Taco Bell Not Fooling by Removing Major Menu Item in April

Taco Bell is ditching a fan-favorite item from the menu, and it is sadly not some sick April Fool's prank. The beloved Mexican-style fast food chain, which recently won over many by reviving the Mexican Pizza to the permanent menu, announced earlier this month that the Quesarito will be pulled from the Taco Bell menu beginning Wednesday, April 19.

A staple on the menu for the past several years since its debut in 2014, the Quesarito is essentially a combination of a quesadilla and a burrito. The dish begins with a quesadilla, which is then stuffed with seasoned beef, creamy chipotle sauce, reduced fat sour cream, nacho cheese sauce, and seasoned rice. However, there had been recent indications that the Quesarito's time at Taco Bell was coming to an end. For the past several months, fans have only been able to order Quesaritos through the Taco Bell app or online. The company confirmed in a statement on March 9, "as we welcome back a beloved fan-favorite, it's also time for another to make its farewell – the Quesarito. The Quesarito will be coming off menus on April 19, so fans have more than a month to order this cheesy-delight online or on the Taco Bell app."

News of that the Quesarito is being removed from the Taco Bell menu immediately led to upset among fans. On Twitter, one person wrote, "there's no reason for me to go to Taco Bell anymore if the Quesarito is being discontinued," with another person declaring, "the quesarito is the most important thing Taco Bell has ever made." Several fan-created Change.org petitions have also been launched, including one that has racked up more than 4,000 signatures, in an effort to keep the Quesarito on the Taco Bell menu. Similar efforts were taken when the Mexican Pizza was pulled from the menu, with Taco Bell citing the Change.org petition as one of the influences in the company's decision to bring the item back.

The Quesarito is being discontinued to make room for other menu items. Taco Bell is bringing back both the Bacon Club Chalupa, which first launched in 1999 and is similar to a club sandwich, and the Double Steak Grilled Cheese Burrito, which was offered during the holiday season last year and boasts double portions of steak, rice, cheese, nacho cheese sauce, sour cream, tortilla strips, and is grilled with a layer of cheese on the exterior. The two menu items will cost $3.49 and $4.99 respectively. Taco Bell is also currently testing the new Cheesy Chicken Crispanada. The new menu item features a pastry shell that is filled with savory shredded chicken and a bold blend of melty cheeses. It is currently being tested for a limited time in Knoxville, Tennessee.