Taco BellHoly hot sauce and a side of beans! Today marks Taco Bell history, as the Beefy Crunch Burrito will return to menus across the nation. This glorious feat did not come without an epic battle, however. Five burrito-less years ago, Taco Bell ripped the beloved Beefy Crunch Burrito from its menus. Sure, it was a limited time offer, but it left an impression on the Frito-filled hearts of T-Bell lovers everywhere.
The loss of the BCB hit one man, Richard Axton, particularly hard. So much so, he decided to start a movement to bring the item back on the menu. In an email exchange with E!, Richard told us he started his revolution the very same day he discovered the BCB had vanished. Richard believes he probably began his crusade within an hour of learning the tragic news. Determination at its finest.
Richard noted about the loss, "This was the first Taco Bell item that made me instantly go 'are you kidding me?' and drive straight home to start the movement. It was definitely [a] shock. I had no idea it was limited time, but the burrito was so good that its reaction was as if I went to Burger King and they had told me they stopped the Whopper. The BCB is a signature item at Taco Bell, and I think that's why this movement has been so successful."
Richard did not go about his goal alone, however. As of today, there are more than 40,500 fans who joined forces with the founder in what was named the "Beefy Crunch Movement." Crusaders rallied on social media and promoted their cause with "Beefy Crunch Awareness Days."
After over 1,800 days, Taco Bell raised the white flag. The chain announced the return of the BCB (and the Cheesy Double Beef Burrito to boot) on March 30. The Beefy Crunch Movement had won the war and T-Bell placed the item back on the menu today. BCB celebrations across the country are currently underway, where fans are tasting its blessed goodness for the first time in forever.
When asked what it was about the BCB that drove Richard to fight for his food, he noted, "The Flamin' Hot Fritos, and what those added to the taste and experience of the burrito. Unlike other limited time only items that have come and gone from Taco Bell, the BCB was a perfect match. It is evident from the continuing partnership with Frito Lays in the Doritos Tacos, the regular Frito Burrito, and the Frito Tacos, that the BCB was right all along."
In an email interview with Ryan Rimsnider, Senior Manager, Social Strategy at Taco Bell, we asked him how fans were able to convince the chain to concede. "We see a lot of passion around our food and the brand whether it's in the restaurants or on social media, but rarely do we see an actual movement with over 40,000 people behind a single burrito. The return of the Fan Favorite burritos speaks to the passion and dedication of a movement and the power and influence of social listening." Can we get an amen (or maybe just one of those burritos)?!
Richard told us he was looking forward to the reaction of the community the most. "Sure I spearheaded the movement," he noted, "but I was merely a lightning rod for [a] highly charged consumer base that knew it wanted the Beefy Crunch but maybe didn't quite know how to go about it. Letting people realize the power of their voice and working in partnership with Taco Bell in bringing that message to them... that's the reward in all this (after the burrito of course)."
Cue standing ovation.
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