Why Was Taco Bell's Fiesta Veggie Burrito Discontinued?
It's always a crushing blow when a fast food chain discontinues your favorite menu item. Unlike the long list of local fast food chains, which are only found in certain markets, it's comforting to know that when you visit a national chain, you can expect the same quality and taste from place to place. That's what makes it so brutal when these drive-thru giants rip the rug out from beneath you and take away the food you love.
Taco Bell made a lot of folks mad when they 86'ed the Fiesta Veggie Burrito, and we do mean a lot. There's even a Change.org petition to reinstate the FVB. Although guests from all walks of life enjoyed the burrito, which consisted of rice, black beans, lettuce and tomato, guac, sour cream, chipotle sauce, and crunchy red fiesta strips in a rolled flour tortilla, vegetarian Tex-Mex fans treasured it especially. Taco Bell has other veggie-friendly options on its menu, but none as fresh as the Fiesta Veggie Burrito.
Compounding customer frustration is that Taco Bell's only comment on the removal was that the Fiesta Veggie Burrito was being discontinued to make room for new items. The menu shakeup occurred in January 2024, coinciding with Taco Bell's new-and-allegedly-improved Cravings Value Menu rollout. How, exactly, did one of the few vegetarian options end up on the chopping block? The answer is irritatingly elusive.
Trying to work around the loss is frustrating, but not impossible
Reddit quickly discovered that Taco Bell still carried all the ingredients for a Fiesta Veggie Burrito, so you could custom-order one by extensively modifying some of the surviving burritos. Unfortunately, they found just as fast that the modified FVB carried a price tag of at least two dollars more expensive than the original menu item. Fascinatingly, a handful of Taco Bell locations appear to carry the FVB still, at least according to the app. However, evidence seems to point to this being a glitch that can not actually be ordered. Social media would probably be all a-flutter if this came back, and the internet has been decidedly mum on the issue.
The good news is that you can easily replicate a Fiesta Veggie Burrito at home. Canned black beans can be served whole or refried, guacamole and sour cream are easy-peasy, and lettuce, tomato, and shredded cheese are in any grocery store. And, luckily for you, Amazon carries both Taco Bell's Creamy Chipotle Sauce in a bottle and bagged (organic!) tortilla strips for a great price. All you need are some tips on how to fold a burrito like the pros do it, and you are good to go ... for a lot less money per burrito.