Taco Bell Joins NFT Game With Thousand-Dollar Tacos

First, Taco Bell brought the Quesalupa back after years spent in the void. Then came the return of potato-based items after a massive fan revolt for much of 2020. Now, the taco spot is joining the NFT trend with blockchain-based digital art of its own. Earlier this week, the fan-favorite fast-food chain released five different digital art designs in celebration of the return of Taco Bell potatoes. Calling them “NFTacoBells,” the restaurant sold five copies of each design, which subsequently sold out within half an hour.

As you might expect in similar sell-outs, NFTacoBells are now sought-after on the secondary market by those whole dabble in the rapidly expanding world of digital art collecting. The art is exchanging hands — or wallets — on Rarible, where the spendiest piece is worth approximately $3,500.

For those still scratching their heads about the NFTs, the abbreviation stands for “non-fungible token.” With the rising popularity of blockchain technology and cryptocurrency, NFTs have made it possible to buy and sell digital items, whether it be artwork, images, GIFs, videos, or any other digital asset you can think of.

Either way — Taco Bell’s officially in the world of NFT trading now, all thanks to the return of a little starchy goodness.

“Last year we had to shift entirely to drive-thru, which created longer lines for our customers and way more demand for our team members,” Taco Bell chief Mark King said in a now-viral video announcing the return of potatoes this past January.

He adds, “So in order to create a better experience for both you and our teams, we had to simplify our menu, and unfortunately, removing potatoes was part of that. But it’s a new year with new possibilities. And you know what? We’re bringing them back! As of March 11th, potatoes are officially back at Taco Bell. Give us a minute to get them back to most restaurants, but know that we’re working hard to make things right.”

Cover photo by GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty Images