Taco Bell Is Bringing Back Its Beloved Coin Drop Game in App Form
Anyone who went to Taco Bell in the 2000s and 2010s remembers the Coin Drop game. Curious customers would drop a coin into a plastic device and try to land it on a paddle at the bottom of the tank. Winners were rewarded with either cinnamon twists, a crunchy taco, or a bean burrito.
The fast food giant is capitalizing on our collective 2000s nostalgia with its new-and-improved Coin Drop game, this time available on the Taco Bell mobile app instead of in stores. From now until Aug. 14, Taco Bell Rewards customers who opt to round up their total with a donation to the Taco Bell Foundation will receive 10 bonus loyalty points and a digital coin that can be used in the new app-based recreation of the game. If you're successful, you can win the same free menu items once offered long ago.
"We’ve seen so much success in meeting our fans where they are—from launching the Taco Lover’s Pass to the in-app voting experience and we’re excited to introduce this digital iteration of Coin Drop," the chain's Chief Digital Officer Dane Mathews said in a statement. "Many of our fans have fond memories of playing the original Coin Drop at their local Taco Bell, so it only made sense that we bring the game back for our Rewards members to transport customers back in time and give them another shot at winning.”
By collecting quarters, nickels, and dimes from customers everywhere, Coin Drop brought in over $41 million in donations to the Taco Bell Foundation from 2003 to 2016. The money went to funding scholarships and community grants. The "round up" feature, introduced in 2019, has already raised more than $20 million in donations this year.
"Coin Drop is truly a win-win for everyone involved," Taco Bell Foundation executive director Jennifer Bradbury said of the iconic game. "Customers can win fun prizes while knowing they are giving back to a great cause."
You won't have to empty out your piggy bank to play the new game, but you might end up just as addicted as you once were back in the day.