Taco Bell receipt from 2012 goes viral amid inflation frustration: ‘Where did we go wrong’
Pay más.
Taco Bell fans are skipping out on their former fast food fave as prices continue to climb amid inflation and cost of living pressures.
One former ride-or-die, who “used to be loyal to the brand as a teen,” sparked a serious debate online after finding a faded 2012 receipt from the popular chain — putting into relief just how much more expensive a run for the border has become in just over a decade.
Aspiring rapper LovelyOcean snagged 630,000 hits on a downer of a TikTok post this week, captioned “I’m so upset,” where she revealed the incriminating slip of paper that showed her paying just $2.59 for two beefy five-layer burritos.
At Taco Bell in 2024, just one of the go-to gut bombs reportedly costs $3.59.
“Can you even get anything from Taco Bell for $2.59,” she asked.
“Where did we go wrong?”
Thousands chimed in to share similar sentiments regarding their former favorite fast foodery.
“This is gonna make me cry,” said one unhappy customer.
“Got Taco Bell last night and they had raised the prices again and the burritos were half the normal size and cold. Just sadness instead of comfort food,” an unsatisfied eater mourned.
“Taco Bell was the only place I could go to with two teenage boys and actually get them enough to eat. Now I can’t even afford to take myself!” a cash-strapped critic complained.
Some employees of the Irvine, Calif.-based chain even stopped by the comments to commiserate.
“As someone who works at Taco Bell, I think the prices are crazy. Someone got ten items for almost 60 dollars and they were the cheaper options,” one said.
Still others pointed out that the menu still contains some great deals.
“My favorite Taco Bell item TODAY is the cheesy bean and rice burrito with creamy jalapeño sauce priced at a crisp $1 ma’am,” one supporter chimed in.
Of course, where you live in the United States could make a difference in what a meal costs these days — a recent study revealed that fast food takeout prices can vary greatly from state to state.
NetCredit, which researched the costs in all fifty states, found that Delaware residents consistently paid the least for their Taco Bell trips — 10.41% less than the national average. Alaskans paid the most, at 16.40% above the median.
Overall, higher costs — and viral complaints — haven’t done anything to harm the company’s bottom line, it appears.
According to Nation’s Restaurant News, Taco Bell smashed a number of growth and sales records last year, leaving parent Yum Brands feeling good about their chances in 2024.
“The business is, obviously, on a roll,” Yum CEO David Gibbs said in an earnings call late last year.
Pushback from fast food customers has become something of a trend in the era of inflation — a $16 lunch check from an Idaho McDonald’s left a bad taste in one diner’s mouth, sparking a serious conversation online after they decided to go public.
“It’s officially not convenient or affordable anymore,” one former Mickey D’s fan moaned.
