The More Doritos Locos Tacos You Eat, the More Money Goes to the ‘One Fund’

Photo courtesy of Taco Bell

Taco Bell’s newest signature products are going to put some serious money toward Boston’s fundraising efforts.

All day on May 29, proceeds from the sales of both the Cool Ranch and Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Tacos from every Taco Bell location in New England will benefit the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.

Dan Benson, a franchise owner who has 13 stores, has rounded up support from 160 Taco Bell spots to offer the limited time deal. On the day of the event, the specialty tacos will be just $1 each—a 30 percent discount from their usual price—and 100 percent of the net proceeds raised through customers chowing down will be funneled to the One Fund, a fundraising campaign set up by Mayor Tom Menino and Governor Deval Patrick, to help with medical expenses for the marathon victims and their families. The fund has already raised more than $30 million. To help further the food fundraiser, Taco Bell is going to put $25,000 toward the One Fund, and promoting the storewide event through social media using the hashtag #DLT4Boston.

Benson says he came up with the idea to organize the discount food day in the weeks following the attack on Boylston Street. As someone who regularly has attended the marathon in the past, he says he felt he “had to do something.”

“We were looking for a vehicle, a way to raise money where we could make a [change], and there it was … Menino and Patrick finally put together the One Fund, so we … got together and thought of [different ideas], and finally we said, ‘we have one of the most successful selling products in the restaurant business, why don’t we sell it at a huge discount?’”

From there, stores around New England, and even in Long Island, began to mobilize the concept. Benson says they chose to have proceeds from the Locos Tacos to go toward the fund based on the continued success of its sales, both nationwide, and locally. “Sure there are products that cost less, but this is one that people love, we sell more than any other product on our menu, so if we are asking them to support a fund, why not give them what they love?” he says.

Taco Bell announced two weeks ago that since launching the first Doritos Locos Tacos in March of last year, they have sold 500 million tacos, making it “a fan favorite.”

Anticipating the high demand for the food, based on the fact that it will benefit the bombing victims, Benson says the stores are stocking up on the food product as well as staffers. “I don’t think we are going to run out,” he says. “We are passionate about giving back to the community. The more people spend, the more we are going to give to the One Fund in Boston.”