Taco Bell teams up with Duolingo for Global Taco Day
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Taco Bell’s partnership with Duolingo includes a limited-edition Duo Habanero SaucePhoto courtesy of Taco Bell
Taco Bell has doubled its store count in global markets in just the past few years with plenty more white space ahead. The chain has started dedicating more resources to the international business, including more marketing dollars, according to Ranjith Roy, chief financial officer of parent company Yum Brands.
As part of that effort, Taco Bell is taking its National Taco Day campaign global. In partnership with popular education app Duolingo, the chain is declaring Oct. 6 as Global Taco Day. The campaign includes a new Duo Habanero Sauce, taco-inspired language lessons, and surprise appearances.
The limited-edition Duo Habanero Sauce, launching Oct. 6, features a tangy flavor with a kick of fruity habanero heat and turns Taco Bell’s sauce packets into bite-sized language lessons, with taco wisdoms in nine languages, including English, Spanish, French, Hindi, Portuguese, German, Korean, Mandarin, and Japanese. Internationally, packet assortments will reflect the native language and some of the most popular languages Duolingo users are learning in each participating market. Duo Habanero sauce is free in the U.S. with any Doritos Locos Tacos order and in participating restaurants globally (limit one per qualifying item). The campaign also includes a Duolingo x Taco Bell restaurant takeover in New York City on Oct. 6 (976 6th Ave.) and fans may also see Duo pop up in restaurants in Mumbai, Toronto, and Shanghai.
“National Taco Day is about more than just food. It’s about the shared love of tacos and the connections they create between people,” Chief Marketing Officer Luis Restrepo said in a statement. “The fact that ‘taco’ is understood in more than 30 languages proves just how universal it is, and together with Duolingo, we’re turning that shared language into an invitation for even more fans to join the Global Taco Day celebration.”
Additionally, Taco Bell Rewards members can unlock one month of Super Duolingo for free from Oct. 1 through Oct. 6. Codes must be redeemed by Nov. 15 and will remain active for 30 days following activation. Further, 1,000 Taco Bell x Duo plushies will be available at participating restaurants globally. In the U.S. rewards members can earn the chance to win one on their Tuesday Drops page on Oct. 6. The plushies feature Duo in a Taco Bell uniform with a mini headset.
This campaign follows Taco Bell’s push in 2023 to “liberate” Taco Tuesday, an effort to cancel all trademarks for Taco Tuesday and make it available to everyone. Taco John’s had claimed the trademark since 1989. In 2024, Taco Bell worked with National Day Calendar to move National Taco Day to the first Tuesday in October. The following year, the brand celebrated its inaugural anniversary with special deals for fans.
In taking the day global this year, Taco Bell notes that the word “taco” is the same in more than 30 languages, including Spanish, French, and German.
“We’ve always believed tacos are for everyone,” said Amy Ellis Durini, chief marketing and strategy officer, Taco Bell International, in a statement. “There’s something pretty special about a word that can be understood across languages and cultures. Together with Duolingo, we’re celebrating a love of tacos that brings people together everywhere — and the idea that sometimes the things that connect us need very little translation at all.”
Duolingo is a popular language learning app that surpassed 50 million daily active users last year.
Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]
Follow her on TikTok: @aliciakelso
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