Taco Bell Expands Its Menu and Opens New Locations in Colorado

May 15, 2026, 15:24
USLifestyle

Introduction

Taco Bell is launching a new chicken version of its Mexican Pizza and bringing its Cantina service model to the Colorado market.

Main Body

The company has announced the Cantina Chicken Mexican Pizza, which is a new version of the original product created in 1985. While it still uses refried beans and cheese, the traditional beef has been replaced with slow-roasted chicken. This new version also includes green chile sauce, purple cabbage, pico de gallo, and a Jalapeño Citrus Salsa Sauce. Liz Matthews, the Global Chief Food Innovation Officer, emphasized that this is an improvement of an existing favorite rather than a complete change. The pizza costs $6.49 and will be available to everyone on May 21, although Rewards Members can order it through the app starting May 19. This launch is part of a larger business strategy announced during the 'Live Más Live' event in March. Taco Bell plans to introduce twenty new menu items this year, such as empanadas, sliders, and special drinks. Furthermore, the company is expanding its physical presence by opening a Taco Bell Cantina at Denver International Airport in Concourse A. Although the Cantina model usually sells alcohol, including wine and beer, the Denver location will not start selling these drinks until late summer.

Conclusion

Taco Bell is currently growing its business by adding more variety to its menu and expanding its physical locations in Colorado.

Learning

🚀 The 'Contrast' Jump: Moving from A2 to B2

At an A2 level, we usually connect ideas with simple words like and or but. To reach B2, you need to use Advanced Contrast Markers to make your speech sound more professional and fluid.

Look at these two sentences from the text:

  1. *"While it still uses refried beans... beef has been replaced..."
  2. *"Although the Cantina model usually sells alcohol... the Denver location will not..."

💡 The Logic Shift

Instead of saying "It has beans but it has chicken," a B2 speaker uses While or Although to set up a comparison.

The Secret Formula: [Although/While] + [Fact A], [Fact B (The surprising part)]

🛠️ Practical Application

Let's upgrade some A2 sentences using the logic from the Taco Bell article:

  • A2 (Basic): I like the new pizza, but it is expensive.

  • B2 (Bridge): Although I like the new pizza, it is quite expensive.

  • A2 (Basic): He is a manager, but he doesn't make the rules.

  • B2 (Bridge): While he is a manager, he doesn't actually make the rules.

⚠️ Pro Tip: The Comma Rule

Notice that when you start a sentence with Although or While, you must put a comma in the middle of the sentence to separate the two ideas. This is a key marker of B2 writing accuracy.

Vocabulary Learning

launching (v.)
starting or introducing a new product or service
Example:The company is launching a new line of eco-friendly products next month.
version (n.)
a particular form or variation of something
Example:This is a revised version of the original document.
traditional (adj.)
existing in a long-established form; customary
Example:She prefers traditional methods of cooking.
slow-roasted (adj.)
cooked slowly at a low temperature
Example:The slow-roasted chicken had a crispy skin.
pico de gallo (n.)
a fresh salsa made of chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime
Example:Add a spoonful of pico de gallo to your tacos for extra flavor.
jalapeño (n.)
a type of chili pepper
Example:She sliced a jalapeño into thin rings before adding it to the salsa.
citrus (adj.)
relating to or containing citrus fruit
Example:The citrus flavor brightened the dessert.
emphasized (v.)
gave special importance to
Example:The speaker emphasized the need for teamwork in the project.
improvement (n.)
a change that makes something better
Example:The new software is an improvement over the old version.
existing (adj.)
already in place or existing
Example:We need to consider the existing infrastructure before building new facilities.
business strategy (n.)
a plan for achieving business goals
Example:Their business strategy focuses on customer satisfaction and innovation.
expanding (v.)
becoming larger or more extensive
Example:The company is expanding its operations into new markets.