logo
Taco Bell Announces Major Change to Menu

Taco Bell Announces Major Change to Menu

Newsweek14-07-2025
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A mixologist at Mexican fast food chain Taco Bell must have had their creative juices flowing; bosses have announced that six new mocktails are set to feature on menus this summer.
The fruit-flavored soft drinks will be available at Taco Bell restaurants nationwide, with three of the "refrescas" already slated to become permanent additions to the brand's beverage offerings.
Newsweek has reached out to Taco Bell seeking further information and comment.
A Taco Bell restaurant on February 06, 2025 in Richmond, California.
A Taco Bell restaurant on February 06, 2025 in Richmond, California.)
Why It Matters
Taco Bell serves 2 billion customers each year worldwide, and boasts 8,121 locations in the U.S, according to the company's website. California has the most branches, with some 415 venues dotted throughout the golden state.
The drinks launch is part of the brand's "long-term beverage strategy as it aims to reach $5 billion in beverage sales by 2030," according to a press release issued by the company late last month.
The chain previously ran limited-time offers and taste test trials and is now introducing six refrescas across the country. Three of the drinks will become permanent additions to the menu after being successfully trialled in Southern California last year.
The new drinks being served at Taco Bell this summer.
The new drinks being served at Taco Bell this summer.
Taco Bell
What To Know
The six new drinks available in stores are:
Agua Refrescas ($3.99; 20oz)
Described by the brand as a "Taco Bell twist on the beloved Mexican beverage, mixed with real freeze-dried fruit pieces and green tea to provide a subtle boost of caffeine." The drinks contain artificial colors, the release added, and contain less than 1 percent juice. They are available in three flavors:
Strawberry Passionfruit
Dragonfruit Berry
Mango Peach
These three drinks will join menus permanently, Taco Bell has confirmed, saying a previous trial in California in 2024 showed a "positive response proving fan cravings for premium beverages that pair perfectly with Taco Bell favorites."
Rockstar Energy Refrescas ($4.49; 20oz)
These energy drinks "curated exclusively for Taco Bell" contain 200mg of caffeine. They do not contain any juice, despite the fruity-sounding flavors, and consist of a mix of natural and artificial flavors and colors. The restaurant chain said the energy refrescas are for "adult use only" and are not recommended for children, pregnant or nursing women, or anyone sensitive to caffeine. Flavors include:
Pineapple Lime
Tropical Punch
Refresca Freeze ($3.79/$3.99; 16oz/20oz)
This beverage is a frozen take on the refresca lineup, featuring real freeze-dried fruit pieces. It doesn't contain any juice, and contains natural and artificial flavors and colors. It comes in the following flavor:
Strawberry Lime
The restaurant chain's press release said the drinks are available at "participating locations for a limited time only, while supplies last." Prices may vary.
In addition to the new drinks, which are being rolled out at Taco Bells nationwide, the brand is also expanding its beverage-focused pop-up, known as Live Más Café. Some 30 more cafés are expected to open this year, some of which will be launched in partnership with franchise organization operators Diversified Restaurant Group (DRG). The baristas working at those venues are known in the company as "Bellristas."
"Building on the success of its Live Más Café test location in Chula Vista, California, Taco Bell is scaling the specialty beverage-focused concept by 30 more restaurants across Southern California and Texas by this fall," last month's press release said.
Fortune Magazine reported on the move, suggesting that Taco Bell believes there's still potential for growth in the specialty drinks space, and has apparently been despite McDonald's pulling the plug on its similar attempt to corner the market with CosMc's.
Taco Bell is not the only restaurant chain tweaking its menu this summer. Pizza Hut has also updated its dishes, while Red Lobster also unveiled some new options as part of its annual "Crabfest" event.
What People Are Saying
Liz Matthews, Taco Bell's Global Chief Food Innovation Officer said: "We're seeing today that people, especially younger consumers, are reaching for refreshing drinks as part of their lifestyle, whether it's for energy or a sweet treat throughout the day. So, we're making big investments to become the ultimate beverage stop where our fans can expect to see the same bold, unexpected creativity in their cups as they do on their plates."
What Happens Next
The drinks will be rolled out nationwide, with the chain's bosses hoping they're a hit with customers, so it can reach its target of hitting $5 billion in beverage sales by 2030.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Chipotle Shares Slide on Weak Same-Store Sales. Time to Buy the Dip or Run for the Hills?
Chipotle Shares Slide on Weak Same-Store Sales. Time to Buy the Dip or Run for the Hills?

