This Is Why Taco Bell Is Still Relatively Cheap Despite Everything

If you've ordered fast food in the past couple of years, you might find yourself shaking your head at the total and wondering what happened to fast food actually being cheap. Amidst a world of rising prices, at least one chain is doing its best to keep prices locked-in and low: Taco Bell. Known for adding some pretty iconic best-sellers to the fast food lexicon — Crunch Wrap Supremes, Mexican Pizzas, and, of course, Baja Blasts — Taco Bell is nothing if not innovative, often switching up its menu with new launches and creative offerings. No matter how your stomach feels after a big meal from its drive-thru, at least your wallet doesn't take a beating.

How does the chain do it when prices on everything from produce to gas to pantry staples are on a steep incline? In large part, it's thanks to the simple ingredients Taco Bell uses. These include pretty cheap, unfussy basics remixed into dozens of different menu items. No matter your order, almost everything on the menu is some combination of beans, beef or chicken, tortillas, a few sparse veggies, and sauces. The chain keeps its total ingredient list sparse and simple intentionally, cutting back on the inventory it has to keep. This in turn helps keep prices for customers much lower than at other chains that have to stock their kitchens with a larger variety of goods.

This strategy is, of course, all intentional. Taco Bell knows with wallets hurting, low prices are pivotal to keeping customers coming in the door. While fewer, cheaper ingredients play a role, there are also more high-tech tactics in play, such as using artificial intelligence over humans to do some of the work (many locations already use robot voices at the drive-thru, and expect to hear more soon!). Clearly, it's working. Last year, Taco Bell brought in $1 billion in operating profit while expanding its worldwide fleet of stores by 347 spots, making it easier to get your taco, burrito, and Baja Blast fix for prices that feel delightfully frozen in time.

Not only is the menu cheap as is, there are also hacks and add-ons to spruce up your order, plus substitutions that even let you veganize almost anything at Taco Bell (say it with us: Fresco style!) at no extra charge. For those looking to squeeze every last drop out of your order, there are rewards to reap if you order using the fast food restaurant's app. Taco Bell also stays super-relevant with clever social media as much as its innovative new menu offerings. But, those in charge know no one craves changing prices, so it does all it can to keep those feeling decidedly retro.