Food trends (Score 1)

Taco Bell caught the market when "value" was popular among fast food restaurants. Hence the $.49/.69/.89 menu. People wanted low prices above most everything else. Now the emphasis in fast food is on big portions. Hence the extra-extra-large "value meal" at McDonalds's and the "grande meal" at Taco Bell. People would rather spend more and get more food than they can consume-- or should.

But, I'm not sure if the Dilberito is being introduced at the right time. I think that vegetarianism (though always popular) was more the public's eye about 5 years ago. Just 2 years ago or so the trend was for "comfort food". I think that the latest trend continues to be a mixture of comfort and family-style dinner foods that you pick up at the market and reheat at home. People desire the illusion that they are "cooking" when, of course, they are not.

Perhaps Scott Adams should catch this trend by producing a "Dilberito Kit" where you construct your own dilberitos at home. Just add textured vegetable protein!

Ben

> Both in Boston (where I live) and Forida
> (where I used to live) Taco Bell had to
> make their stuff cheap so people will buy
> it. Back in high school I could buy like
> fifteen tacos for six or seven dollars,
> which made them quite a bit cheaper than
> everything else around. Now that everyone's
> hooked on the heroin they put in there their
> prices are similar to McD's.