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Chipotle Shares Slide on Weak Same-Store Sales. Time to Buy the Dip or Run for the Hills?

Key Points Chipotle saw its same-store sales decline for the second straight quarter. As a result, the company lowered its forecast and now expects flat comparable-restaurant sales for the year. While the company is currently struggling, much of this looks macro-related, which could make the dip a good buying opportunity. 10 stocks we like better than Chipotle Mexican Grill › Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) has long been one of the most popular fast-casual restaurant chains around, but this year, the company has been struggling to bring in the same type of customer traffic to its restaurants that it's used to. After not seeing a same-store sales decline since 2020, which was early during the COVID-19 pandemic when people were staying home and businesses were shuttered, the company just reported its second straight quarter of comparable-store-sales decreases when it announced its Q2 results on July 23. The weakness started back in January and continued into the spring. With the stock now down 24% in 2025 as of July 24, let's see if this dip is a buying opportunity or if investors should run for the hills. Traffic declines After seeing its comparable-restaurant sales fall 0.4% in Q1, the weakness continued, with Chipotle seeing a 4% decline in Q2. Transactions sank 4.9%, while its average check size rose 0.9%. The company called out May as being particularly weak, but it then began to see a rebound in June, with comparable sales and traffic turning positive. It credited the launch of its limited-time Adobo Ranch dip offering and "Summer of Extras" reward program for the improvement. It said that while July has been choppy, the positive comp and transaction trends have continued. It also called out the strong performance of its Chipotle Honey Chicken limited time offering, saying it accounted for one out of every four orders. Despite the recent rebound, the company lowered its full-year same-store outlook. It now expects comparable-store sales to be flat compared to an earlier outlook of low single-digit growth. However, the company does believe it can still generate mid-single-digit comparable-restaurant sales over the long term. Management does not believe it's making any missteps, with its recent struggles more a result of shifts in consumer sentiment. Overall, Chipotle grew its revenue by 3% to $3.06 billion in the quarter, while adjusted earnings per share (EPS) fell 3% to $0.33. Analysts were looking for adjusted EPS of $0.33 on revenue of $3.11 billion, as compiled by LSEG. Restaurant-level operating margins dipped 150 basis points to 27.4%. This is an important metric, as it measures how profitable each individual restaurant is. The drop appears largely due to higher wage costs and sales deleveraging, as the company said that supply chain and in-restaurant initiatives have more than offset the declines from increasing portion sizes that had been too small. Last year, a number of viral videos called out some locations for skimping on portion sizes, which the company decided to remedy. It said about 30% of its restaurants needed to be retrained on correct portion sizes. Chipotle's goal is to return restaurant-level margins back to the 29% to 30% range in the future, while driving average unit volumes (average yearly sales of an individual restaurant) above $4 million. Is it time to buy the dip? There is no doubt that Chipotle is going through a difficult stretch. The big question is whether this is self-inflicted, or whether this is largely due to a more difficult consumer environment, or perhaps a combination of the two. My guess is it's a little bit of both. There is good evidence that consumers have been a bit more cautious given all the tariff talk and some higher prices. However, I've been to a few Chipotle restaurants this year that have had trash receptacles overflowing and dirty tables, which made me not want to eat there. This is just anecdotal, but if it's more widespread, it could certainly turn some customers off. However, I think it might be easy to fix this issue. Meanwhile, the company still has a long growth runway. It's still really just starting to expand internationally, and it continues to believe it can increase its U.S. locations at an 8% to 10% annual rate. So while Chipotle has certainly become a large operation, it still has plenty of growth ahead. From a valuation standpoint, the stock now trades at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of about 38 based on 2025 analyst estimates and 32 based on 2026 estimates. That's not in the bargain bin, but it's cheaper than where it's traded at over the past few years. At this point, while I think there is some room for improvements, I don't think the long-term Chipotle story has changed. I really like its international and continued expansion opportunity, and its core menu and limited time offerings continue to resonate with customers. Consumers still respond to its marketing, and I think it can get back to solid same-store sales growth in a more normal environment. As such, I'd think investors with a long-term outlook can confidently continue to accumulate shares at current levels. Should you invest $1,000 in Chipotle Mexican Grill right now? Before you buy stock in Chipotle Mexican Grill, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Chipotle Mexican Grill wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $636,628!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,063,471!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,041% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 183% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025 Geoffrey Seiler has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Chipotle Mexican Grill. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: short September 2025 $60 calls on Chipotle Mexican Grill. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Chipotle Shares Slide on Weak Same-Store Sales. Time to Buy the Dip or Run for the Hills? was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

