13 Taco Bell menu items that were removed in 2020

In late July, Taco Bell announced it would officially be dropping potatoes from its menu in August 2020. Affected menu items include Taco Bell's Spicy Potato Soft Taco, Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes, and Cheesy Potato Loaded Grillers.

"We know some vegetarian go-to items might be gone, but Taco Bell's menu remains highly customizable," Taco Bell said in a press release.

However, the statement didn't stop vegetarian customers and potato-lovers from taking to social media to air their concerns. One Twitter user called the move to drop potatoes the chain's "worst idea to date."

At the same time Taco Bell announced it would be discontinuing potatoes, the chain said it would also be removing the famous and fan-favorite Quesarito from restaurant menus. The item, which is a combination of a beef burrito and a quesadilla, will still be available to order online and via Taco Bell's app for pickup or delivery.

However, some fans were nevertheless outraged by the change, with one Twitter user calling it "absolutely barbaric."

"While change is hard, a simplified menu and innovation process will leave room for new fan favorites, continued progress in categories such as plant-based diets, and even opportunities for the return of some classics on a limited-time basis," Taco Bell said in a press release.

Breakfast has been a struggling area for many fast-food chains during the coronavirus pandemic. As a result of fewer commuters, breakfast sales at chains like McDonald's, Starbucks, Dunkin', and more have "dried up," according to a previous report by Business Insider.

Taco Bell's Mexican pizza featured a flour tortilla shell filled with refried beans, seasoned ground beef, and Mexican sauce, topped with another tortilla, Mexican sauce, cheese, and chopped tomatoes.

"We know some fans may be sad to see this one go, we are too. One silver lining of saying goodbye to the Mexican pizza that might help you rest easy is that removing it from our menus helps us work towards our commitment to leave a lighter footprint on our planet," Taco Bell said in a press release in September.

The removal of the burrito marked the end of any Fritos-branded menu items at Taco Bell. However, despite discontinuing the Beefy Fritos Burrito, the chain announced it would be adding a new $1 beef burrito to the menu this past summer.

At the same time the Beefy Fritos Burrito was removed, the chain also dropped the 7-Layer Burrito.

The grilled steak soft taco is the only taco offering to be affected by the new menu changes.

The triple layer nachos came with beans, tangy red sauce, and warm nacho cheese sauce atop a layer of Taco Bell's signature tortilla chips. Once part of the chain's value menu, the nachos were removed during the chain's streamlining of its current menu.

However, despite removing two nachos options from the menu, the chain hasn't given up on the menu item's appeal.

In mid-August, Taco Bell launched its $5 Grande Nachos Box, which includes chips, beef, refried beans, nacho cheese, cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream. More recently, the chain also announced it would be bringing back its popular Nacho Fries.

The Spicy Tostada was a fan-favorite item in Taco Bell's value menu.

"A flat, round, crunchy tortilla serves as a sturdy base for this open-face taco. With a layer of beans, a heaping mound of lettuce, and a handful of tomatoes, this qualifies as a hearty snack," Insider's food reporter Rachel Askinasi said of the item. "The mix of chipotle sauce and Taco Bell's red sauce provides a good amount of flavorful heat ... Overall this was definitely filling and a surprisingly large portion of food for $1."

The chain's chips and dips are no longer available to order as a side. Now, the only sides left on the menu are black beans, black beans and rice, cinnamon twists, and Cinnabon Delights.

However, you can still order chips and nacho cheese sauce off of Taco Bell's value menu.

• Read more:
• 8 McDonald's menu items that were removed in 2020
• 13 ways fast-food restaurants could change forever due to the coronavirus pandemic
• 13 fast-food menu changes that outraged customers
• THEN AND NOW: How fast-food menus have changed over the years