For five long years, we have all been in a world without the Beefy Crunch Burrito, with its speckles of fiery red chips dotting seasoned beef and cheese like fireworks on the Fourth of July. But, this summer, we’re set for its much-anticipated return.
Taco Bell confirms to TODAY.com that the Beefy Crunch Burrito is returning to its menu in early August — but only for a limited time.
Earlier this year, on March 30, Taco Bell held a fan vote to see which of two discontinued items — Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco and the Beefy Crunch Burrito — would be making a comeback, and the latter ultimately won the campaign.
Thanks to its cult-like following, the Beefy Crunch Burrito garnered 59.9% of votes, and will return to menus for a limited time for everyone starting Aug. 3. Taco Bell Rewards Members will get early access to the menu item exclusively on the Taco Bell app on Aug. 1.
For those who aren't a part of the aforementioned fandom, the Beefy Crunch Burrito features seasoned beef, reduced-fat sour cream, rice, nacho cheese sauce and a sprinkling of Flamin’ Hot Fritos. First introduced in 2010, it had short but impactful life before its discontinuation in 2011.
This inspired the Beefy Crunch Movement, created by Richard Axton, which fights for the item's reinstatement on the menu. The movement, which boasts tens of thousands of members on Facebook, showed up in droves to out-vote the Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos.
“We knew the Beefy Crunch Movement, made up of more than 66,000 followers across various social media platforms was going to be tough to beat,” a Taco Bell spokesperson tells TODAY.com. “Day in and day out this community rallied and reminded its members to vote daily for the return of their most-cherished menu item.”
The movement has been successful in getting the Beefy Crunch Burrito brought back in prior years, but only temporarily. The menu item has appeared on the menu for limited-time releases in select markets, like Louisville, Kentucky in 2015, nationwide in 2016, and most recently in 2018.
To celebrate its latest win, the Beefy Crunch Movement recently posted on Facebook that member Devin Durbin pledged to get a Beefy Crunch Burrito tattoo if the menu item won. This makes Durbin the ninth person to get this particular Taco Bell-themed tattoo.
“Devin said, if the Beefy Crunch Burrito won the vote, he’d get Tattoo #9. We won the vote, and Devin became legend number 9,” the Beefy Crunch Movement posted on Facebook.
“Beefy Crunch Burrito fans continue to show how passionate and dedicated they are for this amazing burrito. I LOVE IT," the post continued. "When he made the pledge, Devin had two words for Taco Bell which I think represent the underlying message of the Beefy Crunch Movement in 2023.... ‘HEAR US.’”
This is not the first time Taco Bell has put the return of fan-favorite items to a vote. In September 2022, the chain announced that for the first time in its history, it would be bringing back a discontinued item based on a public vote.
The candidates were the Double Decker Taco and the Enchirito, with the latter ultimately winning 62% of the vote. Democracy works, folks.
