Natalie Grove really, really loves Taco Bell. She loves Taco Bell so much that, for Christmas, all she requested from Santa was a Taco Bell gift card. When she opened her gift, she let out a huge, happy smile — and a LOUD scream. An extreme reaction, but fellow taco lovers could absolutely relate.
A video of Natalie's Taco Bell gift card moment went viral on Facebook. So viral, in fact, that Taco Bell decided to step in and make Natalie's day.
The company's corporate office surprised Natalie with her very own 5th birthday party at her local Taco Bell in Rockford, Michigan in 2019.
"Natalie had a wonderful birthday party at Taco Bell this past weekend," mom Sarah told PopSugar.
The party featured a giant taco-shaped hat for Natalie, hot sauce packet balloons, and photo props. Taco Bell even supplied a cake with its bell logo on it.
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It definitely wasn't your typical 5-year-old birthday party, but for Natalie, it was perfect.
Five-year-old Natalie Grove knows what she wants. Last Christmas, she asked for one thing and one thing only: a gift card to Taco Bell, her favorite restaurant.
Santa (or Natalie's mom, Sarah) was happy to fulfill the request. After all, it was literally the only thing on Natalie's list.
"All she wrote was ‘Taco Bell gift card, love, Natalie,'" Sarah told Fox 17.
When Christmas came, Natalie found a carefully wrapped gift under the tree and discovered with great excitement that it was a gift card to Taco Bell. She was OVERJOYED.
This little girl really loves her tacos, judging by the look on her face when she saw her present. She screamed "THANK YOU" to Santa. Sarah recorded the whole thing and shared it on Facebook.
Natalie's adorable love for tacos went viral — she found herself on the local news, and then on Good Morning America.
"I had all different, CBS News and Yahoo! calling me and just asking if they can share it and it just blew up from there,” Sarah said.
Eventually, Taco Bell's corporate office heard about Natalie's story.
The company sent her a box of free Taco Bell merchandise.
And to think — all she ever wanted was a gift card!
I wonder if she's even gotten the chance to use her card yet?
Taco Bell recently took things a step further: It threw Natalie a surprise 5th birthday party at her local Taco Bell restaurant.
"Natalie had a wonderful birthday party at Taco Bell this past weekend," Sarah told PopSugar. "She was so surprised… and we are so thankful to [Taco Bell]."
Taco Bell provided all the necessary decorations for the party, including a giant taco hat and hot sauce packet balloons. There was even a birthday cake with the Taco Bell logo on it.
And of course — lots and lots of tacos!
"Since the party, she tells everyone she knows about it and asks nightly when the next trip to Taco Bell will be!" Sarah said.
Natalie will likely look back on these memories forever. But she won't have to flip through a photo album — she can just rewatch the local news.
Fox 17 came to cover Natalie's extravagant T-Bell birthday party, and once again, the story has gone viral.
"It's not everyday your 5 year old is on the front page of @CBSNews!!!" Sarah tweeted afterward.
When Sarah told Natalie about her newfound internet fame, she had a hilarious response.
“I think they just like looking at my bob haircut," she told her mom.
Since her birthday party, Natalie has continued to enjoy her T-Bell merch.
When someone asked her what she wants to be when she grows up, she said… "A Taco Bell person."
Considering that her new nickname is "Taco Bell Girl," I feel like she's definitely already accomplished that dream. At this rate, she might get promoted to be the official Taco Bell spokesperson.
