The Bizarre Way Taco Bell Announced Good News For Fans Of Its Potatoes

There's just no way to be sad when someone on a Zoom (or Microsoft Office) video call uses the potato filter. It's just facts. For a brief moment, the drudgery of meeting agendas melts away, leaving a potato with space cut out for just the eyes and mouth to do the talking from their underground lair. So what better way for the CEO of Taco Bell to announce the return of the potato to their menus (YES, people) than with the potato filter on in full force?

On January 14, Mark King, the CEO of Taco Bell, announced in a tweet – as a potato, natch — that the chain is restoring potatoes to their menu, by popular demand. Though he said they were initially taken off to accommodate a full transition to drive-thru during the pandemic and a simplified menu for hard working employees, they're making a comeback starting on March 11. As the Potato King put it, "It's a new year, with new possibilities, and we're bringin' 'em back!" (Commence gratuitous air horn effect.) There was also a not-so-subtle reveal that Taco Bell will be partnering with Beyond Meat to bring fans more vegetarian options. Chew Boom says it will be their first time jumping on the plant-based meat bandwagon.

There's been a lot of outrage over the removal of Taco Bell's potato offerings, so the (strangely endearing?) potato message from the CEO could not have come at a better time. After the chain announced via its website on July 17, 2020 that spud favorites like the Spicy Potato Soft taco, Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes and Loaded grillers with potatoes were being nixed, a petition even went around on Change.org to "Save Taco Bell Potatoes." As of January 14, 2021, it had picked up 22,404 signatures. Even in our own survey, the desire for a 'tater return made itself known.

So naturally, the outrage continued on Twitter after the announcement, with an outcry over another yanked item, the Mexican Pizza, to which Taco Bell replied, "Can we just let potatoes have their moment?" and a (valid) complaint about the potato tweet's lack of subtitles for the hard of hearing. But it wasn't without rejoicing, too. One user tweeted, "Thank you for listening I'll never tweet you mean stuff again" and another: "Best news of 2021." The people needed something, and Taco Bell heeded the call. And based on some cryptic responses to the calls for Mexican Pizza, who knows what the future will bring?