco Bell also fights with McDonald's, Wendy's, (WEN) -) and Burger King over the segment of the audience that makes different choices on different days. This crowd may pick a restaurant based on value or due to something new catching their eye.

On both of those fronts, Taco Bell has been very aggressive as it tries to offer value and a steady selection of new items. 

Now, for a limited time, the chain has brought back a key value offering. It's also making a major addition to its menu that might force customers to get up early. 

Taco Bell has leveraged both value and new menu items.

Image source: Taco Bell

Taco Bell brings back the Taco Lover's Pass 

One of its most successful promotions ever, Taco Bell's Taco Lover's Pass, allows passholders to use their pass for one free taco each day for 30 days. The pass is being brought back exclusively for the chain's Rewards Members on Oct. 3 and Oct. 4 for $10. It's being sold only on the Taco Bell app.

"Fans can stick to a personal favorite or expand their taste horizons by selecting any of following options: Seasoned Beef Crunchy Taco, Seasoned Beef Crunchy Taco Supreme, Seasoned Beef Soft Taco, Seasoned Beef Soft Taco Supreme, Spicy Potato Soft Taco, Seasoned Beef Doritos Locos Tacos, Seasoned Beef Doritos Locos Tacos Supreme and the all-new Toasted Breakfast Tacos only available starting October 12," Chew Boom reported.

The Taco Lover's Pass likely drives sales for the chain because passholders are unlikely to simply eat one taco a day for a month. On most visits they are likely to buy additional items.

Taco Bell adds Toasted Breakfast Tacos

Taco Bell has been trying to win market share in the morning from McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King (QSR) -), Earlier this year, it ran commercials starring comedian/actor Pete Davidson that mocked its overly ambitious breakfast menu. 

At the time, the chain simplified its morning menu, but now it's expanding it again by launching Toasted Breakfast tacos nationwide on Oct. 12.

"Toasted Breakfast Tacos combine fluffy eggs, melted cheese, and the option of bacon, sausage, or potato within a grilled tortilla," Chew Boom shared.

The new breakfast tacos cost $1.49 each a la carte and can be ordered using the Taco Lover's Pass. Taco Bell has not said whether Toasted Breakfast Tacos are a limited-time offer or a permanent menu item.

Taco Bell no longer breaks out its breakfast sales during its quarterly earnings calls, but the company did say that strong growth in breakfast and late-night sales helped fuel its second-quarter results.

During Q2, Taco Bell's global sales grew 7%, led by 4% same-store sales growth and 5% unit growth.

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