Investors expect so much from publicly-traded companies. Specifically, they expected sales at the same store to increase 5.9% over last year across the Taco Bell chain, and they only increased 4%. The rest of Yum Brands depends on Taco Bell, but has the company finally reached Peak Taco?

Well, specifically, in the case of Taco Bell, we’d have to call it “Peak Thing Folded In Half And Referred To As A ‘Taco’ For Some Reason.” The company has folded waffles, biscuits, and chicken patties in half and stuffed things inside.

Taco fatigue

These new ideas proved successful, but now even Taco Bell must face the same problem as other restaurants. Groceries are cheap, and supermarkets even offer prepared meals that are more affordable than going out to eat.

Americans may have finally become tired of infinite variations on the taco. That’s why the company is increasing its international restaurant fleet, expanding to new countries like the Netherlands. The company even opened its first standalone Taco Bell in Canada in 20 years, which is impressive.

Taco Bell is opening hundreds of new restaurants in each of the countries where it does business, with a goal of reaching 9,000 locations worldwide in the next five years.

“The team is working diligently to bring the cult of Taco Bell to everyone across the globe,” Keith Seigner, Yum Brands’ vice president for investor relations, said on this week’s quarterly earnings call.

Cult?

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