Taco Bell is Giving Out Free Food to Vaccinated Customers All you need to do is show proof of vaccination in order to get in on the free grub.
By Emily Rella Edited by Jessica Thomas
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Taco Bell fans have a reason to celebrate again after the beloved Quesalupa was removed from menus again after a brief revival.
The cause for excitement this time around? Free food, of course.
The chain announced that California residents who are vaccinated against Covid-19 are eligible to receive a free seasoned beef Nacho Cheese Doritos® Locos Taco at participating California Taco Bell locations on June 15.
Related: Ohio Vaccine Lottery -- Five Vaccinated Residents Will Win $1 Million
All you need to do is show proof of vaccination to get the free grub.
"We are all ready to put Covid-19 behind us," says Taco Bell CEO Mark King. "We are thrilled to do our part and give back to our home state with something everyone knows and loves to celebrate those who have made the decision to get vaccinated."
The chain, which is headquartered in Irvine, California, is running the promotion in participation with the state-funded Vax for the Win program.
"It's our biggest "thank you' yet to Californians who have received their Covid-19 vaccine," the state wrote of the initiative. "Ten winners will be selected on June 15 to receive $1.5 million each — prizes totaling $15 million! All Californians who have had at least one Covid-19 dose will automatically be entered."
Related: Grocery Chain to Give Away $5 million to Vaccinated Customers
Other incentives the program is offering include free queso at Chipotle on June 15, discounted merchandise from the Golden State Warriors and LA Clippers and trips to visit Disneyland, San Diego and Palm Springs.
California's program was created in the same vein as other incentive programs designed to encourage residents to get vaccinated, such as Ohio's $1 million vaccine lottery and Kroger's $5 million giveaway to vaccinated customers.
Since last year, Taco Bell has made several pushes to give back amid the pandemic, including donating $5.5 million to No Kid Hungry and running job fairs at nearly 2,000 different locations across the country.
"It's no secret that the labor market is tight, which is why we are thrilled to host our fourth round of Hiring Parties in partnership with our franchisees," says Kelly McCulloch, Taco Bell's chief people officer, in reference to the company's hiring initiatives. "We're eager to welcome prospective new hires into the family and show them why working at Taco Bell can be more than just a job."
Currently, California is about 66% partially vaccinated, with about 55.2% of the state fully vaccinated and 11% having at least one dose or partial vaccination.
