Almost seven months after taking a slew of fan-favorite items off its menu, Taco Bell is permanently bringing back a few of its potato-based offerings — and yes, that includes the iconic Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes. The chain announced the news on Thursday, Jan. 14, but it doesn’t take immediate effect. If you’re wondering when Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes are coming back to Taco Bell in 2021, along with a handful of other vegetarian dishes, here’s everything you need to know about when this fan-fave side will make its triumphant return.

On Thursday, March 11, the Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes will return to the menu permanently to once again delight your tastebuds, almost seven months after it was discontinued on Aug. 13, 2020. In case you need a refresher to mentally prepare yourself, the cult-favorite dish features crispy and spicy chunks of potato that are topped with gooey warm nacho cheese and tangy sour cream. Unsurprisingly, the loss of this popular side option as well as other potato-based dishes like the Spicy Potato Soft Taco and the Cheesy Potato Loaded Grillers did not go over well with fans back in the summer.

Fans quickly started a Change.org petition called "Save Taco Bell Potatoes" which had almost 22,400 signatures at the time of publication.

In it, author Jenna Provencher wrote, "TACO BELL IS PLANNING TO GET RID OF POTATOES ON AUGUST [13]. We must save the potatoes for all vegetarians and people with taste who won’t eat taco bell meat. Please sign if you have a heart. 2020 has been hard enough, I can’t handle this. Help."

She added, "This applies to all potatoes items. Don’t think you’re safe if you just like cheesy fiesta potatoes."

Luckily, Taco Bell heard their fans loud and clear, and will permanently bring back its potatoes in March. Prices may vary by location, but you can expect to pay $1.49 for the Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes and $1 for the Spicy Potato Soft Taco. In addition, fans looking for a plant-based offering or wanting to eat less meat can substitute potatoes for any other protein on Taco Bell’s menu.

Unfortunately, T-Bell isn’t bringing back any of the other discontinued items, like the Beefy Fritos Burrito and 7-Layer Burrito, at this time, but it does have some exciting developments to look out for. Taco Bell also announced it will be testing a new plant-based protein with Beyond Meat, meaning customers can probably expect even more delicious vegetarian-friendly offerings to roll out in 2021 — all while still being able to order your fave side, thanks to the much-needed return of Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes.

Source: Read Full Article