DALLAS (NEXSTAR) — Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza is beginning to vanish from menus across the country as the company prepares for the dish’s Nov. 5 retirement.
According to multiple Reddit users, restaurants have run out of ingredient for the dish, making it unavailable. In a few cases, there are reports of store employees posting makeshift “sold out” signs over the Mexican Pizza listing on store menus.
The move comes despite a groundswell of support from a change.org petition that generated 135,000 signatures.
The company says it needed to say goodbye to the Pizza because it was a packaging-heavy meal that didn’t fit Taco Bell’s vision for the future.
“We know some fans may be sad to see this one go, we are too. One silver lining of saying goodbye to the Mexican Pizza that might help you rest easy is that removing it from our menus helps us work towards our commitment to leave a lighter footprint on our planet,” Taco Bell said in a news release.
Also on the Nov. 5 chopping block are Pico de Gallo, which will be replaced by fresh diced tomatoes, and Shredded Chicken. Shredded Chicken lovers will have the Classic Chicken Quesadilla or new Chicken Chipotle Melt to choose from instead.
“We’re constantly evaluating ways to provide a more efficient restaurant experience, and have already begun to see progress from streamlining our menu,” said Mike Grams, Taco Bell President, Global COO. “While we know fans may be understandably sad to see some of their favorites go, this evolution of our menu truly paves the way for fresh new ideas. The creativity and innovation in our kitchen hasn’t slowed down at all, and we look forward to rolling out new fan favorites.”
The old items are making way for two nationwide menu additions – the Chicken Chipotle Melt and Dragonfruit Freeze – as well as a regional roll out of Green Sauce.
Here’s what the new menu will look like starting Nov. 5:
Taco Bell advises customers to contact their local restaurant to confirm pricing and participation for new items.