Let's just all take a moment of silence and try to absorb the enormity of these reports. I'm so, so sorry to start your Monday this way — but there are, indeed, reports of a Taco Bell tortilla shortage, according to People. I never imagined this day would come, but here we are. I wish I could offer you words of warmth and comfort, but dealing with grief takes time and I am simply not ready.
Bustle reached out to Taco Bell for comment, and will update upon response. A representative for Taco Bell provided People with the following statement: "While some Taco Bell restaurants are experiencing supplier shortages, we are working diligently to replenish the supply of our tortillas (used for products like quesadillas and burritos) in those restaurants and encourage fans to try any of our other delicious menu items like the Power Menu Bowl or Cheesy Gordita Crunch in the meantime. We apologize for any inconvenience this might cause and appreciate our customers’ patience.”
BUT I DON'T WANT A GORDITA CRUNCH I WANT A BURRITO AND IT IS MY BASIC HUMAN RIGHT. As you can see, I'm taking this in stride and keeping a level head in such a tumultuous time.
According to People, locations in the Tennessee Valley were some of the earliest to report being out of tortillas, which is, frankly, an essential of so much of the Taco Bell menu. People also reported that one Huntsville said they were awaiting a tortilla delivery. If these reports weren't enough, there have been similar complaints on Reddit and all over Twitter — and, now, the company has even responded to what some are calling the worst culinary disaster of 2019. (OK, me — I'm the only person calling it that, but still.) Food & Wine is calling it the “Tortillapocalypse.” The point is, we can all agree that this is super serious.
How can you tell if you're affected? You should be able to see by looking at the menu for your nearest location on the website. I checked one of the locations in New Hampshire, my home state, and was met with a whole lot of "not available."
Taco Bell normally does such an amazing job of catering to all of our needs — and even needs that we didn't know we had. They opened an actual hotel — "The Bell" hotel, in fact — a temporary popup full of Taco Bell food and design which was ridiculously popular. They've been testing Taco Bell Avocado Ranch bowls, which is something so incredible-sounding that I can't believe it wasn't a part of our lives before. They even bring us exclusive offerings, like Mountain Dew Sweet Lightning, which is not only such a ridiculous name for a drink it sounds like a parody of itself, but also something only available at Taco Bell.
The point is, Taco Bell has invaded every part of our summer — you can even get Taco Bell pool floats, for crying out loud. They are a basic part of the summer experience. So it's hard to imagine something as integral, something as essential as tortillas just not being a part of the summer landscape. Will you be reaching for a Cheesy Gordita Crunch? Or will you just scream into the abyss? The choice is yours.
