Earlier this week, Nancy Luna, "Fast Food Maven" of the Orange County Register, reported that Irvine, California-based Taco Bell sold 100 million Doritos Locos Tacos in ten weeks, which is the largest product launch in Taco Bell's history. Introduced on March 8 of this year, the 100 million orange tacos resulted in a 6 percent increase in same-store sales for the first quarter for the company.
The previous Taco Bell launch champion was the 2005 Crunchwrap Supreme that featured a tortilla wrapped around a tostada.
Taco Bell corporate provided a little perspective. It took McDonald's 18 years to sell 100 million burgers, a goal attained in 1958. But that's irrelevant because MickeyD's wasn't opened at 2 a.m. in 1958 to answer the call for the after-club, need-sustenance-of-any-form clientele. Regardless, it's impressive that we ate 100 million tacos in 10 weeks. That's over 1.4 million a day.
And there's more Doritos-crazy on the horizon. Taco Bell has already tested the Cool Ranch Doritos shell and a hot and spicy version is in the works too. The Bell's chief executive Greg Creed recently told investors that Frito-Lay has more than 100 flavors of Doritos around the world so the options are limitless. Creed also told Restaurant News that Frito-Lay has expanded their manufacturing capacity to produce more shells.
Fast Food Maven also has pictures of a new item Taco Bell is testing: a Mountain Dew breakfast drink, which is is a mix of the Dew and orange juice and will only be sold until 11 a.m. "Mixology of Mtn Dew and OJ" is what the sign reads, people. Surely to be served with a fedora hat.
Luna spotted the promo sign in Orange County and reports "other hefty breakfast items" are being tested for their "First Meal breakfast program," which appears to include Cinnabon Delights: fried dough balls dusted with sugar and cinnamon.
Hopefully these items will hit before school starts next fall.