This country of ours is forever changing. New ideas, leaders, policies, rules, regulations. Nothing in the United States seems to last. That is, except our love for everything fast food related.
As of 2025, there are approximately 216,000 fast food restaurants in the U.S., making it one of the country’s biggest industries. Fortune Business Insights says that the market was valued at $862.05 billion in 2020 and is projected to grow well into 2028.
This comes as no surprise. If there’s one thing us Americans enjoy it’s cheap, fast, and reliable service. Instead of having to go to a specific restaurant for a specific menu item, you can go literally anywhere and get the same thing.
Most fast food places stick to selling burgers, sandwiches, and items of that nature. The type of food that you would find at a diner. McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s, KFC, the list goes on.
While there’s nothing wrong with these establishments, they pale in comparison to my favorite fast food place. A place that does everything they do, but better. I am of course talking about Taco Bell.
Taco Bell is a Mexican-inspired fast-food chain, founded by Glen Bell in 1962. The first location opened up in California, right next to the restaurant that inspired its creation.
As you probably noticed Taco Bell isn’t like the majority of fast food restaurants. They sell Mexican food instead of diner style dishes. This is what I would consider to be the first advantage.
The dishes sold at Taco Bell are much more unique than the normal burger and fries. While it isn’t “real” Mexican food, it’s fairly close enough. I know that sounds like a cop out but think about it this way. Taco Bell puts its own twist on what we would consider traditional, such as the three-cheese burrito.
They’re also constantly introducing new and innovative items. They made it their mission to introduce a new item every five weeks, something no other chain is doing as well.
Speaking of their food, they are also one of the only fast food places with an extended vegan menu. The app listed a total of 20 items, which is twice the size of its competitors’ menus.
Believe it or not it’s also healthier than most places, at least in comparison to its competitors. Taco Bell offers surprisingly healthy options, such as their chicken bowls and wraps. It’s still fast food at the end of the day, however, it’s still nice to have something different.
They’re also one of few chains with exclusive drinks. The Baja Blast line of Mountain Dew Flavors is exclusive to Taco Bell locations. The topical lime-flavor soft drink is insanely popular with an almost cult-like following, which is honestly pretty understandable.
While you’re able to find the drink at some grocery stores, Taco Bell houses various flavors that are only available at the restaurant. They recently introduced the Strawberry Dream and Dirty Dream versions. Alongside a “Midnight” flavor launching later this year.
Moving away from the menu, the restaurant also has quite the unique marketing. When Taco Bell CMO Taylor Montgomery sums up the Mexican chain’s marketing muse, his mind focuses on two words: cultural rebel.
Now this isn’t to say that Taco Bell has a “punk” mindset or anything like that. It’s more so that they market towards the younger generation. They understand the brand belongs to its fans.
The brand is always in the midst of a new publicity stunt. Whether that be hosting an online wedding or buying the rights to the phrase “Taco Tuesday.”
Taco Bell’s marketing philosophy and responsibility to its customers shine clearest when it comes to menu innovation. The fast-food giant kicked off 2024 with a bang when it held its first Live Más Live Event, an Apple-style event where they announced new menu items. While the idea is rather ridiculous, it managed to get people talking.
The strategy works quite well. Taco Bell achieved a milestone in 2023 by surpassing $15 billion in system sales for the first time, with a significant portion of this revenue generated through digital channels. The brand’s digital sales mix reached an all-time high of 31 percent in Q4, marking a seven-point increase compared to the previous year.
Furthermore, they’re also strangely one of the more ethical brands. Taco Bell is one of the few fast food locations that doesn’t make any sort of donation to Israel. They don’t even have a location there.
Several fast-food chains, including McDonald’s, Burger King, Starbucks, Dominos and Pizza Hut, have faced boycotts for perceived support of Israel, with some franchises in Israel offering free food or discounts to military personnel. Taco Bell is somehow one of the few chains that isn’t involved in the war.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Taco Bell is part of the industrial food system, which is terrible for the environment, for human health, and for the general enjoyment of food. However, I would still rather opt for Taco Bell than McDonald’s any day of the week.