Taco Bell is giving away free tacos, despite backlash from workers who fear the deal could increase their risk of catching the coronavirus from customers

• Taco Bell is giving away free Doritos Locos Tacos on Tuesday.
• Workers have pushed back against the Taco Tuesday deal, saying that it could increase their risk of being exposed to the coronavirus as it brings in significantly more customers.
• "It's very important to us that Taco Bell remains the safest place to work and eat," a Taco Bell representative said. "We are also doing our part to provide safe meals that our fans know and love - and throwing in a free DLT to show our appreciation."
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Taco Bell is giving away free tacos on Tuesday, despite worker backlash against the deal.

The fast-food chain confirmed to Business Insider that all customers who visit the chain via drive-thru on Tuesday, April 14, will receive a free Doritos Locos Taco. This is the third Taco Tuesday in a row the chain has given away free food.

Workers say that the deal has attracted a significant amount of customers to the chain over the last two Tuesdays. Many are concerned that this spike in customers could increase employees' risk of being exposed to the coronavirus.

A Coworker.org petition addressed to Taco Bell regarding worker treatment during the coronavirus pandemic specifically called out the Taco Tuesday deal, saying that the Tuesday when the deal debuted was the busiest since the coronavirus pandemic began. As of Monday, more than 5,200 people had signed the petition.

"Corporate is literally encouraging people to come to their store in the midst of the pandemic!" the petition reads.

A different Taco Bell employee who spoke with Business Insider last week called the deal "probably the most painful and absurd thing they could've done during this time," saying that the deal caused nearly twice as many people to come through the drive-thru.

"My franchise is failing to pay us any more than we're already making, however, they're finding ways to increase sales volume," the Taco Bell employee said. "It seems that this decision was not based on the Team Member experience, whatsoever."

The two Taco Bell employees quoted in this article were granted anonymity in order to speak frankly; Business Insider confirmed their employment via pay stubs or other documentation.

'It isn't worth the risk'

A Taco Bell representative told Business Insider that the chain is "very sensitive to our team members' feedback, and we want them to know that we hear their concerns."

"It's very important to us that Taco Bell remains the safest place to work and eat," the representative said. "We are also doing our part to provide safe meals that our fans know and love - and throwing in a free DLT to show our appreciation. Even in tough times, restaurants are considered essential businesses because people will always need to eat. This offer is available via drive-thru and carry-out only, so person-to-person contact remains limited."

Fast-food chains have argued they need to remain open to feed healthcare workers and truck drivers. However, Taco Bell employees questioned whether the free taco deal was simply bringing more customers to the chain - not providing a service for essential employees.

A Taco Bell worker who spoke with Business Insider in late March said that his location was seeing more cars come through the drive-thru, exhausting workers as they tried to keep up and stay safe.

"We are working 10 times harder for no reason," the worker said. "We are human too, and yes, it's nice to have a job when so many are losing theirs, but it isn't worth the risk."

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