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Clarification/correction: Due to a data error from Placer.ai, an earlier version of this story included inaccurate figures. The story has been updated to reflect the corrected data.
Taco Bell has seen a drop in foot traffic since being linked to the ongoing cyclosporiasis outbreak, according to new data.
On July 17, visits to Taco Bell's restaurants nationwide were down by more than 30% compared to its 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.
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On the same day, Taco Bell announced it had pulled Taylor Farms lettuce from its food after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration connected the product to an outbreak of the parasitic illness, which causes diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues.
The fast food chain said in a statement that the move was "based on ongoing conversations with public health officials, and out of an abundance of caution."
"Taco Bell has taken precautionary action, and we encourage all relevant restaurants, retailers, and foodservice operators to do the same," the company said. On social media, the chain reiterated it was taking the issue seriously and reassured customers it was safe to eat at its restaurants.
USA TODAY has reached out to Taco Bell for comment on the foot traffic data.
Data: Taco Bell foot traffic down since link to lettuce parasite
According to Placer.ai's data, Taco Bell saw a double-digit percentage decline in foot traffic in the days before it officially pulled lettuce from restaurants.
On July 15, the chain had an 18.1% decline in foot traffic compared to Wednesdays this year on average. The next day – when the FDA first linked Taco Bell to the outbreak – its restaurants saw a 20% decline in foot traffic compared to an average Thursday this year, according to Placer.ai.
Taco Bell's foot traffic was lower than the average of all other quick service and fast casual restaurants included in Placer.ai's data, such as Chipotle, McDonald's, Subway and Chopt, for the same days.
Individually, Subway had a 1.4% decline in foot traffic on July 16 followed by a 3.3% decline on July 17 compared to the averages for both weekdays this year. Chipotle had a 2.8% decline on July 16 and a 6.9% drop on July 17, according to Placer.ai.
On July 20, Taco Bell CEO Sean Tresvant said in a post on LinkedIn that the company will "continue to be transparent about what we know and what we are doing next."
"We aren’t entitled to your loyalty. We earn it one meal at a time," Tresvant wrote. "Every decision we make is about doing what’s right for the people we serve."
Cyclosporiasis latest: Cases, lettuce recall, what to know
According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the agency has confirmed more than 1,600 cases of cyclosporiasis nationwide as of July 13. It was also working to verify more than 5,000 additional infections.
The total includes 141 people who were hospitalized from the illness. So far, 34 states are reporting cases dating back to May 1, per the CDC.
After being linked to the outbreak by the FDA, Taylor Farms issued an expansivevoluntary recall of iceberg lettuce products on July 17. The FDA's investigation initially connected the illnesses to lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico sold, in part, through Taco Bell locations in five states.
A lettuce sample from Taylor Farms tested positive for cyclospora on July 18, but 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 tests samples.
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 sees drop in foot traffic amid cyclosporiasis outbreak
