Cyclospora outbreak hits foot traffic at Taco Bell, Panera, Chopt

Fewer diners visited Taco Bell and lettuce-heavy restaurants, including Panera, as a cyclospora outbreak intensified late last week, according to early data from location intelligence firm Placer.ai.

Foot Traffic Declines at Taco Bell

After being slightly down or roughly flat earlier in the week, foot traffic at Taco Bell's U.S. locations fell sharply:

• Friday, July 10: Down 4.6% compared to the average for that day of the week this year
• Saturday, July 11: Down 5.8%

The declines followed reports that shredded lettuce contaminated with cyclospora, served at Taco Bell locations in five states, had sickened over 1,600 people. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration confirmed the outbreak on Thursday, and Business Insider reported it was linked to Taylor Farms, a major produce supplier to restaurants and grocery stores.

Taco Bell's Response

Taco Bell said late Thursday that it "has taken immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states."

A spokesperson added: "The affected ingredient from our supplier is being indefinitely removed from our supply chain nationwide and will be replaced within 24 hours in select states."

Earlier in the week, the chain had voluntarily pulled multiple varieties of fresh produce — including onions, lettuce, and tomatoes — from some Midwest locations.

Broader Impact on Lettuce-Heavy Chains

Similar foot traffic trends emerged at other restaurant chains that serve large amounts of leafy greens, though they have not been linked to the outbreak:

• Panera Bread: Traffic fell 3% on Friday and 7.4% on Saturday
• Chopt (a salad chain popular in New York, Washington, DC, and other parts of the East Coast): Down 7.1% on Saturday

Steeper Declines in Michigan

In Michigan, home to one of the largest initial cyclospora outbreaks, the declines were more pronounced, according to Placer.ai:

• Taco Bell locations in Michigan: Foot traffic down 7.3% on Friday and 10.9% on Saturday

Industry Analysis

"While we only have a few days of data to work with, cyclospora headlines and product removals at some quick-service restaurant chains appear to be weighing modestly on visitation," Placer.ai said in a statement accompanying the data. (A quick-service restaurant is industry-speak for a fast-food chain.)

Taco Bell, Panera, and Chopt did not respond to requests for comment on the Placer.ai data.

Unaffected Chains

Visits to other major restaurant chains appeared unaffected by the outbreak. Foot traffic at the following chains was largely flat or up late last week:

• Chick-fil-A (chicken chain)
• Cava (Mediterranean fast-casual)
• Subway (sandwich shop)
• Jersey Mike's Subs (sandwich shop)

Outbreak Scope

According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, published Tuesday, the cyclospora outbreak has affected people in 34 states since May 1. The data includes confirmed cases, and the CDC has cautioned that the actual number of people infected with the parasite is likely higher.