This week, the fast food brand Del Taco made headlines for adding new Tamales to its nationwide menu. The brand shared the announcement on social media with the headline: "Brace yourselves… Tamaledays at Del Taco are coming!"
For those unfamiliar, tamales are are a traditional Mexican dish made of masa or dough, and steamed in a corn husk. Del Taco's new Tamales appear to have a meat filling and are served in corn husks. Though the filling appears to be meaty, Del Taco recently added Beyond Meat’s crumbles to its menu, meaning there may be an option for vegan tamales in the future.
Set to drop on November 22, 2019, Tel Taco seems to want its new Tamles to become "a delicious holiday tradition."
Fast Food Tamale Menus
Del Taco is Adding New Tamales to Its Nationwide Menu
Trend Themes
1. Fast-food Tamale Menus - The emergence of tamale menus in fast-food restaurants is a disruption of traditional fast-food items and a move towards diverse ethnic menus.
2. Vegan Fast-food Tamales - The inclusion of vegan options such as Beyond Meat's crumbles in fast-food chains’ tamale menus expands the plant-based fast-food market.
3. Ethnic-inspired Fast-food Items - The introduction of ethnic dishes such as tamales to fast-food menus caters to a more diverse customer base and potentially increases revenue through the appeal of exotic flavors.
Industry Implications
1. Fast-food Industry - The tamale menus show innovation in the fast-food industry by diversifying menus and responsiveness to diverse customer demands.
2. Meat Alternatives Industry - Introducing Beyond Meat into Del Taco’s tamale ingredients demonstrates an opportunity for the plant-based meat industry to collaborate with fast-food chains.
3. Ethnic Food Industry - The emergence of ethnic food flavors in fast-food chains such as Del Taco opens opportunities for the ethnic food industry to bring traditional cultural dishes to a larger market in a quick-service format.