Taco Bell and several popular salad chains have experienced modest dips in customer visits amid a nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened thousands, according to a recent report.

Foot traffic at Taco Bell locations across the U.S. fell 4.6 percent on July 10, compared with this year’s average for that day of the week, according to data from Placer.ai obtained by Business Insider. By July 11, visits had dropped 5.8 percent.

In Michigan — now a hotspot for the diarrhea-causing illness — the declines were more pronounced. Visits to Taco Bell outposts in the state reportedly decreased 7.3 percent on July 10 and 10.9 percent the following day.

Other chains known for serving leafy greens have also seen a downturn. Visits to Panera Bread and Chopt fell about 7 percent on July 11, while Sweetgreen recorded a 3 percent dip the same day, according to Restaurant Dive, citing Placer.ai data.

The slump comes as thousands of Americans have been sickened by cyclosporiasis, an illness caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with the microscopic cyclospora parasite. Yet even as case counts climb, federal health officials have not identified a definitive source — and the FDA recently walked back a prior claim linking the outbreak to Taylor Farms, which supplies lettuce to Taco Bell.

On Thursday, the FDA announced that it was investigating shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in five states, with a total of 1,644 infected people reported exposure at the chain.

Later that day, Taco Bell said it had taken “immediate action to voluntarily remove potentially impacted lettuce from a supplier in select states.” The chain had earlier pulled a variety of fresh produce — including tomatoes, lettuce and onions — from some locations in the Midwest.

In a Friday update, the FDA said it had identified a single company that had supplied the lettuce to Taco Bell: Taylor Farms. Acting out of an “abundance of caution,” the California-headquartered company issued a voluntary recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico.

But by Sunday, the FDA had changed its assessment. In an updated statement, the federal health agency said its initial detection of cyclospora was a “false positive,” and Taylor Farms said the FDA had “apologized.”

“FDA and state partners continue to collect and analyze product samples,” the agency said. “As of July 19, 2026, there are no confirmed positive sample results for product testing for Cyclospora.”

The Independent has contacted the FDA, Taco Bell, Panera Bread, Chopt and Sweetgreen for comment.

Since May 1, the CDC has received reports of 1,645 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis and “is aware of more than 5,100 cases that require further analysis,” the agency said Wednesday. The illness occurs year-round, but the latest numbers far exceed recent norms. At this point last year, there were fewer than 250 reported cases, according to The Hill.

State data, meanwhile, points to an even broader outbreak, with Michigan alone reporting more than 5,000 cases. Hundreds of additional cases have been reported in New York, Illinois and in other states.

Federal health officials have come under scrutiny after the CDC removed cyclospora from a key foodborne illness monitoring program known as FoodNet last summer. Public health experts have debated the extent to which that move has shaped the current response.

Cyclosporiasis can cause symptoms including what the CDC describes as “explosive” bowel movements, along with fatigue, fever, nausea, and vomiting. While symptoms often resolve on their own, the agency advises anyone who suspects infection to seek medical care.

Past outbreaks have been linked to contaminated produce, such as basil and cilantro.

Multiple public health experts say Americans need not steer clear of leafy greens altogether during the outbreak, but should take precautions: wash hands thoroughly with soap, scrub produce carefully, peel away outer layers and cook when possible.