2012 Taco Bell receipt reminds the internet how cheap things were before inflation

A Taco Bell receipt from 2012 went viral and reminded the internet a time before inflation made things more expensive. 

Aspiring rapper and TikTok user LovelyOcean posted a video on Tuesday of her finding a Taco Bell receipt from 2012. The receipt showed that the price for two beefy five-layer burritos cost just $2.59.

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

The video was also tagged, "Im so upset. I cant even justify going to #tacobell anymore. #inflation." Since Sunday, the video has garnered over 647,000 views.

Currently, the cost of one beefy five-layer burrito at Taco Bell is approximately $3.69, though prices differ depending on state. A bean burrito, a chicken enchilada burrito and a cheesy bean and rice burrito are the only burritos that cost less than $2.59 according to its website. 

Earlier this month, Taco Bell appeared to respond to price complaints by putting out a new Cravings Value Menu. The feature includes 10 items that Taco Bell fans can buy for $3 or less at participating U.S. restaurants such as the Double Stacked Taco for $1.99, the Stacker for $2.19 and Loaded Beef Nachos for $2.99.

The Cheesy Double Beef Burrito and the 3-Cheese Chicken Flatbread Melt Burrito are also on the menu for $2.79 and $2.29 respectively.

"As our consumers are looking for more ways to save, we're committed to expanding on our value offerings through new menu items and digital offerings that deliver quality and abundance," Taco Bell Chief Marketing Officer Taylor Montgomery said. "We're rolling out entirely new ways to save across our menu and doubling down with exclusive digital offerings so expect more from us this year. We're walking the talk when it comes to value, and we're just getting started."

The video ignited new discussion about price hikes and inflation in the past decade. The Biden administration has seen the highest inflation rates in recent years, hitting a peak at 9.1% in 2022. It has since cooled off to 3.4% in December.

Food prices alone have risen 33.7% since the start of 2021. Various polls have consistently found Americans ranking the economy unfavorably.