Dive Brief:
- Taco Bell will serve Chicken Al Pastor Street Chalupas in Minneapolis starting Oct. 31 as part of a menu test, the brand said Wednesday.
- The brand said the menu item would be available for $4.99 at participating locations while supplies last.
- The test is driven by the success of its Cantina Chicken Menu, which launched nationwide in March, and is the first such flavor variation on the Cantina Chicken protein.
Dive Insight:
With this menu addition, Taco Bell is combining two successful products: its Cheesy Street Chalupa LTO from the summer, which were inspired by street tacos, and the premium chicken from its cantina menu. The brand’s new chalupa is served with Cantina Slow-Roasted Chicken marinated in a blend of pineapples and chiles and wrapped in Quesalupa inspired shells, the press release states.
The Chicken Al Pastor Street Chalupa appears to be the first of a host of tests involving the popular dish.
“As Taco Bell remains developing bold new offerings, fans can look forward to even more al pastor-inspired news including quesadillas, burritos, and bowls testing later in 2025,” the brand said in a press release.
The al pastor LTO shares DNA with some of Taco Bell’s previous LTOs, like its birria-inspired Grilled Cheese Dipping Taco from last year. These LTOs incorporate more premium ingredients — pineapple in the Al Pastor, slow braised, shredded beef in the dipping tacos — that help Taco Bell’s menu stay fresh while also offering everyday items at a lower price point.
Menu innovation like this has helped Taco Bell avoid the slumping same-store sales seen by many U.S. restaurant brands in recent quarters. The Cantina Chicken Menu, a key part of this strategy, has been particularly important for the brand.
On Yum Brands most recent earnings call, CEO David Gibbs described the cantina menu as “an elevated chicken offering, and a new platform to innovate around. Since the platform's launch, Taco Bell's chicken sales mix has increased 10 points with nearly one in four orders including a Chicken Cantina item.”
