Taco Bell vs Wahaca:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Taco Bell had more branded searches than Wahaca among Mexican restaurant chains in the United Kingdom. Taco Bell had about 301,000 branded searches, while Wahaca had 22,200. Taco Bell made up 63.9% of all Mexican restaurant chain searches we track, and Wahaca accounted for 4.7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about Mexican restaurant chains, Wahaca appeared in two of the three answers and Taco Bell in one. Taco Bell and Wahaca were each mentioned first in one of the two answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Taco Bell, about 14 searches for every 1 for Wahaca
Who does AI mention more?
Wahaca, mentioned in 2 of 3 answers, Taco Bell in 1
Who does AI recommend more?
Each is named first in 1 of 2 answers.
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Top Mexican restaurant chains in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions, Wahaca was mentioned in two out of three: in two of the three ChatGPT answers. Taco Bell was mentioned in one out of three: in one of the three ChatGPT answers. Taco Bell and Wahaca were each listed first in one of the two answers that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Tortilla1st
Barburrito2nd
Chipotle Mexican Grill3rd- Wahaca4th
- Taco Bell5th
Chiquito–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Barburrito3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Tortilla3 of 3Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Chipotle Mexican Grill2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Wahaca2 of 3Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Taco Bell1 of 3Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answers
- Chiquito0 of 3Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answers
See every answer about Mexican restaurant chains
3 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best Mexican restaurant chain in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“Which UK chain does the best burritos?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the most popular Mexican chains in the UK?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“mexican restaurant”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“burrito”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 23, 2026.
Is Taco Bell or Wahaca more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Taco Bell and Wahaca by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six Mexican restaurant chains we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.
Share of searches by month for Taco Bell, Wahaca. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Taco Bell | Chipotle Mexican Grill | Chiquito | Wahaca | Barburrito | Tortilla |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 71.1% | 15.1% | 4.3% | 6.4% | 2.3% | 0.76% |
| Nov 2025 | 73.7% | 12.8% | 4.4% | 6.6% | 1.6% | 0.74% |
| Dec 2025 | 74.7% | 13% | 4.5% | 5.5% | 1.6% | 0.61% |
| Jan 2026 | 77.3% | 11% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 1.7% | 0.63% |
| Feb 2026 | 74% | 12.9% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 1.6% | 0.66% |
| Mar 2026 | 73.8% | 13% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 1.6% | 0.74% |
| Apr 2026 | 71% | 18.2% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1.6% | 0.71% |
| May 2026 | 73.6% | 15.5% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 1.3% | 0.69% |
| Jun 2026 | 71.8% | 18.4% | 3.5% | 4.3% | 1.3% | 0.59% |
| Jul 2026 | 75.2% | 15.8% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 1.1% | 0.51% |
| Aug 2026 | 72.6% | 18.5% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 1.1% | 0.63% |
| Sep 2026 | 63.9% | 24.3% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 1.4% | 0.96% |
How has the Taco Bell and Wahaca comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Taco Bell was ahead of Wahaca in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Taco Bell’s share of searches among Mexican restaurant chains in the United Kingdom moved from 71.1% to 63.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 450K to 301K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Wahaca’s share of searches among Mexican restaurant chains in the United Kingdom moved from 6.4% to 4.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 40.5K to 22.2K.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom Mexican restaurant chains in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Wahaca gained share of searches among Mexican restaurant chains in the United Kingdom, from 3.6% to 4.7%.
In September 2026, Taco Bell lost share of searches among Mexican restaurant chains in the United Kingdom, from 72.6% to 63.9%.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Taco Bell’s and Wahaca’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among Mexican restaurant chains
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