Every year, Taco Bell serves more than 2 billion tacos,
so it must be doing something right. From their classic tacos, spicy sauces, and perfect seasoning
to creative fare like Doritos Locos tacos, this is what makes Taco Bell's tacos so delicious.
While some fast-food chains might make a taco or two among other offerings,
Taco Bell specializes in this item. As such, it's no surprise that the company mastered the taco,
and it shows. Take a look at any list ranking the best Taco Bell menu items
and you'll see that tacos always come out on top; at Thrillist, it's the simple,
classic soft taco that beats out all of the more, quote, "exciting" options.
Fast-food legend host of Try the Menu Keith Habersberger perhaps explains it best by stating:
"It's not Quesadilla Bell. It's Taco Bell."
Taco Bell picked a food item to master in a quick,
easy, affordable format, and by focusing on this one product, it succeeded.
Taco Bell knows what it is and what it isn't: It isn't fine cuisine;
it's fast food. And when we say fast, we mean fast.
According to one episode of Food Network's Unwrapped, which gives viewers an inside
look at what goes on in various food chains across the US, Taco Bell can make a taco in under seven
seconds. And according to a report on Taco Bell's efficacy published in 2017, it took the chain just
212.7 seconds to serve drive-thru customers, with a fairly impressive 90.4% accuracy.
Now, we're not saying speed is the sole factor in Taco Bell's success,
but if you pass through the drive-thru hungry and emerge with a bagful of tacos
in just a few minutes, it's hard not to have a smile on your face.
Even though much of the Taco Bell menu feels like variations of the same ingredients,
the chain nevertheless manages to innovate with some of its offerings. Over the years,
Taco Bell has introduced creative choices that deviate from the rest of its menu, like the
Mexican pizza. More often than not, these novelty items really take off, becoming cult favorites.
The chain's fiesta potatoes, for example, have truly taken on a life of their own;
when Taco Bell announced it would be removing the cheesy,
seasoned potatoes from its menu in the summer of 2020, fans took the Internet by storm.
Not only did homemade copycat iterations of the dish come out, but customers also complained,
whined, and generally caused a ruckus until Taco Bell finally agreed to bring the option back.
Taco Bell's innovative nature emerges in some of the most peculiar ways.
And when it does, more often than not,
it conquers the hearts of its millions of fans. Case in point? The Doritos Locos Taco.
One of Taco Bell's most beloved concoctions, the Doritos Locos Taco takes two popular snack
foods — tacos and Doritos — and makes an unholy yet delicious mashup of the two.
The result is something the chain describes as the,
"same crunch, the same texture, the same seasoning on your fingers as a Doritos chip."
To top it off, this creation is wrapped around that familiar Taco Bell filling.
The success of pairing the Taco Bell taco experience with a touch of nostalgia is clear:
more than one billion Doritos Locos Tacos have been sold,
and the popularity of this unique menu item shows no signs of waning.
If Taco Bell's flavor profile keeps folks coming back for more,
perhaps it's because the chain has truly mastered its seasoning blend,
which spikes everything from its beef to its black beans. Cooks at home have tried time and
time again to replicate the Taco Bell flavor in their own kitchens, with loads of copycat
recipes published all over the internet that usually feature a blend of onion,
garlic, cumin, paprika, a touch of sugar, and, somewhat bafflingly, beef bouillon granules.
When the copycat seasonings don't scratch the itch, some people resort
to more drastic measures. There's even an online market where Taco Bell fans,
particularly those living abroad, can buy packets of the seasoning mix for home use.
Taco Bell tacos are pretty nicely seasoned all on their own, but they're not actually all that
spicy. That said, you can up the spice factor of your Taco Bell by using the chain's hot sauce.
According to Unwrapped, this sauce was actually first developed by Taco Bell founder Glen Bell
to season chili dogs, but when he transitioned from selling burgers and franks to tacos in the
early 1950s, he started using the sauce on his tacos instead, and the rest is history.
There's nothing worse than a fast-food chain that's ostensibly cheap,
but leaves you feeling hungry an hour later. Luckily, Taco Bell is not one of
those fast-food restaurants where you have to buy two meals and an extra side just to feel full.
"I'm full!"
Many menu items at the chain contain a good balance of carbs, fat, and protein,
making them nice and filling. And since most Taco Bell options clock in at under $2 apiece,
it's a really good deal when you're super hungry and on a budget.
Of course, if you want to really make sure you're getting the best bang for your buck,
there are a few items that are even cheaper than the rest:
several burritos on their value menu, for example, are priced at $1 before tax.
Flavor isn't everything when it comes to food; texture is just as important.
Soft foods are typically associated with nostalgia and comfort, but crunch is appealing as well.
In fact, crunchy foods have been scientifically proven to boost mood.
Luckily, Taco Bell doesn't make you choose between the two. Many of the chain's offerings,
from the gordita to the chalupa to the Crunchwrap Supreme, are made of a unique blend of both soft
and crunchy shells all in one item. The result is super satisfying, and delicious to boot.
"For a textural taste sensation. Think outside the bun."
And this isn't the only way that Taco Bell makes sure each of its tacos is as
much a textural experience as it is a flavorful one. With its refried beans and cheese sauce,
Taco Bell also offers the creamy textures you crave. Or, as Keith Habersberger says,
"They really strive to have that blend of crunch and goo."
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