Reddit Proved That Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza Has A Different Standard In Costa Rica

There is hardly a corner of the world that American fast food chains have not touched. According to USA Today, major American chains offer iconic food items that have garnered permanent spots on most menus worldwide, whether it's The Whopper at Burger King, the fries at McDonald's, or the buttery biscuits at Popeyes. But beyond U.S. borders, the world has certainly taken liberties with different interpretations of American fast food, offering dishes that are somewhat unexpected and maybe delicious. Go to McDonald's in Thailand and you might find a Chili Paste Pork Ice Cream. In India, the McAloo Tikki burger presents a vegetarian option, combining potatoes, peas, and a spice blend into a fried patty. But sometimes, the menu items are simply universal, with slight variations in flavor, presentation, and ingredients.

Take Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza, for example. It debuted in 1988 three years after the similar "Pizzazz Pizza" (per Orange Country Register). The Italian-Mexican-American fusion consists of a flat, crispy taco shell smothered in ground beef and refried beans, topped with another shell, and layered with a melted cheese blend, tomatoes, and a special sauce (per Taco Bell). The ubiquitous chain — which has locations in every U.S. state and in almost 30 countries — first pulled the famous Mexican Pizza from its menu in 2020, only to resurrect it in 2022 (via CNBC). But in Costa Rica, the Mexican Pizza is still alive and thriving.

According to recent Reddit discourse, Costa Rica known how to do Taco Bell better than America. This rings true, at least, for the Mexican Pizza. A Redditor visited the country on vacation and posted a photo of Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza, expressing how they were "pleasantly surprised!" with the dish. Another poster chimed in saying, "That looks a hell of a lot better than it does here!" The small Central American country is known for its tropical beaches, sprawling natural beauty, and widespread availability of fresh fruits and vegetables (via Costa Rica Tourism Board).

Although one Redditor seemed to agree that Costa Rica "is a glorious place full of many great things," they also claimed that "their cuisine [is not] one of them." Other commenters echoed this sentiment, opining that local Costa Rican food is largely "disappointing" and "flavorless." But apparently, when it comes to Taco Bell, "they take their plating much more seriously too, and it doesn't look as hastily and sloppily thrown together as it does here in the States." This isn't the first time visitors have been pleased with Costa Rica's renditions of American fast food. McDonald's McPinto, a take on gallo pinto, the national dish of rice, beans, cilantro, onions, and peppers, paired with tortillas, scrambled eggs, or fried plantains, has also gained international fame. Perhaps these American Redditors need to give real Costa Rican food another chance.