The Internet Isn't Impressed With Taco Bell's New Mexican Pizza — Here's Why

It's a warm summer evening in 1985. You and your buddies are in your Honda Accord, Eurythmics blaring over the radio while you all debate what you want to eat. Pizza? Mexican? The debate doesn't go on for long when your friend mentions that they've been eager to try this "Mexican Pizza" they heard Taco Bell started selling a few months back. It's apparently a flat taco shell covered in ground beef and refried beans, topped with another shell and finished with melted cheese, tomatoes, and special sauce.

Formerly advertised as the Pizzazz Pizza, Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza was the chain's answer to competing pizza joints. While tacos and pizza were admittedly a pretty unconventional combination (especially in the '80s), Taco Bell's version of the Italian dish took off, especially among the South Asian American costumers who made up a good percentage of the item's fanbase, according to The Takeout. The beloved item remained a favorite on the Taco Bell menu until 2020, when the company pulled it from production in an effort to streamline its offerings (via CNN). As fans of the chain may know, this piece of '80s nostalgia finally made its return on May 19 — but not without some criticism.

Whether it's due to a refinement of fans' taste buds over the years or an actual change in Taco Bell's recipe, it would seem that some people are finding the newly returned Mexican Pizza underwhelming. TheStreet rounded up Twitter responses to the relaunch that expressed exactly that, with customers complaining about the shell's saltiness and "weird aftertaste." Some suspect that the shell is being made differently, saying it's less "greasy" and crispy than the original.

Colette Bennett of TheStreet, a self-described "Mexican Pizza devotee," also took issue with the relaunched menu item's shell, which she writes is duller and more floury in flavor than the original. In a video titled "Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza is a MESS," YouTuber TheReportofTheWeek called out the dish's "cracker-esque" shell; "dry, bland" refried beans; and lack of spice. It's just "not what it used to be," he said upon a second bite. While there are no doubt people who are enjoying the revamped menu item, perhaps those who are disappointed will find solace in a Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza recipe instead.