Yesterday was Cinco De Mayo and Taco Tuesday, which gave quarantined people a much-needed excuse to celebrate. In fact, the demand for Mexican cuisine was so high that some restaurants had to cancel peoples' orders. But it doesn't seem like Taco Bell ($YUM) had that problem. Facebook mentions for the granddaddy of Mexican fast food actually went down yesterday, 22% from the previous day, to be exact.
It's possible that people were in the mood for a more authentic experience than what Taco Bell can offer. The chain even offered DIY taco bar kits for $25. Chipotle ($CMG) and Del Taco ($TACO) also saw a loss of engagement. Chipotle's mentions were down 42% from May 1.
Moe's Southwest Grill ($PRIVATE:MOESGRILL) and Qdoba ($PRIVATE:QDOBA), on the other hand, saw healthy doses of social media chatter. Qdoba's mentions jumped 11% since yesterday. The Facebook 'Talking About' count for Moe's went up by 23%.
It's true that it's increasingly difficult to "Live mas" while in quarantine, but we'll take what we can get.
About the Data:
Thinknum tracks companies using the information they post online - jobs, social and web traffic, product sales, and app ratings - and creates data sets that measure factors like hiring, revenue, and foot traffic. Data sets may not be fully comprehensive (they only account for what is available on the web), but they can be used to gauge performance factors like staffing and sales.
Further Reading:
- The Shack is BACK - Shake Shack job postings return
- PepsiCo cuts hiring by 41% and beats earnings
- Starbucks' business may be slowing down
