Taco Bell is the Latest in Trend of QSR Brands Trimming Down Bloated Menus

Several QSRs and casual dining brands have been trimming the fat off bloated menus recently, focusing on popular items to satisfy customers instead of specialty items that slow down and complicate operations.

Taco Bell is the latest to cut back on offerings, eliminating nine items from its previous menu. The super-simplified and refreshed menu, slated to roll out on September 12, will be set on an all-white background and have bigger pictures of the 13 options.

Jack in the Box reduced menu redundancies from 180 restaurants, claiming that the brand had been “its own worst enemy” in regards to speed of service and customer satisfaction. In April, McDonald's cut its Signature Crafted Recipes and revamped its late-night menu to only include the most popular items. In 2017, Chili’s slashed nearly half of its menu to satisfy franchisees worried about complicated training.

Focusing on core menu items can help QSRs improve food costs, which have been on the rise in recent years, as well as decrease drive-thru wait times and reduce labor costs. While Taco Bell isn’t struggling, the menu revamp could be a response to the recent tortilla shortages or a simple brand refresh in line with the brand’s recent vegetarian-only menu.

As simplified menus take over, franchisees and customers alike may have to get used to saying goodbye to some of their favorite items in exchange for a more streamlined dining experience