Twitter is guffawing after an outraged Fox News guest claimed his Taco Bell lunch cost him $28 while ranting about the economy.
Chief Investment Officer at Kingsview Partners Scott Martin appeared on Fox Business this week to talk about the US's problems with inflation, using his supposedly exorbitant Taco Bell lunch as an example of just how out of control prices have become.
Of course anyone who's ever eaten at Taco Bell knows even in these trying times, $28 worth of Taco Bell is an unlikely total for one man's lunch unless he's, say, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Which Martin very much is not.
Even Martin's host, Fox Business' Neil Cavuto, wasn't buying it.
\u201cFox Business contributor: \u201cYou want to know how bad inflation is? Yesterday, yes, I had a nice lunch at Taco Bell \u2014 cost me about $28 at Taco Bell for lunch.\u201d\n\nUm, how is that even physically possible? (Also, don\u2019t think I\u2019ll take financial advice from this guy.)\u201d— Eric Kleefeld (@Eric Kleefeld) 1665593254
Ranting about the supposed problem of sky-high Taco Bell costs, Martin said:
“You want to know how bad inflation is? Yesterday, yes, I had a nice lunch at Taco Bell — cost me about $28 at Taco Bell for lunch."
"People need to pay for those things, and they do that by getting jobs and getting in the economy and getting active and getting involved.”
Cavuto quickly interjected to make sure he heard the figure correctly, asking Martin:
“Wait a minute, you spent $28 at Taco Bell for just yourself?”
To which Martin responded in the affirmative.
So naturally, the internet was on the case. Several people on Twitter went on the Taco Bell app to see just how much food it takes to create a $28 order.
And well...
\u201cI DID IT! I got the exactly $28 of Taco Bell order on the dot! Of course, I had to order lunch for four people in order to accomplish it.\u201d— John C. Baker (@John C. Baker) 1665695457
As one person on Twitter put it:
"I DID IT! I got the exactly $28 of Taco Bell order on the dot!"
"Of course, I had to order lunch for four people in order to accomplish it."
Soon people were calling for Martin to share his own receipt, which he did and it did come to $25 before tax.
\u201c@Dan_Marsh_ @libbycwatson Order up!\u201d— libby watson (@libby watson) 1665598990
@ScottyMarkets
And while it was not enough food for four people, it was a pretty hefty order and at New York City prices.
It also failed to take advantage of any combo meal deals, with each item ordered a la carte, the most expensive way to eat at any fast food restaurant.
Soon, people all over Twitter were logging in to tell Martin he was full of it.
And to show him just how much money he could have saved if he wasn't trying to prove a point.
\u201c@ScottyMarkets @Dan_Marsh_ @libbycwatson Add your nachos and upgrade this drink for ~$16, depending on what the charge for the freeze is. Or ditch the nachos and spend $8 or $9 with that Mt. Dew Freeze\u201d— libby watson (@libby watson) 1665598990
\u201c@ScottyMarkets @Dan_Marsh_ @libbycwatson Cool. Here's my order for four people AND with a spare burrito for two of us to reheat for lunch tomorrow made just a little while ago.\n\nThe amount of food in that "order for one" alone makes it look like you purposely created a fake expensive order.\u201d— libby watson (@libby watson) 1665598990
\u201c@Marc_Normandin just a lot of poor decisions-making going on with that order. complete chaos with no regard for savings or bundling\u201d— Brian Floyd (@Brian Floyd) 1665612080
\u201cI'm sorry but...do you have any idea, ANY IDEA...how DRUNK you have to be...IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY(!)...to spend $28 on LUNCH at Taco Bell...FOR YOURSELF!? Is this part of a plumbing-related insurance scam? What did your toilet do to piss you off that much? Lawd have mercy...\u201d— Julian Vandervelde (@Julian Vandervelde) 1665668333
AOC even chimed in.
\u201cIf someone is talking politics and eating $28 of Taco Bell in one sitting then my immediate follow up question is what their thoughts are on Biden\u2019s executive order on cannabis rescheduling\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1665630103
\u201cHere is the infamous $28 Taco Bell receipt. Scotty is a buddy of mine, but man this is a lot of food for one non-stoned person and especially for lunch.\u201d— Matt Lindner (@Matt Lindner) 1665605293
\u201cI tried to order the most outlandish meal that I thought I could possibly eat and simply could not get to $28. \n\nI got to $21.55- at Cantina in SF which has some of the highest menu prices in the system.\n\nMy most common order is <$5.\n\nInflation is real though, even at TB.\u201d— Sheel Mohnot (@Sheel Mohnot) 1665670200
Even Taco Bell itself joined in mocking Martin's misleading claim.
\u201c14 x $2 Burritos = $28. What's your $28 order?\u201d— Taco Bell (@Taco Bell) 1665619895
So it seems the verdict here is Taco Bell has a menu for every budget, whether you're a penny pincher just looking for a couple cheap tacos, or media figure looking to spend $28 in order to make a sensationalist point on Fox News.
Something for everyone!