Major IRS Changes Coming for Business Tax Audits in 2025
Major IRS Changes Coming for Business Tax Audits in 2025

Newsweek

time3 hours ago

  • Newsweek

Major IRS Changes Coming for Business Tax Audits in 2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced new guidance on Friday aimed at dramatically reducing examination times for corporate taxpayers while making the audit process more collaborative and efficient. The Interim Guidance Memorandum introduces sweeping changes to how the IRS conducts business tax examinations, with implementation beginning in 2025 and extending through 2026. Why It Matters These changes could fundamentally alter how corporations experience tax audits, potentially saving businesses significant time and resources during examination periods. The reforms target long-standing inefficiencies that have plagued the corporate tax examination process, with some procedures taking years to complete under current protocols. For large corporations, the expanded settlement options and streamlined processes could provide greater tax certainty and allow for more predictable business planning. The changes also signal the IRS's recognition that its traditional examination methods may have been counterproductive to both tax collection efficiency and taxpayer compliance. What To Know The memorandum, titled "Reinforcing the Customer Focused, High Efficiency Large Business & International Examination Process," represents a significant shift toward what the IRS calls a "culture of collaboration" with taxpayers to resolve tax issues more quickly. These audit process changes come amid a broader series of IRS updates for the 2025 tax year that have affected individual taxpayers, including increased child tax credits, revised 1099-K reporting thresholds, and inflation-adjusted tax brackets and standard deductions. While those changes primarily impacted individual filers, the July announcement specifically targets business tax examinations. The new guidance introduces three major procedural changes that will reshape corporate tax examinations: Elimination of Acknowledgement of Facts Process: The IRS will phase out its Acknowledgement of Facts (AOF) Information Document Request process by 2026, citing "limited value and extended timelines." Until December 31, 2025, taxpayers can choose whether to participate in AOF procedures. This transition period allows for stakeholder feedback before permanent implementation. Expanded Accelerated Issue Resolution: The memo clarifies that Accelerated Issue Resolution (AIR) now applies to Large Corporate Cases, previously handled under the Coordinated Examination Program. AIR closing agreements allow resolved issues to apply across all filed return years within the current audit cycle, potentially resolving multiple years of potential disputes simultaneously. Enhanced Fast Track Settlement Reviews: The IRS will implement stronger internal review processes before denying taxpayer requests for Fast Track Settlement (FTS). Additional approvals are now required, supporting broader use of this expedited resolution process. What People Are Saying The Internal Revenue Service wrote in the announcement: "These changes are intended to enhance taxpayer service and tax administration by streamlining examination resources, facilitating timely issue resolution, and expediting tax certainty." FILE - A sign outside the Internal Revenue Service building is photographed May 4, 2021, in Washington. FILE - A sign outside the Internal Revenue Service building is photographed May 4, 2021, in Washington. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File What Happens Next The changes will roll out gradually over the next two years, with the AOF phase-out extending through 2025 and full implementation expected by 2026.

