Taco Bell Is Working on a Bunch of New Menu Items Starting at $1
They arrive as the chain marks its 59th anniversary.
Taco Bell is already one of the least expensive fast food chains out there, as evidenced by Thrillist's fast food delivery review and our staff's several collective lifetimes of drive-thru expertise. So, it should come as absolutely no surprise that the Doritos Locos peddler is working on a slew of new test menu items with prices starting at $1.
The new creations—spicy tacos and an enchilada-grilled cheese-burrito mashup, among others—are sadly limited to trial runs in certain cities at the moment, but on the bright side, they give us a peek at what Taco Bell has in the pipeline for potential additions to its national menu. How they're priced can also be a good indicator of the company's thinking around value.
Here's where you can find the new menu items and what to expect, according to a preview from a Taco Bell spokesperson:
$1 Spicy Tacos
If you're in the Columbus, Ohio area, you can get these new tacos in mild jalapeño, medium chipotle, and white hot ranch varieties. Taco Bell said the last version is made with Ghost Chili peppers and packs some serious heat.
Grilled Cheese Stackers
Available for $2.49 in Houston, Texas, these stackers layer seasoned beef, a three-cheese blend, and nacho cheese sauce in a thrice-folded flour tortilla. They top the whole thing with a grilled three-cheese blend reminiscent of the popular Grilled Cheese Burrito.
Primo Burritos
Kansas City, Missouri is getting a taste of Taco Bell's new "Primo" burritos, available in two versions. First up, the $1 Loaded Taco Primo Burrito, which features seasoned beef, crunchy red strips, reduced-fat sour cream, and cheddar cheese in a flour tortilla. There's also the Chicken Enchilada Primo Burrito, which comes with grilled chicken, reduced-fat sour cream, seasoned rice, cheddar cheese, and enchilada sauce in a flour tortilla, for $1.49.
Chicken Enchilada Grilled Cheese Burrito
While folks in Columbus, Ohio get to try the new $1 Spicy Tacos, burrito eats in Cleveland can bite into Taco Bell's new twist on the Grilled Cheese Burrito it launched for a limited run last summer. The chain appears to be working yet another food mashup into the mix here with enchilada flavors, totaling three by our count (grilled cheese, burrito, enchilada). It's priced at $2.99 and is made with chicken, seasoned rice, a three-cheese blend, crunchy red strips, enchilada sauce, and reduced-fat sour cream wrapped in a flour tortilla that's topped with a layer of grilled cheese.
Stacked Bowls
While most of the other new menu items seem to be destined for the value menu, Taco Bell's trio of new bowls are relatively premium options with prices to match. They're available in Portland, Oregon for around $4-$5, and two of the three versions sport a new ingredient, purple cabbage. Here's what you can expect from each, per a spokesperson:
- Stacked Taco Bowl ($4.49): a double portion of seasoned beef, refried beans, seasoned rice, a purple cabbage and lettuce blend, crunchy red strips, reduced-fat sour cream, tomatoes, a three-cheese blend, and guac on top.
- Stacked Avocado Ranch Chicken Bowl ($4.49): a double serving of chicken, black beans, seasoned rice, a purple cabbage and lettuce blend, a three-cheese blend, and avocado ranch sauce.
- Stacked Steak Melt Bowl ($4.99): a double portion of marinated grilled steak, black beans, seasoned rice, crunchy red strips, tomatoes, creamy chipotle sauce, and a double portion of a three-cheese blend.
Yeah, it's a bummer that you can't get these new items unless you're in the cities Taco Bell chose for the test runs, but the chain is offering a bit of a consolation: You can get a free Freeze when you order via the Taco Bell mobile app on March 21.