In 1967, the Taco Bell franchise expanded and revenue was exploding. The business was making millions, they were getting positive press in the media, and lines of people trailed out of any given store. Yet, today, more and more, we hear of ̈unprofessional workers¨ and "infested meat" in the fast food industry. When I attempted to interview anyone at Taco Bell about their worsening reputation, I was immediately brushed off or given a terse reply, despite the fact that there was rarely any customers. When I attempted to contact them by alternate means, my emails were ignored. 

Even finding up-to-date articles about Taco Bell in general is a bit of a hassle because it has disappeared from media attention. The last time I went to Taco Bell the place was desolate, food littered the ground and there was maybe two workers in total. So what happened? Did they fail to adhere to the social expectations? Or have people simply moved on to better options?

Throughout the 57 years of Taco Bell's existence it has introduced numerous menus and specials. But recently more than nine traditional Taco Bell dishes are being taken off the menu, including chips and salad. Now, they replaced old with new and several combo dishes like the "3 crunch taco supreme" have been added. A good sign is that Taco Bell was quoted admitting "Look, we get it. We all have our go-to order and change can be hard. But sometimes it’s good to get outside of your comfort zone and spice things up a bit." This in itself is a sign of improvement because people have been telling Taco Bell they needed to start changing things for years.

But if they're listening now, what's the problem? Every businessperson knows that advertisement is key. Yet, I haven't seen a new commercial in months. McDonald's, KFC, Wendy's commercials and many others are all over TV, but not Taco Bell. They are rare- this could be due to multiple reasons, but I suspect it is due to a low budget because they have not addressed their absence on any social media platform or anything.

If Taco Bell isn't going to improve its food-because they can change the menu all day but without nice staff and clean floors they won't get far- they should look for alternative means of making money. It's understandable that they want to stick to tradition, but if they want their business to improve their stores need to be inviting to customers. As this is the modern area, I suggest a setup similar to what Starbucks has, which seems to be working for them. Free Wifi, comfortable furniture and interesting decor- that, mixed with the almost nostalgic smell of caffeine and utter silence attract countless customers. I myself have in previous years gone to study there, and i don't like coffee. You see? Potential. There are always loopholes.

Add more deserts to your menu and you´ll quickly find yourself more swamped then you´ve been in years. Itś an amazing marketing ideas and never fails to attract the attention of passers-by. This is how i believe Taco Bell can improve.