Lettuce-Heavy Chains Lose Up to 19.2% Foot Traffic as Cyclospora Outbreak Spooks Diners
Updated
Updated · CNN · Jul 20
Lettuce-Heavy Chains Lose Up to 19.2% Foot Traffic as Cyclospora Outbreak Spooks Diners
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Jul 20
Summary
Taco Bell, Chopt and Subway saw visits drop sharply after the Cyclospora outbreak was tied to lettuce, with Taco Bell traffic down 16.9% on July 15 and nearly 19% on July 17.
Placer.ai data showed the pullback spread beyond Taco Bell: Chopt fell 10.9% on July 16 and 14.3% on July 17, while Subway dropped 19.2% on July 16 versus pre-outbreak daily averages.
Cava, Chipotle and Panera Bread also posted declines, though each stayed under 10%, suggesting diners broadly avoided lettuce-heavy menus rather than abandoning fast food altogether.
FDA and CDC last week linked lettuce served at some Taco Bell restaurants to the outbreak, and the FDA said Monday it still believes Taylor Farms — a supplier to many Taco Bell locations — is the likely source.
Fast-casual and quick-service restaurants overall held up better, with industry traffic down just 1.1% and 1.9% on July 17, indicating the hit was concentrated on chains most associated with salads and lettuce.