Taco Bell launches $1 lettuce-free Enchirito amid cyclospora outbreak

Taco Bell announced a limited-time $1 Enchirito, a flour tortilla filled with ground beef, beans, onions, cheddar cheese and red sauce, that does not contain lettuce. The promotion, available at participating locations until 11:59 p.m. PT on July 22 while supplies last, limits customers to five items per purchase.

The offer follows a sharp drop in restaurant visits after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration linked lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms to a nationwide outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic illness that causes gastrointestinal symptoms. Foot traffic on July 17 was more than 30% lower than the average for Fridays earlier in the year, according to data-tracking firm Placer.ai.

Taco Bell said it removed the lettuce from its menu after “ongoing conversations with public health officials, and out of an abundance of caution.” The chain did not state that the $1 deal was a direct response to the outbreak.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported over 4,000 laboratory-confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis since May, with additional suspected cases, 308 hospitalizations and no deaths. While a Taylor Farms lettuce sample initially tested positive for the parasite, a subsequent review deemed the result a false positive, and the FDA continues its investigation.