Between prices and a diarrhea-causing parasite, lettuce is causing hard times at some restaurants

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Category: Business

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. outbreak / ˈaʊtˌbreɪk / (n.) – a sudden start of something unpleasant, especially a disease
    Example:

    The local health department is trying to stop a sudden outbreak of the flu.


  2. sicken / ˈsɪk ən / (v.) – to make someone sick or ill
    Example:

    The dirty drinking water sickened many local residents with stomach flu last week.


  3. recall / rɪˈkɔl / (v.) – to officially ask customers to return a product, or to remove it from stores because it is broken or not safe
    Example:

    The toy maker recalled the plastic action figures because of small, dangerous parts.


  4. entice / ɛnˈtaɪs / (v.) – to attract or persuade someone to do something by offering them something pleasant, special, or attractive
    Example:

    Store owners enticed shoppers with big discounts and special rewards.


  5. sentiment / ˈsɛn tə mənt / (n.) – a general feeling, opinion, or attitude that people have about a situation or topic
    Example:

    Public sentiment changed quickly after the company apologized for its mistake.


Article

Read the text below.

It’s been a choppy year for restaurants that lean into lettuce.


Lettuce prices rose sharply in the first half of 2026 due to hot weather in Arizona, where about one-third of America’s lettuce is grown. Now, restaurants are dealing with the fallout from a Cyclospora outbreak linked to shredded lettuce that has sickened thousands of Americans.


Yum! Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, said that Taco Bell’s U.S. same-store sales are down 2% so far in the July-September period due to customers’ concerns over the outbreak. That compares to a 7% same-store sales increase in the April-June period.


Federal health officials first tied the diarrhea-causing outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. Later, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said customers in Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania were also affected.


Taco Bell removed shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms from its U.S. restaurants on July 17. The following day, Taylor Farms recalled iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico.


Taco Bell’s sales bottomed out the weekend of July 18-19 but have been steadily improving since then, Yum! Brands Chief Financial Officer Ranjith Roy said in a conference call with investors. Taco Bell’s U.S. sales have climbed halfway back to their year-ago level, he said.


Yum! Brands CEO Chris Turner said Taco Bell’s quick action to contain the issue and its clear communication on social media helped bring diners back. The brand also enticed fans with daily specials like a $1 Mexican Pizza.


“With respect to the consumer sentiment, we’ve seen real improvement as consumers have understood better the nature of the issue,” Turner said. “They understand that it is not a Taco Bell-specific issue.”


Other chains are also feeling some impact from the outbreak even though they haven’t been named in government investigations. Chipotle Mexican Grill said that it expects its same-store sales to rise only 1% in the July-September period because of lower traffic due to the outbreak. It had previously expected same-store sales to rise 3% in that period.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • According to the article, Taco Bell brought customers back through clear social media communication and special deals like a $1 Mexican Pizza. How important do you think fast and honest communication and special deals are when a company faces a major problem? Do you think it is easier to forgive a business and continue liking them because of how well they handled a crisis? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Talk about a situation in your country in which a restaurant or food company had a food safety issue. How did the business handle the problem? What specific actions did they take to earn people’s trust back after a problem happened? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Foods eaten raw, like fresh fruits and vegetables, can carry bacteria and parasites. How do you usually wash or prepare foods at home that are meant to be eaten raw? Do you feel that washing them at home is enough to keep your food safe, or do you prefer eating cooked foods during an outbreak? Why? Discuss.
  • Food safety outbreaks can also hurt farmers when their crops are recalled or no longer sold in markets. How do you feel about the impact these recalls have on farmers who might not be directly at fault? What do you think the government can do to help farmers during a food recall? Discuss.