Taco Bell Reportedly Planning Menu Change, Removing Potato Items and More

Nothing is safe in 2020 and, if one Reddit user who claims to be a Taco Bell employee is correct, this includes the Taco Bell menu. The Reddit user claims Taco Bell is looking to trim down its menu and eliminate several popular items, including all potato items. Taco Bell has confirmed that some changes are coming, and the details will be unveiled on Friday.

Back on July 9, a Reddit user spilled the beans about Taco Bell's shell-shattering changes. They claim all potato items are gone, alongside Loaded Grillers, Spicy Tostada, Beefy Frito Burrito, Quesaritos and the Triple Layer Nacho. The Nacho Supreme's demise is "unconfirmed," according to the Reddit user. The New Beef Burrito will be added to the $1 cravings menu and is described as "basically a Frito burrito, no Fritos." Chips & Cheese was also added to the $1 cravings menu, but only at corporate-owned stores. The Reddit user predicts that franchise restaurants would reject this idea.

The Reddit user also produced some other good news. The Grande Nacho Box will come back, and will be available by itself or with a medium drink for $5. The Nacho Crunch Double Stack Taco, the $10 Taco & Burrito cravings pack and the Pineapple Whip Freeze will be staying and coming out on Aug. 13.

Taco Bell said there are some changes coming, but did not confirm anything specific just yet. "We are in the process of evolving our menu to simplify operations and make our team member and customer experiences easier. We'll have more to share with you tomorrow," the company said in a statement to Delish.

If Taco Bell is looking to simplify its menu, the restaurant would not be the first to do so during the coronavirus pandemic. McDonald's locations have been offering limited menus for customers while dining rooms are closed. The limited McDonald's menu will likely continue for the foreseeable future, especially after the National Owners Association, a McDonald's franchisee advocacy group, voiced support for continuing it in June. They said a limited menu has helped franchisees provide customers with "blazing fast service."

"Our temporary limited menu has helped us provide the best possible customer experience while simplifying operations in our kitchens and for our crew during the pandemic," McDonald's told Nation's Restaurant News. "We are partnering closely with our franchisees to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on restaurant operations and evaluate the best path forward for our national menu." McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski also said during a recent earnings call the lifespan of the limited menu will be decided by the market.