Yum Brands reported a 2% decline in Taco Bell's US sales due to a cyclospora outbreak linked to lettuce. CEO Chris Turner emphasized that the impact is temporary and pointed to the brand's strategy of 'magic formula', which includes strong innovation and digital sales, for recovery. Taco Bell has begun to regain customer trust after pulling the affected lettuce and offering daily deals to attract customers back. Analysts expect sales pressure to last until year-end, but Taco Bell had previously seen a 7% sales increase before the outbreak.

Navigation menu Next story Previous story

Breaking News

Taco Bell Has 'Magic Formula' for Bouncing Back

But sales took a 'meaningful' hit from cyclospora outbreak, Yum Brands CEO says


By<br>Rob Quinn<br>with Newser.AI<br>Posted Jul 30, 2026 11:10 AM CDT

[](sms:&body=I saw this Newser story and thought of you. Read it!%0d%0a%0d%0aTaco Bell Has 'Magic Formula' for Bouncing Back%0d%0a%0d%0ahttps://www.newser.com/story/393796/taco-bell-has-magic-formula-for-bouncing-back.html "Text")Copied

A Taco Bell restaurant is shown Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in Taylor, Michigan. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

See 1 more photo

Taco Bell's parent company is trying to sell confidence along with chalupas. Yum Brands said Thursday that Taco Bell's US sales slipped 2% in the current quarter as a nationwide cyclospora outbreak tied to lettuce rattled customers, but executives insisted the hit will be short-lived and that early signs of a rebound are emerging, Axios reports. CEO Chris Turner acknowledged a "meaningful near-term sales impact" but said Taco Bell's mix of "brand buzz, innovation, value, and digital" is its "magic formula" for recovery.

The chain pulled lettuce from supplier Taylor Farms after health officials logged more than 11,000 confirmed or suspected parasite cases that can cause severe gastrointestinal illness; Taco Bell hasn't said if it will keep working with the company, which maintains its food safety systems are sound. Turner said Taco Bell's quick action and clear communications have helped win customers back, as have daily deals like $1 Mexican pizza, the AP reports. The item usually costs $5 to $7. "With respect to the consumer sentiment, we've seen real improvement as consumers have understood better the nature of the issue," Turner said. "They understand that it is not a Taco Bell-specific issue."

Analysts and franchisees expect pressure on sales to linger through at least year-end, with traffic data showing a sharp drop. The company said Taco Bell sales hit a low the weekend of July 18 but they have been steadily improving since. Before the outbreak, the chain was one of the best performers in the fast-food industry, with sales rising 7% in the quarter that ended June 30, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Read These Next

A kidnapper allegedly killed his victim in front of deputies.
Professor springs AI trap on students, busts 32 of 35.
She pranked her caddie, but not everybody's laughing
Texas parents use new angle to yank Ten Commandments from schools.

See 1 more photo

Report an error

Email This Story

Message (up to 500 characters)

0 of 500 characters

Please complete reCaptcha

Report an Error

Type of error...TypoFactual ErrorIncorrect PhotoOther

0 of 500 characters

Send to Editors

We're glad you're here.

As an ad-supported site,

Newser can't exist without ads.

To read our stories, you'll

need to tweak one thing.

OK, tell me what to do

If you're using:

An ad-blocker, please whitelist Newser

by clicking the ad-blocker icon in your browser.

(Examples: Adblock Plus , uBlock , and Ghostery )
A DuckDuckGo extension in your browser, please access Newser without it: Either by removing it, whitelisting us, or using another browser.

Thanks so much.

Twitter Widget Iframe

Read Original at Newser →