Restaurant foot traffic is falling sharply across the United States as a cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce continues to spread alarm among consumers.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have linked lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants to the widespread outbreak of the diarrhea-causing parasite.
Federal investigators, working alongside state and local partners, are probing a multistate cyclospora outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.
On July 17, Taylor Farms de Mexico announced it was voluntarily removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the United States market.
The recall covers Marketside-brand products sold at Walmart, including “Iceberg Salad 12-oz or 24-oz” and “Shredded Lettuce 8-oz or 16-oz” with Best if Used By dates ranging from July 18 through August 3, 2026.
Even before federal officials made the Taco Bell connection public, consumers were already pulling back, with foot traffic falling 16.9% on July 15 compared to average daily levels this year, according to data from Placer.ai.
When health officials formally identified Taco Bell as part of the investigation on July 17, daily foot traffic at the chain dropped nearly 19%, reflecting deepening consumer concern.
Subway also took a significant hit, recording a 19.2% decline in daily traffic on July 16 compared to averages recorded before the outbreak began.
Cava, Chipotle (CMG), and Panera Bread each experienced comparatively smaller traffic drops, all falling under 10% on July 16 and July 17.
The FDA’s primary guidance remains focused on the recalled products, advising consumers who purchased affected items at Walmart to discard them immediately and to ask food service locations about their lettuce sourcing before ordering.
Consumer Reports’ director of food safety offered measured but direct advice to the public amid growing uncertainty about the outbreak’s scope.
“You can and should continue to eat fruits and vegetables, but you might want to take additional precautions depending on where you live,” the director said.
“If you’re in one of those states, I recommend avoiding eating lettuce and salad greens until we know more, but currently, there is no data to support avoiding fruits and vegetables generally,” the director added.
Some experts are also urging consumers to rinse produce again even when packaging indicates it has been prewashed or triple washed during the current outbreak.
As of July 19, there were no confirmed positive sample results from product testing for cyclospora, though the investigation remains active and ongoing.
