Dive Brief:
- Taco Bell is adding $5 and $9 Luxe Cravings Box value meals to complement the $7 Luxe Cravings Boxes it launched early last year, the brand announced Tuesday.
- The $9 box will include one rotating LTO, Doritos Locos Tacos, a crunchy taco, Cinnamon Twists and a medium drink. This could help the chain measure consumer response to new menu items while strengthening its value proposition.
- Taco Bell’s value plays, and its cycle of LTOs and new menu items, made the chain one of the restaurant industry’s stand-out successes of 2024. The refresh of its Luxe Value Boxes signals the brand is not shifting from its strategy in 2025.
Dive Insight:
The $9 box offers a slightly more premium deal, but still gives consumers five items. The brand described the inclusion of rotating, time-limited items as giving diners “a chance to explore bold, craveable innovations,” and said it would “make every visit a discovery moment.”
The $5 box offers four items: the Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, a crunchy taco, Cinnamon Twists and a medium beverage, a smaller and slightly different lineup from the $7 box, which remains unchanged.
Both the new boxes include Cinnamon Twists in place of the $7 box’s chips and nacho cheese sauce, which could indicate the brand is aiming to draw consumers with more of a sweet tooth, or target dayparts when customers are more likely to order sugary treats.
The year is off to a strong start for value meals. Subway and Del Taco both announced new discount plays, and McDonald’s finalized its national value platform.
