When Taco Bell announced its plan to remove Mexican Pizza from its menus in September, hearts were broken into many pizzas.
The dish serves as fast-food refuge for those who adhere to a vegetarian or halal diet, or are generally indecisive, as it is easy customizable. It has a little Mexican, a little Italian and, according to the thousands of fans pining for its return, a lot of flavor. After hearing the news of its fate, digital entrepreneur Krish Jagirdar started a Change.org petition titled "Save the Mexican Pizza."
"This is an item loved by many, especially the South Asian community. Losing this item would not only be the loss of one of our favorite foods but a piece of our childhood & heritage as Indian Americans," Jagirdar wrote. "Please band together, show support, and save the Mexican Pizza."
So far, the petition has garnered more than 68,000 signatures — with a goal 75,000. Jagirdar encouraged readers to not only support with a signature but also head to their local Taco Bells and purchase the Mexican Pizza to demonstrate how popular it is.
After cutting the Nachos Supreme, Spicy Potato Soft Taco, Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes, Spicy Tostada and 7-Layer Burrito from its menu in August, the taco chain will officially nix Mexican Pizza, Shredded Chicken Soft Taco, Shredded Chicken Burrito and Shredded Chicken Quesadilla Melt on Nov. 5.
The Yum Brands chain is among several quick-service restaurants to trim down its menus during the pandemic. McDonald's stopped serving many items, including All Day Breakfast, to lighten the workload for already overwhelmed employees.
Despite Mexican Pizza being a fan-favorite, Taco Bell's corporate team decided to axe the dish in order to inch closer to its sustainability goals. According to the chain, the packaging for the pizza accounted for more than 7 million pounds of paperboard annually in the U.S., so its departure could be one way for the chain to minimize its carbon footprint.
But with so many people petitioning for the pizza's reinstatement on the menu, the company may just have to find another way — perhaps with more eco-friendly packaging.