DOGE AI Tool to Target 100K Federal Rules for Elimination: Report
DOGE AI Tool to Target 100K Federal Rules for Elimination: Report

Newsweek

time6 hours ago

  • Newsweek

DOGE AI Tool to Target 100K Federal Rules for Elimination: Report

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is reportedly using a newly developed artificial intelligence (AI) tool to accelerate the rollback of federal regulations, with a stated goal of eliminating 50 percent of all federal rules by the first anniversary of President Donald Trump's second inauguration, according to a Saturday report from The Washington Post. Internal documents reviewed by the newspaper, along with interviews with four government officials familiar with the project, reveal an ambitious timeline and a wide-ranging use of the tool across various agencies. Newsweek has reached out to the White House for comment via email on Saturday. Why It Matters DOGE was created by Trump through an executive order to improve efficiency and reduce waste in the federal government. It was led by billionaire Elon Musk who departed the administration in May. The reported plan represents one of the most aggressive attempts by the Trump administration to overhaul the federal regulatory system. By automating the deregulation process, the administration aims to reduce government spending and compliance burdens significantly. However, the use of AI to interpret complex legal language and determine regulatory necessity raises legal and practical concerns, particularly regarding accuracy, oversight, and the future role of civil servants in shaping public policy, according to the Post. What to Know The "DOGE AI Deregulation Decision Tool," developed by engineers brought into government under Elon Musk's DOGE initiative, is programmed to scan about 200,000 existing federal rules and flag those that are either outdated or not legally required. According to a PowerPoint presentation dated July 1 that was obtained by the newspaper, the tool estimates that approximately 100,000 of those rules could be eliminated, primarily through automation with minimal human input. The projection claims this could save trillions in compliance costs and spark increased external investment. At the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), AI has already reviewed over 1,000 regulatory sections in under two weeks. Similarly, it was responsible for "100% of deregulations" at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), according to the PowerPoint presentation. The Post, however, reported it was not able to confirm the use of AI at the agency independently. When asked about the use of AI for deregulation, White House spokesman Harrison Fields emphasized to the newspaper that "all options are being explored" to meet the president's deregulation goals. He clarified that no single plan has been finalized, and the effort is still in early, creative stages with ongoing consultation within the White House. DOGE plans to complete agency-specific deregulation lists by September 1 and finish nationwide rollout by January 20, 2026—labeled in internal documents as "Relaunch America." Agencies are currently receiving training on how to integrate the AI tool into their regulatory review process. The presentation claims the tool could save 93 percent of the labor typically required to gut federal rules, reducing what would usually take 3.6 million work hours to just 36. Despite these goals, some federal employees expressed concern about accuracy. One HUD employee told the Post that the AI misinterpreted statutes and flagged legal language as non-compliant when it was accurate. HUD confirmed to the newspaper that while the agency is exploring AI to streamline efficiency, the system is not intended to replace expert judgment. The push to eliminate regulations is not new for Trump. In January, he issued an executive order mandating the repeal of 10 rules for every new one added. Departments like Transportation and Labor have already reported dozens of regulatory cuts. However, experts question whether such repeals will withstand scrutiny under the Administrative Procedure Act, which governs the legal process for rescinding rules. Previous attempts to bypass procedural safeguards—such as Trump's reversal of showerhead regulations—have faced legal scrutiny. DOGE's lawyers have reportedly vetted the tool, but concerns remain about whether its recommendations will be upheld in court or trusted by the private sector. While DOGE initially tried to play a leading role in the deregulation campaign, internal resistance from federal employees has slowed momentum. Agencies questioned DOGE's subject matter expertise and hesitated to outsource rulemaking authority to a third-party system. Moreover, the administration's efforts to downsize the federal workforce have hampered its ability to implement the deregulation strategy. An American flag waves at the U.S. Capitol Building on June 10 in Washington, D.C. An American flag waves at the U.S. Capitol Building on June 10 in Washington, People Are Saying Nicholas Bagley, a law professor at the University of Michigan, told The Washington Post about Trump's unilateral efforts to cut regulations: "There's been some flashy sideshow efforts to avoid the legal strictures, but in general, they don't stick." White House spokesman Harrison Fields wrote in an email obtained by The Washington Post: "The DOGE experts creating these plans are the best and brightest in the business and are embarking on a never-before-attempted transformation of government systems and operations to enhance efficiency and effectiveness." What Happens Next? Over the next several months, agencies will use the DOGE AI tool to select rules for repeal, respond to public comments, and finalize deregulation plans. Whether the courts, the public, and the agencies themselves accept that transformation remains uncertain.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store