Yum! Brands’ most profitable fast-food chain in the U.S. isn’t Pizza Hut or KFC–for years, it’s been Taco Bell. With the success of Doritos Locos Tacos, the upscale Cantina Bell menu, and breakfast (available nationwide next year), Taco Bell’s comparable sales have been up for seven consecutive quarters, including a 2 percent increase in the most recent period.
The chain’s financial results are just one sign of the growing popularity of Mexican food in the U.S. Data from food researcher Technomic show that sales at Mexican-style restaurants grew 9.3 percent in 2012, outpacing the 5.8 percent increase among all limited-service restaurants. In fact in the U.S., tortillas outsell burger and hot dog buns, tortilla chips eclipse potato chips, and salsa tops ketchup, according to an Associated Press report.
