The Discontinued Taco Bell Burrito We Desperately Wish Would Make A Comeback

Fast food restaurants are notorious for discontinuing favorite menu items. There is no longer a Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait at McDonald's, the Morning Bun has set at Starbucks, and in early 2024, Taco Bell pulled its Fiesta Veggie Burrito. Sometimes, restaurants offer certain menu items to gauge interest, and sometimes, their demise is part of a menu overhaul.

Vegans, especially, mourned the loss of this quick, affordable, and delicious fast food meal. The meatless burrito, which could be made vegan if ordered "fresco style" – code for "hold the dairy" — was one of the few truly tasty Taco Bell menu items that fit into their way of eating. Sure, there are other options, but most of them are pretty bland. The Fiesta Veggie Burrito was anything but bland.

The discontinued Fiesta Veggie Burrito included seasoned rice, lettuce, black beans, chipotle sauce, sour cream, cheese, tomatoes, and guacamole wrapped in a soft tortilla. The best part was the crunchy red tortilla chips tucked inside, which appeared as a happy surprise with every bite. There's a reason they called it a Fiesta Burrito — it was like a party in your mouth.

The Fiesta Veggie Burrito was so beloved that its demise inspired a petition on Change.org calling for its "reinstatement" on the menu. The petition was started by vegetarian Derek Bolton, who used Change.org to chastise Taco Bell for not offering a similar alternative to the discontinued burrito to its customers. Taco Bell was the first quick-service restaurant to be certified by the American Vegetarian Association (AVA), and Bolton felt removing the burrito from the menu was "taking a step back" from its responsibility to the organization.

For a short time, Taco Bell had vegan nacho fries on the menu in test markets in the U.S. Like with the Fiesta Veggie Burrito, vegans were left confused and heartbroken when the option no longer appeared on the touchscreen when they placed their order. It's a common practice for restaurants to run products in test markets for a short time to measure interest and then pull them from the menu. However, some establishments listen to their customers. For instance, when Panda Express removed the Beyond Orange Chicken from its menu, there was such an outcry from vegans and vegetarians that it was brought back in July 2024.

There's no word from Taco Bell on whether or not they plan to bring back the Fiesta Veggie Burrito. Until Taco Bell comes to its senses and puts the burrito back on the menu, vegetarians and vegans will have to run to Moe's or Chipotle for a satisfying meal sans meat.