For Franchise information visit Taco Bell on BISON.

Taco Bell Chihuahua Spurs Wacky Wedding Proposals for Valentine's Day

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA - (February 11, 1999) - Over one hundred creative wedding proposal ideas were submitted to Taco Bell® this week in an effort to win a $10,000 engagement ring as part of Taco Bell's plush Chihuahua toy Valentine's Day promotion. The winner, Ken Drobish from Calabasas, California submitted a video shot from two miles up, showing him armed with the plush Chihuahua in a skydiving free-fall before landing on bended knee and asking for his sweetheart's hand in marriage.

Other notable romantic entries included a radio disc jockey from Pennsylvania who wanted to propose on the air, a skateboarding Chihuahua toy from California, several school teachers who enlisted their students to help them "pop the question," and many live Chihuahua pets called on to perform tricks in hopes of winning the hearts of their loved-ones.

The promotion asked consumers to send a video or picture montage of how they would propose using the new Chihuahua plush that says "I Think I'm In Love" and Taco Bell would pick up the tab on the engagement ring valued at $10,000.

Taco Bell has unleashed three new talking plush Chihuahua premiums to be sold in nearly 5,000 restaurants nationwide. The three new styles are being sold for $2.99 - $3.99 while supplies last and no other purchase is necessary. The six-inch plush toys feature three new voice messages and accessories drawn from commercial favorites in the popular advertising campaign. Voice chips with the actual voice of the Taco Bell Chihuahua are activated when you press the toy's stomach.

The following new phrases are available: "How Cool is This"; "You're Getting Hungry, Very Hungry"; and for Valentine's Day, "I Think I'm In Love."

The collectible market for the Chihuahua premiums is hot. Original Chihuahua plush toys are being found on Internet auction sites selling for as much as 267 percent more than the original Taco Bell retail price.

Taco Bell Corp., a division of Tricon Global Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: YUM), is the nation's leading Mexican-style quick service Restaurant chain with more than $4.9 billion in system-wide sales. Taco Bell serves more than 55 million consumers each week in its 5,000 restaurants nationwide.

For franchise information visit Taco Bell on BISON.