The Mexican Pizza Had Many Running for the Border
Taco Bell has been a popular Mexican fast food chain for decades. They have a host of beloved menu staples, but on many occasions, have swung for the fences only to whiff. There was the Volcano Menu fiasco and a brief foray into chicken wings. Here are 20 times Taco Bell made us rethink our love of Mexican food.
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1. The Waffle Taco Experiment
Taco Bell decided to combine breakfast with Tex-Mex for some reason, and it didn't go well. Customers were divided about syrup-soaked eggs and sausage tucked into a waffle shell. Some felt it was bold and innovative, but most felt it was like eating a culinary identity crisis.
2. Doritos Locos Taco Craze
Taco Bell once replaced a traditional taco shell with a Dorito, and the world was confused but curious. Unfortunately, the orange dust covered everything, including steering wheels, but it did offer a bit of novelty.
3. The Naked Chicken Chalupa
A taco shell made of fried chicken was a wild idea. What Taco Bell didn't anticipate when launching this product was that customers wouldn't appreciate how greasy and confusing it was. Many were left questioning whether Taco Bell still served Mexican food.
4. Quesalupa Confusion
The pitch for quesalupa was a quesadilla as a taco shell. It was illogical, inauthentic, and messy. That said, it didn't taste too bad despite its heaviness.
5. The Mexican Pizza
Fans were upset when Taco Bell discontinued the popular Mexican Pizza. When it was resurrected, they treated it like a national holiday. Some had to admit that they cared a bit too much.
6. The Mountain Dew Baja Blast Exclusivity
The partnership between Mountain Dew and Taco Bell was always baffling. The sweetness and unnatural color of the Mountain Dew never truly meshed with Mexican food.
7. Cinnamon Twists
Remember, those light-sugary twists that dissolved into sugar when chewing? This Taco Bell creation still makes us a bit nostalgic, but eating it filled us with instant regret, and we dream of eating a real churro.
8. The Bell Beefer's Brief Life
In the 1970s, Taco Bell tried pushing a Mexican-style sloppy joe called the Bell Beefer. The experiment didn't last long, and customers quickly learned that not everything belongs between two buns.
9. Mexican Fries
When Taco Bell surprised the world by introducing fries to its menu, many realized that it was the one thing they were missing. It didn't feel authentically Mexican, but when paired with a neon cheese dipping sauce, it was hard to resist. This one worked for Taco Bell, even if they had to deviate from their commitment to Mexican fast food.
10. The Volcano Menu Meltdown
The Volcano Menu promised customers bold, fiery flavors, but kind of fell flat on its face. What we actually got was orange sauce and a bit of buyer's remorse.
11. "Authentic" Mexican Rice
Taco Bell's rice promised authenticity, but it was as far away from Mexican cuisine as possible. It was comforting to eat, but it belonged more in a high school cafeteria than a restaurant.
12. That Time They Sold Chicken Wings
It's true, Taco Bell once added chicken wings to its menu. They were a bit crispy and a touch spicy, but felt oddly out of place. When it comes to Mexican fast food, innovation should have its limits.
13. The Double Decker Taco Farewell
Fans were beside themselves when the Double Decker left the menu. It was a soft taco hugging a hard one with beans in between. While it felt more like fast food than Mexican, it could be argued that it was a textural masterpiece.
14. Breakfast Crunchwrap Supreme
Somehow, wrapping eggs, hash browns, bacon, and cheese in a tortilla and calling it a Mexican breakfast worked. This amped up breakfast burrito satisfied a lot of cravings, except if that craving was for real Mexican food. Still, it was hard not to order two or three at a time.
15. Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco
This was Taco Bell's take on a chicken sandwich, but it was more like a chicken sandwich pretending to be a taco. Some accuse Taco Bell of having an occasional identity crisis, and menu items like these make that claim hard to argue against.
16. The Enchirito Resurrection
Part burrito, part enchilada, this menu item still makes people nostalgic for Taco Bell's heyday. The fast food chain was even kind enough to bring it back due to customer demand. It truly tasted like the '90s, and you never once questioned why it didn't feature many recognizable Mexican flavors.
17. Overly Generous Sauce Packets
Taco Bell tends to give you forty sauce packets even if you only order fries. It was nice and excessive, and who didn't love having one of their fridge drawers filled with Taco Bell sauce packets?
18. Taco Bell Hotel Pop-Up
In 2019, Taco Bell opened a luxury "Bell Hotel" in Palm Springs. There were branded robes and Baja Blast slushies by the pool. It was weird but also brilliant marketing.
19. The Physics-Defying Crunchwrap
The Crunchwrap Supreme was flat and triangular yet stayed together nicely. It was a feat of engineering that forced you to forget your love of authentic Mexican food.
20. Constant Menu Mayhem
Taco Bell menu items can come and go very fast. Customers need to be prepared to have their hearts broken unless you stick to the classics.
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