Former SNL star Pete Davidson is good for more than exciting gossip with his sometimes surprising dating life. He’s the chief reason Taco Bell is succeeding in dominating the fast food breakfast game.

According to a CNN report, Taco Bell’s sales of breakfast burritos and quesadillas increased by 9% in the fourth quarter of 2022. In an earnings call held Wednesday, execs at Yum Brands, which owns the chain, said Davidson’s association with the brand via ads had a direct effect, causing an overall 14% boost in US sales.

Taco Bell brought Davidson on board in October 2022. He led the chain’s breakfast campaign with ads featuring him apologizing for the brand’s previous choices and promising a return to basic principles.

In 2022, chief brand officer for Taco Bell Sean Tresvant told CNN that the chain “honestly over-innovated in breakfast,” and that “today’s consumer and the [fast-food] breakfast business, it’s about familiarity and it’s about comfort.”

Here’s more from CNN:

Breakfast is becoming more of a bright spot for Taco Bell since it was brought back in 2021 following a brief pandemic-induced pause. Taco Bell’s offerings have long been overshadowed by its more established competitors, notably McDonald’s (MCD). Breakfast makes up about 6% of Taco Bell’s sales, the chain has previously said, compared to about 25% of McDonald’s (MCD) sales.

Fast food chains cater to consumers looking for quick and convenient options, and promoting breakfast items allows restaurants to increase brand awareness and reach new customers through targeted marketing campaigns. Overall, promoting breakfast menus is a strategic move that can help fast food chains increase sales and provide customers with satisfying and convenient meal options.

As CNN notes, breakfast menus are also simply “a smart business decision.” Research indicates that in 2022, fast food chains experienced steady AM business in the second quarter, even as retail traffic declined at other times of the day.

https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/pete-davidson-helps-boost-taco-bell-breakfast-sales/444637