Does this Taco Bell logo hide a secret?

Searching for hidden meanings in logos is one of the design community's favourite activities. Since so many of the world's most iconic logos are littered with intriguing design Easter eggs, it's no wonder folk expect them to pop up all over the place – and a few super-sleuths think they've spotted a new one in Taco Bell's logo.

We're not talking about the latest logo either – Taco Bell redesigned the logo in question in 2015, but it's possible a secret taco element may have flown under the radar. Until now. Study the logo below and decide if you can see a hidden taco lurking there. Do you think the Taco Bell logo served up more logo design inspiration than the world initially thought?

According to the chatter on Reddit (see the post below), the clapper (the bit inside the bell that dings) is actually fashioned to resemble a taco. Now, we'll caveat that we're not completely sold on this, and neither are plenty of others. But it would make sense given the company is, y'know, Taco Bell.

I've scoured the internet and somehow no one seems to have noticed before yesterday that the Taco Bell logo is actually a taco bell. This was discovered and pointed out to me by the author of Dragons Love Tacos, Adam Rubin. from r/DesignPorn

Visually, the clapper does share some similarities with a taco. It's curled up, like a taco. And yellow, like a taco. So we see where the notion came from. Plus, as aelbaum points out: "A clapper is not typically 40+ [per cent] the size of the bells diameter."

Others, though, do not agree, and PaticusMaximus even points out that if the designers meant it, they would have done a less subtle job with the design. "If they wanted to emphasise the taco shape, they could have turned the bell upside down and added a little lettuce around the outside," he said. Slightly harsher was EffYouLT, who simply commented "Ooof. What a miss!"

What do you think? let us know on Facebook or Twitter. And for some bone-fide logo design secrets, head to this bumper infographic packed with a whopping 50 of them. You're welcome.

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