IRVINE, Calif. — The quick-service restaurant (QSR) business is built on providing people convenient and tasty meals to meet their busy, on-the-go lifestyles. What sometimes can be missed at QSRs is the offering of better choices through lower fat menu items, in which you don’t have to surrender taste for that convenience. Taco Bell(r), which does approximately 70 percent of its business via the drive-thru, is set to introduce better choices for America with its new Drive-Thru Diet(r) Menu, featuring seven incredible tasting, Fresco-style menu offerings with nine grams or less of fat.
Available at participating Taco Bell locations nationwide, the Drive-Thru Diet Menu features seven Taco Bell favorites freshly-prepared with Fiesta Salsa – a zesty and delicious mix of diced tomatoes, white onions and cilantro – that replaces the cheese and sauce. Packed with flavor and only five calories per serving, the Fiesta Salsa allows you to reduce fat and calories without sacrificing flavor. Customers can make better choices compared to typical QSR choices while still enjoying their favorite tacos and burritos complete with grilled, marinated all-white-meat chicken, seasoned beef and even Carne Asada Steak. The Drive-Thru Diet Menu includes:
* Fresco Crunchy Taco – 7 grams of fat – 150 calories
* Fresco BURRITO SUPREME(r) – Chicken – 8 grams of fat – 340 calories
* Fresco BURRITO SUPREME(r) – Steak – 8 grams of fat – 330 calories
* Fresco Bean Burrito – 8 grams of fat – 340 calories
* Fresco Soft Taco – 7 grams of fat – 180 calories
* Fresco Grilled Steak Soft Taco – 4.5 grams of fat – 160 calories
* Fresco Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco – 4 grams of fat – 170 calories
“The reality is most Americans are on-the-go and will eat foods purchased through a drive-thru an average of 10 times a month,” said registered dietitian Ruth Carey and nutritionist for the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers. “Whether ordering in the drive-thru, or in the restaurants, Taco Bell’s Drive-Thru Diet Menu makes eating better convenient with not just one, but seven tasty choices with nine grams of fat or less.”
“Taco Bell is committed to offering a great-tasting menu that gives consumers the variety and choices they demand,” said David Ovens, Chief Marketing Officer, Taco Bell Corp., Irvine, Calif. “Using quality ingredients like our freshly prepared Fiesta Salsa, the Drive-Thru Diet Menu is true to our Mexican-inspired heritage by offering real variety in form, flavors, taste, texture and the aroma our customers love, while being lower in fat.”
Integrated Campaign Promotes Drive-Thru Diet Menu
Current and new customers will hear about Taco Bell’s Drive-Thru Diet Menu and delicious Fresco-style foods through a robust and integrated campaign that will roll out during the first quarter of 2010. The campaign includes advertising, in-store promotions, Web sites and social media activity, as well as public relations and integration with Taco Bell’s existing NBA marketing partnership. Additionally, Taco Bell has teamed up with Carey to offer sound nutrition advice for people looking to make better choices at QSRs.
Taco Bell’s Drive-Thru Diet Menu campaign will feature Christine Dougherty, a real-life Taco Bell customer who serves as an example of how to make better choices when ordering at a drive-thru and will become the face of the seven Fresco-style menu items. During a two-year period, Christine achieved exceptional results by consuming only 1250 calories per day, a 500 calorie/day reduction, and replacing her regular QSR meals with Taco Bell’s Fresco menu offerings. Christine will bring alive her story, and the new choice available for QSR customers, online and through Taco Bell advertising, and be featured in stores through signage and promotions about the Drive-Thru Diet Menu. Christine will also be featured in Taco Bell’s first ever infomercial, a long-form piece that will detail her story as well as some helpful tips done by NBA dietician Ruth Carey. The advertising and all in-store signage was handled through Draftfcb, Orange County. Digital was handled through a partnership of Draftfcb, Orange County and R/GA, San Francisco.
Source: Taco Bell Corp.