Missing Ingredients

Taco Bell is quite possibly the worst mexican food on the planet. I
can't believe anyone actually craves it.

In response to your letter, sometimes stores run out of things. It
happens. The only other way the store could have informed you of this
problem was when you ordered. Were they supposed to do, put up a
billboard? That doesn't really make sense. Sure they should have
apologized to you, but other than telling you that they don't have
something when you place the order - what else can they do?

Absolutely an apology was in order. We had an incident similar to this
35 years ago. I worked at a part-time job in a restaurant. We were
waiting for supplies for the supper crowd and couldn't understand
where the truck was. He was killed in a accident. I learned a valuable
lesson that day. Don't sweat the small inconviences and understand
"ALWAYS" is not possible.

I always order my tacos at Taco Bell without lettuce. If I don't I end
up with all lettuce and a tiny bit of meat.

I don't think you should stop going to taco bell just because they ran
out of lettuce, after all, lettuce is cheap and u could buy it from
the store if you don't already have it at home. Then you said there
were already 9 cars ahead of you, so of course it'd be easy to run out
of things when they're that busy, it happens, ya know. I don't see how
they could have possibly informed you before you got to the drive-thru
speaker about them being out? You expected them to go from car to car
explaining what they were out of? Even if there was a sign up, you
still wouldn't have seen it before you got to the drive-thru menu
anyway? There isn't much else Taco Bell could substitute when almost
everything on their menu contains lettuce and you could have found
your own substitute, they usually have the ingredience of their foods
either listed or pictured. My advice to you is the next time u go to a
resturant and you see there's 9+ cars in the drive-thru, just go
inside. That way if they're out of something, you won't waste your
time being in line so long and if they're out of something, u can just
easily walk back out and go elsewhere.

I don't think you should stop going to taco bell just because they ran
out of lettuce, after all, lettuce is cheap and u could buy it from
the store if you don't already have it at home. Then you said there
were already 9 cars ahead of you, so of course it'd be easy to run out
of things when they're that busy, it happens, ya know. I don't see how
they could have possibly informed you before you got to the drive-thru
speaker about them being out? You expected them to go from car to car
explaining what they were out of? Even if there was a sign up, you
still wouldn't have seen it before you got to the drive-thru menu
anyway? There isn't much else Taco Bell could substitute when almost
everything on their menu contains lettuce and you could have found
your own substitute, they usually have the ingredience of their foods
either listed or pictured. My advice to you is the next time u go to a
resturant and you see there's 9+ cars in the drive-thru, just go
inside. That way if they're out of something, you won't waste your
time being in line so long and if they're out of something, u can just
easily walk back out and go elsewhere.

At restaurants, food is ordered to a build to quantity, which is most
likely specified in advance based upon sales projections and previous
sales volume/ trends. The management needs to order according to this
information to prevent waste, which increases food cost and reduces
profitability. If sales were much higher than normal, they tberefore
may run out of key ingredients.

Other commenters have mentioned simply going to a store, but there is
the issue of the health code. Here in the state of Michigan, you are
only allowed to purchase food from an approved supplier, and many
stores are not, as there is a possibility that the food could have
been cross-contaminated, and pose a risk of foodborne illness. Also,
there are corporate policies governing food sources.

So, please be advise that errors happen, and the world doesn't revolve
around you.

So they're out of lettuce and rice. Big deal. Sometimes things
happen. That's called life.

Why should they apologize to you because of something that is likely
out of their control? Do you think they WANTED to be out just so they
could annoy you?

"Also if you run out of something, offer something comparable..."

I assume you were staring right at the menu. Can you not make your own
alternate choice? Why should they hold your hand and guide you to a
'taco substitute'?
Do you even hear how you sound?

I never eat lettuce on my tacos. I bet lots of people don't. It sucks
that they were out, but it's not crucial.

I'm curious about the two times you were there. For example, did you
go once in April and another in May, or were these two dates close to
each other? The reason why I ask is that as others have pointed out,
there could be a host of reasons why this location ran out of lettuce.
If you went once one month, and another the next month, then I would
say this could indicate a recurring problem.

But if you went to this location one day and then went back the next,
the problem could be more of a one-time thing. Right now, my state is
dealing with severe flooding in parts, and local restaurants have been
getting deliveries late or even not at all. This means they've been
running out of ingredients, and for more than just a day.

I do agree you should've received an apology though.

Sounds like poor management. The Taco Bell should have either
borrowed some lettuce from another store or go buy some at the grocery
store.

They needed to put up some type of communication in advance. But then
maybe some people would still decide to order since they were already
in line and they wouldn't lose as much business if they didn't know in
advance. Wasn't their lettuce or something contaminated a while
back?

Now you can't get the tomatoes either with the salmonella outbreak,
but I'm not sure taco bell is one that is eliminating tomatoes too.
Here in NJ the tomatoes are supposedly still fine and yet many
restaurants still won't serve them.

Since lettuce is in just about everything, they should have put a sign
up by the menu board stating "we are out of lettuce", to let people
know before they wait in line. And how do they run out of lettuce,
anyway? I work at a popular chain restaurant, and if we are running
low on something so commom before delivery day, we send someone to the
grocery store to get enough to make it through.

It's inexcuseable that this has happened at this location more than
once, and I think it's wise that you are taking this business
elsewhere. Most Taco Bells are franchises, so hopefully you'll have
better luck at a different one.

I guess your only solution would to keep a supply of taco fixings in
your car just in case Taco Bell runs out of an ingredient. Other than
that I have nothing to offer except things like this happen.

It's better to buy it from teh store then to loose a customer by
sending them away unhappy.

Like I said, I've had people tell me both things.

I suppose it depends on the company.

...I was told that they didn't have the following:

* Cherry syrup
* English muffins
* Mandarin oranges
* Orange juice

I suspect they were out of other things, but these were the things we
tried to order.

There was a supermarket across the street, but apparently this Denny's
management didn't think to go an get any of these items.

I was in a bad way
I needed the good stuff
Tacos with lettuce and rice
So I got off my duff

I drove to Taco Bell
and sat in the line
Those people got Tacos!
This won't be wasted time

Imagine the horror
the travesty, the blow
"We have no lettuce, no rice
Pull ahead please and go."

Next time I implore you
think of poor pitiful me
Why not put something else
where the good stuff should be?

Search though your stock
surely something will do
Beans, parsely, bacon chives
Perhaps a dab of couscous?

they give you cinna twists or chips with cheese for free.

Recommend something else?

What could they possibly recommend?

"Pardon. We are all out of the Sauternes tonight, but might I
recommend a nice glass of the amontillado. It pairs almost as well
with the foie gras."

Wasn't aware that the gang at the drive-through had studied at the
Cordon Bleu or the CIA.

Or were you simply looking for something comparable to lettuce?

Based on my last experience at the Bell, I'd say that wet paper
towels, died an unnatural shade of green, could work.

had on hand?