Taco Bell Offers Major Discount After Diarrhea Outbreak
A lettuce-free customer favorite will cost just $1.

Mario Tama/Getty Images
Taco Bell has discounted its Mexican pizzas by over 80 percent as it tries to lure customers back after lettuce used by the chain is rumored to have caused thousands to suffer from explosive diarrhea. The Mexican pizzas, which notably feature no shredded lettuce, will cost only $1 all of Tuesday—down from their usual $5.39 to $6.99 price tag in the United States. It is the second lettuce-free promotion Taco Bell has pushed this month after selling its lettuce-free Enchirito for $1 last week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last week that 1,947 people fell sick with cyclosporiasis after reporting they ate Taco Bell. Cyclosporiasis is caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, with symptoms including “explosive” diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, loss of appetite, and extreme fatigue. Taco Bell voluntarily removed all lettuce it received from Taylor Farms from its restaurants on July 17. Despite this, Taco Bell locations have seen their daily traffic fall 20 percent compared to earlier this year. Its slowest day was on July 17—the day the lettuce was pulled from its restaurants.
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