UPDATE: Taco Bell will be extending its free Doritos Locos Taco promotion to tomorrow, April 7th.

Taco Bell is giving every one in America who rolls through one of their drive-thrus a free Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Tacos on March 31st, 2020. No purchase necessary!

No doubt, this March has been one of the longest years on record. I'll take just about any damn relief I can get at this point — bonus points if it comes in the form of some textural mouth feels at Taco Bell.

Not to say that there haven't been some silver linings amidst the bullshit of Covid-19. The goodwill of some of the big boys of the food community is not going unseen.

Earlier today we reported of Krispy Kreme committing free donuts to health care workers. And Popeyes even gave out their Netflix login to over 1,000 people who were staying at home.

Now Taco Bell has stepped all the way up with some moves of their own.

In a recent email from Taco Bell CEO, Mark King, he outlined several initiatives the company was pursuing in the wake of the growing pandemic ravaging America.

These initiatives are highlighted by some procedural changes his team is making to keep those working at the restaurants safe (social distancing back of house, new cleaning procedures). Additionally, he mentioned a $1 million donation to No Kid Hungry, along with their efforts to give away excess food to local food banks.

Taco Bell also plans to turn their Taco Truck fleet to mobile commissaries, "bringing food to community heroes and those who work in essential roles every day."

Solid move T-Bell.

Here is Mark's email in its entirety:

To Our Taco Bell Fans,

Since my letter to you on March 13, things have been changing on a daily basis for us all. But I’ve noticed that one thing hasn’t changed: people are still coming together to help one another and show that they care. At Taco Bell, I’m incredibly proud of how our franchisees and team members are continuing to feed people’s lives with unexpected good and wanted to share a few ways we’re working together to make a larger impact.

Feeding our Heroes

There’s a distinct group of brave people – from healthcare workers, to teachers, to grocery store employees – who are making sure the world keeps running, and we need to make sure we all do our part to take care of them. Around the world, our franchisees have committed to feeding these special individuals, and in the U.S., many of our franchisees have quickly mobilized to do the same. Beginning next week, we are turning all of our Taco Trucks into mobile commissaries, bringing food to community heroes and those who work in essential roles every day.

While most of our restaurants are operating only through the drive-thru, this leaves some truck and ambulance drivers unable to quickly order from us. We are working with our franchisees on a solution for this where possible, and we want to make sure this group knows how much we appreciate everything they’re doing.

Supporting Our Communities

I’m incredibly proud to say that the Taco Bell Foundation is donating $1 million to No Kid Hungry, a national campaign to end childhood hunger in America. We’re also working to turn on our Round Up program and invite you to take part in this if you so choose. When going through our drive-thru at participating locations, you will be able to ‘round up’ to the nearest dollar and all funds raised will also go to No Kid Hungry.

In addition, we’ll be working with our restaurants and distribution centers to donate excess food and produce to local food banks to provide meaningful support to our communities in times of need.

Keeping our People Safe

We want to ensure that Taco Bell is the safest place to work and eat. We have strict safety policies and are working closely with our franchisees to put additional procedures in place to ensure social distancing is enabled in our working kitchens. Our team members’ and our customers’ safety is of the highest priority, and we are incredibly proud of our drive-thru heroes who are taking care of our guests every day.

We’re All In This Together

I continue to be in awe of the heart we are seeing in this country, so we want to show our appreciation by giving everyone in America who rolls up to a Taco Bell drive-thru at a participating location a free Nacho Cheese Doritos® Locos Tacos this Tuesday, March 31st, while supplies last. It’s a small way for us to say thank you for the ways you’re showing up for your communities and our chance to give you a little TLC during this time. We also know that for many of you, delivery is more than just an option – it’s a necessity. We’ve expanded our free delivery offer through GrubHub for all orders $12 and up to make it easier for you.

These are immediate steps we are taking, but this will not be the end. We will continue to share updates on our social channels and website. And I want to thank you, our loyal customers, for your help and patience as we continue to navigate this unprecedented time.

Mark King

CEO, Taco Bell Corp.