Taco Bell Tried To Launch Restaurants In Mexico And Failed ... Twice

Taco Bell is an American-chain inspired by Mexican cuisine, but it doesn't serve what most would call Mexican food. However, for many diners throughout the world, eating at this restaurant chain may have been their first introduction to foods like tacos and quesadillas. This restaurant chain has been well-received throughout the world, with 8,564 locations in 32 different countries. But when it tried to open in Mexico, it failed. 

In 1992, the Mexican-American chain launched a food cart in the country's capital, Mexico City. Starting with a food cart made sense; incredibly popular with locals, food carts serve up tacos, sopes, elote, and tamales for a quick breakfast, lunch, or late-night meal. The Taco Bell cart attempted to imitate this, and  offered a small menu of soft tacos, burritos, nachos, and Pepsi. It was never a hit with chilangos, or Mexico City residents, and closed shortly after opening.

However, it wasn't the chain's only attempt to make inroads to its country of inspiration. Taco Bell tried again in 2007, in Monterrey, a city that sits close to the Mexican-American border. This time, Taco Bell tried to position itself differently as an American food brand with some Mexican-inspired items. Although Monterrey is commonly called the "most Americanized city" in Mexico, the Taco Bell location remained open for only three years before closing. 2010 was the last time Taco Bell operated in Mexico, and since then, the chain hasn't tried again. 

Mexican consumers have proven to be receptive to American fast food brands: McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, and Subway are all popular in the country. The problem wasn't that Taco Bell was American or fast-food, but the fact that it was trying to sell an Americanized version of the country's cuisine. The salsas were different, the tortillas were likely not freshly made, and the fillings were not what Mexicans are used to. The names of some Taco Bell menu items did not even correlate to what these dishes actually are in Mexico. 

The other major problem was the price point of Taco Bell's menu items compared to the cost of similar items found in Mexico. While prices of the original Taco Bell food cart items from 1992 are not available, it was reported by Mashed that the items were likely more expensive than typical street food of that time. (Even considering that Taco Bell's American menu boasted items for under $.60 at that time.) In hindsight, it made no sense for Taco Bell to attempt to penetrate the Mexican market. Why would Mexicans opt for a more expensive and highly processed version of their own cuisine?

It's important to note the phrase "Mexican food" is a broad statement; Mexico has 31 different states and the cuisine and specialty dishes can be quite different in each. Taco Bell's menu includes names of dishes you would find in Mexico or a traditional Mexican restaurant, but the ingredients and preparation vary significantly.  As Mexico's most iconic dish, tacos can be found throughout the entire country, but with variations to the filling, toppings, and salsa. 

Taco Bell's standard soft taco includes seasoned ground beef filling, which is not a common taco filling in Mexico; a few popular options that can be found throughout the country are al pastor, carnitas, and barbacoa. Lettuce and cheddar cheese would be strange toppings to find in Mexico for tacos — cilantro, chopped raw onions, a squirt of lime, and fresh salsa are the standard. The hard shell found in Taco Bell's crispy taco is also not really used in Mexico; instead, fried tacos, called tacos dorados or flautas are common dishes.

At Taco Bell, the Cheesy Gordita Crunch is taco-shaped and has the same fillings as the soft taco. In Mexico, a gordita is made from thick masa, and has a round shape that is more similar to an arepa or pita. Mexican gorditas are typically filled with chicharron, refried beans, or requesón (a soft cheese like ricotta). Finally, many Taco Bell menu items simply don't exist in Mexican cuisine, like the Crunchwrap Supreme or Mexican Pizza.

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