Taco Bell Receipt from 2012 Shows How Hard Inflation Has Hit

A Taco Bell receipt from 2012 just went viral. It's a blast from a cheaper past, thanks to inflation.

TikTok was buzzing on Tuesday. Aspiring rapper LovelyOcean found a decade-old Taco Bell receipt. The shocker? Two beefy five-layer burritos for just $2.59.

"Can you even get anything from Taco Bell for $2.59?" she questioned. "Where did we go wrong?"

Her video, tagged with frustration over inflation, exploded. Over 647,000 views since Sunday.

@yo_lovelyocean Im so upset. I cant even justify going to #tacobell anymore. #inflation ♬ Murder On The Dancefloor - Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Fast forward to today: one beefy five-layer burrito sets you back $3.69. Only a few items are under $2.59 now.

Taco Bell's response? A new Cravings Value Menu. Ten items, all $3 or less. Think Double Stacked Taco for $1.99 and Loaded Beef Nachos for $2.99. Bargains, right?

On the menu: Cheesy Double Beef Burrito and 3-Cheese Chicken Flatbread Melt Burrito, priced at $2.79 and $2.29.

Taco Bell's Chief Marketing Officer, Taylor Montgomery, is all about value. "We're rolling out new ways to save," he said. "More from us this year. We're doubling down on value."

The viral video sparked a conversation. It's all about price hikes and inflation. Under the Biden administration, inflation soared to 9.1% in 2022, now cooling to 3.4%.

Food prices? Up 33.7% since 2021. And the public's take on the economy? Not great.