While Taco Bell continues to perform well in Japan, the number of taco shops is also increasing nationwide, and sales growth for Don Tacos and Doritos has been reported. Existing-store sales for January-May 2026 were 125.3% of the year-earlier level, while customer traffic was 116.4%, indicating strong performance.
According to the monthly sales flash report published by KOZOホールディングス, which operates the American-born Taco Bell chain, existing-store sales exceeded the same month of the previous year for 19 consecutive months from January 2025 through July 2026, remaining at a high level of 125.3% of the year-earlier level in January-May 2026. Existing-store customer traffic also increased to 116.4% of the year-earlier level over the same period.
As of April 2026, there were 1,469 Mexican restaurants and taco shops across Japan, up 13.7% from the year-earlier period. The sector has recorded double-digit growth for 2 consecutive years, with the low barriers to entry and the ability to offer an affordable sense of escape from the everyday cited as contributing factors.
The popularity of tacos is spreading beyond restaurants into the snack-food sector. Following its relaunch in September 2025, Koikeya's Don Tacos recorded sales of approximately 202% of the year-earlier level, while Doritos has expanded its sales scale to approximately 2.7 times what it was 5 years ago. Recipe variations have also been attracting attention on social media.
These developments indicate that tacos are steadily gaining a stronger presence in Japan.