It’s funny what something as simple as an old fast food receipt can do to the nostalgic part of our brains. But this isn’t just any fast food receipt; it is a Taco Bell receipt from 1999.
Remember, in The Matrix, 1999 was the year the robots chose to simulate for humans because they knew it was the peak of civilization. They knew this is when we were the happiest.
And Taco Bell in 1999? We’re talking Phantom Menace. We’re talking ‘Yo Quiero Taco Bell.’
So here it is. The Taco Bell receipt from 1999 that Redditor OmicronGR found in a library book.
So, let’s take a look at the order.
Chili Cheese Burrito: $.99
Taco: $.69
Nachos: $.69
16oz Pepsi: $.89
For a grand total of $3.50!
How much this Taco Bell order would cost today, adjusted for inflation
The Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator shows that $3.50 in May of 1999 would be $6.65 in October of 2024 (most recent data).
Obviously, adjusting for inflation is more about examining how the value of money has changed over time and doesn’t account for rising food costs or any of the minutiae behind a price, but it’s still fun to look at. But let’s look at what this order would cost today (assuming the same tax rate of 7.36%).
How much this Taco Bell order would actually cost to order today
Chili Cheese Burrito (2024): $3.09
Taco (2024): $1.79
Nachos (2024): $2.99
16oz Pepsi (2024): $2.59
Grand total (2024): $11.23
To some, this is just a piece of trash that someone used as a bookmark in a library book. To the rest of us, it’s a ticket to remembering the old Taco Bell dining room designs, the Chihuahua that wanted Taco Bell as badly as we did, and a time when you paid in cash with exact change.
Also, we’re just dying to know what book it was in.
