Dive Brief:
- Del Taco is adding three boxed combo meals, called El Big Boxes, to its menu at $5, $7 and $9 in a bid to boost its perceived value.
- The boxes are launching at the same time as a series of commercials about a fictional music group called the “Del Yeah’s,” as part of a brand refresh emphasizing the chain’s blend of Mexican and American cuisine.
- Del Taco has been tweaking its value menu for a while as it searches for a way to stop the slide of its same-store sales.
Dive Insight:
Del Taco’s same-store sales fell 1.5% in fiscal year 2024, according to an earnings release, and dropped by 4.5% in Q1 of FY 2025. A slew of buzzy LTOs such as boba poppers, and menu additions including new burritos and $10 and $15 bundles, have not been enough to reverse this downward trend.
The chain’s El Big Boxes are markedly similar to Taco Bell’s Luxe Cravings Box lineup, which has the same price range. Taco Bell’s Luxe Cravings deals have helped power that brand’s consistent same-store sales growth, despite the current challenging consumer environment.
The move also elaborates on Del Taco’s efforts last year to add combo meals. The El Big Boxes contain a variety of items, according to the press release:
- $5 Clásico: Beef & Bean Burrito, Mini Quesadilla, Value Crinkle-Cut Fries and a 16-oz drink
- $7 Mex Faves: Beef & Bean Burrito, Grilled Chicken Taco, Soft Snack Taco, Mini Quesadilla and a 16-oz drink
- $9 Ameri-Mex: Double Del Cheeseburger, Bean & Cheese Burrito (with choice of red or green sauce), Soft Snack Taco, Value Crinkle-Cut Fries and a 16-oz drink
This combo value complements Del Taco’s Real Deal$ value menu, which launched in 2024 and offers a wide range of snack-sized items for $2. The boxes combine popular menu items to give a meal’s worth of food at a reasonable price point.
On parent company Jack in the Box’s most recent earnings call, CEO Lance Tucker said that Del Taco anticipates negative same-store sales growth in Q2, but that the restaurant chain is undergoing a “menu optimization initiative, which rolled out system wide in the middle of the first quarter and has driven higher attach rates and better average check.”
In addition to the new boxes, Del Taco is bringing back Mango Pineapple Poppers drinks as a spring/summer LTO, according to the press release.
