Taco Bell continues to see lower customer numbers than before, even months after a Cyclospora outbreak that sickened over 20,000 people nationwide. Cyclospora is a parasite that can cause gastrointestinal illness and is often spread through contaminated food or water. In response to the outbreak, Taco Bell took proactive steps by removing ingredients that could potentially carry the parasite, including iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms, which was identified as the source by federal health officials. According to data from Placer.ai, a company that tracks foot traffic, visits to Taco Bell locations dropped significantly in the weeks following the outbreak. On July 15, just a week after the company began removing ingredients, visits fell by 18.1 percent compared to the same time the previous year. By July 17, the decline had worsened to 30.9 percent compared to the average for that day of the week in the first half of 2026. In an effort to bring customers back, Taco Bell introduced several promotions, such as $1 Enchirito and $1 Mexican pizza deals. Despite these efforts, customer visits remained lower than usual through the end of the outbreak, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially declared over on September 11. During this period, Taco Bell saw a 12.2 percent drop in visitors compared to the same time the previous year. However, Yum! Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, expressed cautious optimism during its second-quarter earnings call in July. The company's Chief Financial Officer, Ranjith Roy, noted that sales declines had "moderated materially" by the end of July, with daily and monthly sales trends showing improvement. In a later conference in September, Roy reiterated that Taco Bell's recovery was progressing as expected. He pointed to a steady increase in sales and noted that several days in the U.S. had seen positive sales growth, which gave the company confidence in its future. While he acknowledged that the situation was not yet fully resolved, he emphasized that the long-term potential of Taco Bell remained strong. Roy also stated that customer loyalty had not been affected by the negative publicity, and that steady customer return to restaurants was the best indicator of the brand's resilience.