Taco Bell is America’s favorite “Mexican restaurant,” according to a new survey.
The fast food chain beat out Chipotle (CMG) and Moe’s Southwest Grill to win “Brand of the Year” for the first time since Harris launched its EquiTrend Study 30 years ago.
The Harris Poll EquiTrend Study measures the overall health of a brand by asking consumers questions based on three variables — familiarity, quality and future consideration. The results are aggregated into a one-number score.
This year, Taco Bell (YUM) surpassed Chipotle and Moe’s Southwest Grill, the latter of which was the Brand of the Year in 2016 and 2017. Prior to that, Chipotle ranked as the No. 1 Mexican restaurant brand, but its standing was severely impacted by various outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. The fast casual and health-conscious chain experienced a 10.7 point drop in 2016 because of the negative sentiment surrounding the brand. Other choices included Qdoba, Baja Fresh and Del Taco.
Taco Bell has gained traction with innovative product offerings, by serving breakfast and creative selections like Mexican Crispy Chicken Pizza and the Naked Egg Taco. The brand rolled out limited edition Nacho Fries earlier this year, which was the most successful product launch in Taco Bell’s history.
“Taco Bell’s marketing is ubiquitous so it wasn’t surprising to me that they came out on top this year. It’s not so much that Moe’s or Chipotle are falling off the map. Taco Bell has just been a stronger brand as of late, as demonstrated by the strong familiarity and consideration marks,” said Amir Kanpurwala, the director of the survey.
The 2018 Harris Poll EquiTrend Study is based on a sample of 77,031 U.S. consumers at least 15 years old surveyed online, in English, this year from January 3 to February 15.
Chipotle’s potential comeback
Brian Niccol, the very leader who is credited for Taco Bell’s resurgence, became Chipotle’s CEO on March 5. Niccol served as CEO of Taco Bell for three and a half years, but had been a part of the Yum Brands ecosystem since 2005, in roles ranging from chief marketing officer at Pizza Hut to chief marketing and innovation officer at Taco Bell. He introduced the “Live Más” tagline, breakfast and popular offerings like Doritos Locos Tacos and the Cantina Power menu.
In an interview with Yahoo Finance, Niccol said consumers should anticipate some exciting new offerings at Chipotle, including beverages, desserts, happy hour specials and late night bites.
“We want to obviously be very consistent with our mission, which is food with integrity. We also want to be very consistent with leveraging the operational capability that we have. And then where it makes sense, we’ll innovate around the operating model so that we can provide great food experiences that extend Chipotle’s reach,” he said.
Niccol has been rolling out his digital-first, innovation-focused vision. The company has been pushing a new television ad that emphasizes the freshness of its ingredients. Last week, the company announced it would start delivering its food through a partnership with startup DoorDash.
According to Kanpurwala, investors are hoping Niccol, as a creative leader, will replicate the same success he had at Taco Bell as he enters a new chapter at Chipotle. We’ll see if the fruits of his efforts are reflected in next year’s poll.
Taco Bell was one of the original clients of the group which became Realty Income. That bunch financed their first stores.
Taco Bell world headquarters was in Orange Co. across the 405 from John Wayne Airport. I had an office in a neighboring building for a spell. Taco Bell had a company cafeteria which was a great place to grab lunch. Everything from serious hot meals, grill, deli, ethnics, soup and salads, breakfasts. They also had a gym onsite, all you needed was shoes, everything else was furnished, a dry cleaner pick up, small store with greeting cards, lip balm, gum, candy, etc. It seemed like a heck of a good place to work. I got to know one of the corp. pilots who thought so, too.
Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me.
When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson
"Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown
Posts: 48369 | Location: Texas hill country | Registered: July 04, 2005
I had a friend muse that Taco Bell was the only restaurant in existence that could use the same 10 ingredients to make 20 different menu items, and sell them all at different prices.
Originally posted by a1abdj: I had a friend muse that Taco Bell was the only restaurant in existence that could use the same 10 ingredients to make 20 different menu items, and sell them all at different prices.
Well that is pretty much all American-style Mexican food.
But calling Taco Bell "Mexican food" requires quite a suspension of disbelief. And I suspect that whatever you call, the fact that it is the biggest seller is due solely to the fact that in much of the country, it is damn near the only "Mexican food."
The fish is mute, expressionless. The fish doesn't think because the fish knows everything.
Posts: 53505 | Location: Texas | Registered: February 10, 2004
Originally posted by a1abdj: I had a friend muse that Taco Bell was the only restaurant in existence that could use the same 10 ingredients to make 20 different menu items, and sell them all at different prices.
LOL. That's all mexican food. Same choices of meat, beans, rice, cheese, salsa, and tortilla.
Wrap everything in a tortilla, it's a burrito. Stick it in the oven with the cheese on top, it's enchilada. Just wrap the meat in a tortilla and fry it, it's a taquito. Use a smaller tortilla, it's a taco. Stick everything in a plate and let the customer wrap their own choices in a tortilla, it's a fajita. Just put the cheese between two tortillas, it's a quesadilla.
After one bad episode with Taco Smell, I haven't been back in decades. I still don't plan on going back.
"It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly. Our answer must consist not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning, 1946.
Posts: 20571 | Location: The Free State of Arizona - Ditat Deus | Registered: March 24, 2011
I am surrounded by "real" Mexican, owned by real Mexicans. Taco Bell is stoner food.
"I vowed to myself to fight against evil more completely and more wholeheartedly than I ever did before. . . . That’s the only way to pay back part of that vast debt, to live up to and try to fulfill that tremendous obligation."
Alfred Hornik, Sunday, December 2, 1945 to his family, on his continuing duty to others for surviving WW II.
Posts: 13141 | Location: Central Florida | Registered: November 02, 2008
I have not eaten at a Taco Bell since being in high school almost 30 years ago and doubt I ever will eat at one again in my life. The only Mexican fast food I will rarely have is Taco Cabana.
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Posts: 9132 | Location: The Lone Star State | Registered: July 07, 2008
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