Taco Bell is the favorite Mexican food destination in the United States, according to a Harris Poll EquiTrend Study released this week, with the fast-food chain topping the survey for the first time since Harris started the EquiTrend brand poll 30 years ago, according to Yahoo Finance.
Taco Bell, a favorite among college students, beat out Moe's Southwest Grill, which had won the Mexican Restaurant "Brand of the Year" survey for the last two years, and Chipotle, which had won the title previously, Yahoo said.
"Taco Bell's marketing is ubiquitous so it wasn't surprising to me that they came out on top this year," Amir Kanpurwala, the director of the Harris survey, Yahoo reported. "It's not so much that Moe's or Chipotle are falling off the map.
"Taco Bell has just been a stronger brand as of late, as demonstrated by the strong familiarity and consideration marks," Kanpurwala added.
Yahoo reported that Taco Bell apparently improved its brand awareness with innovative products by serving breakfast and adding creative selections like Mexican Crispy Chicken Pizza and the Naked Egg Taco.
Taco Bell introduced a limited edition Nacho Fries earlier this year, which became the most successful product launch in the company's history, Yahoo said.
"It had long been speculated that Taco Bell would bring this international menu item to the U.S., especially after the company held market tests in West Virginia and California last spring," CNBC wrote in March.
"Nacho Fries tick off two boxes for Taco Bell — menu innovation and value. The seasoned fries are part of the chain's $1 menu offerings, which it has sought to expand in the last few years," CNBC continued.
Brian Niccol, who led Taco Bell's resurgence for 3½ years, became chief executive of Chipotle on March 5, Yahoo Finance said.
"We want to obviously be very consistent with our mission, which is food with integrity," Nicol told Yahoo Finance. "We also want to be very consistent with leveraging the operational capability that we have. And then where it makes sense, we'll innovate around the operating model so that we can provide great food experiences that extend Chipotle’s reach."
Some 80 companies captured the annual Brand of the Year designation from the Harris Poll over various categories after monitoring more than 3,000 brands.
"The EQ study reveals that brand equity is no longer guaranteed by size or media impressions," The Harris Poll chief executive John Gerzema said in a statement. "This is actually a time when being 'big' is code for being the establishment. As private label and the popularity of craft products rises, brands are now differentiated on their values, personal connection and their ability to build community."