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As the ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak impacts its foot traffic, Taco Bell is offering a $1 lettuce-free menu item promotion.
In a social media post made the afternoon of July 22, Taco Bell promoted $1 Enchiritos, a flour tortilla filled with ground beef, beans, diced onions, cheddar cheese and a red sauce. The temporary menu item does not include lettuce. The social media post did not explicitly say the deal was created because of the cyclosporiasis outbreak.
"Okay, now please just keep the enchirito on permanent," one Instagram user commented on Taco Bell's post promoting the deal.
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The offer comes as the fast-food chain has experienced a nosedive in foot traffic since its lettuce was linked to the outbreak of cyclosporiasis, which causes diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
On July 17, visits to Taco Bell restaurants nationwide were down by more than 30% compared with the chain's foot traffic average for each Friday between Jan. 1 and July 6 this year, according to Placer.ai, which tracks foot traffic using data from cameras and mobile devices.
The same day, Taco Bell announced it had pulled Taylor Farms lettuce from its food after the FDA connected it to the ongoing outbreak of the parasitic illness.
Taco Bell said in a statement that the move was "based on ongoing conversations with public health officials, and out of an abundance of caution."
USA TODAY contacted Taco Bell on July 22 for more information about the new $1 lettuce-free item.
How to get $1 Enchiritos at Taco Bell
Taco Bell customers can get a $1 Enchirito (plus tax) at participating Taco Bell locations through 11:59 p.m. PT on July 22, while supplies last, the chain said in its social media post comments. Customers are limited to five enchiritos per purchase.
Latest on cyclosporiasis outbreak: Cases, lettuce recall, what to know
On July 21, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 4,173 laboratory-confirmed U.S. cases of cyclosporiasis since May 1. More than 7,400 additional cases – many in Michigan and Ohio – have not yet been confirmed by laboratories, the CDC said.
There have been 308 hospitalizations and no deaths during the time period. The previous CDC report from July 15 listed 1,645 laboratory-confirmed cases and 141 hospitalizations.
After the FDA linked Taylor Farms to the outbreak, the company issued an expansive voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce products July 17. The FDA's investigation initially linked the explosive diarrhea-causing illness to lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, which was sold, in part, through Taco Bell locations in five states.
A lettuce sample from Taylor Farms tested positive for the cyclospora parasite July 18; however, the FDA said on July 19 that after being reviewed again, the test was found to be a false positive.
As of July 19, there are no confirmed positive results for samples tested for cyclospora, the FDA said. However, Taylor Farms remains linked to the outbreak while the FDA continues to investigate the exact source and collects test samples.
Contributing: Mike Snider, USA TODAY
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. Keep up with her on X @melinakh and Instagram @bymelinakhan.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Taco Bell offering $1 lettuce-free deal amid cyclospora outbreak
