Taco Bell Just Quietly Released 5 New Menu Items
Taco Bell just quietly released five new menu items at restaurants throughout the country.
In addition to the new Mike's Hot Honey collab, Taco Bell added a new menu to nationwide menus, plus began testing four items in select locations.Taco Bell has been eerily quiet with its releases lately. Typically, we're used to a new menu item dropping at the Tex-Mex chain weekly, but since Live Más Live in March, we haven't seen too many of the announced innovations hit menus. But, maybe that's because we've been looking in the wrong places.
On the same day as its new Mike's Hot Honey Diablo Sauce rollout, which is meant to pair with the fan-favorite Crispy Chicken Nuggets, Taco Bell quietly introduced five additional menu items.
So, before you head out to try the new sweet and spicy sauce, make sure you know what else you order from the Bell. As of May 22, Taco Bell is serving new Loaded Steak & Jalapeño Topped Fries at restaurants nationwide, as well as testing a Cantina Chicken Quesadilla Rollup, Cantina Chicken Quesadilla, Crispy Chicken Taco, and Crispy Chicken Burrito at select locations.
Taco Bell's Nacho Fries have a cult-like following, and when they're removed from menus, fans seem to experience Mexican Pizza-level devastation. So, if you're looking to upgrade your Nacho Fries while they're still available, you can do so with crispy fries smothered in nacho cheese and creamy jalapeño sauce and topped with grilled marinated steak and pickled jalapeños.
The spicy, saucy steak and jalapeño-topped fries join Taco Bell menus nationwide for a limited time for $4.99.
In addition to the loaded fries, Taco Bell is beginning market testing for four new menu items. Unlike the fries, however, these test products are only available at certain restaurants in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Oklahoma City customers will see two new innovations using Taco Bell's fan-loved Cantina Chicken: the Cantina Chicken Quesadilla and Cantina Chicken Quesadilla Rollup. The classic quesadilla features twice the amount of slow-roasted chicken, compared to the Cantina Chicken Soft Taco, with melty cheese and creamy, smoky chipotle sauce in a warm flour tortilla. It's served with Avocado Verde Salsa and sour cream for dipping.
The Cantina Chicken Quesadilla Rollup takes that quesadilla, rolls it, and grills it to golden brown, crispy perfection.
Previously, Taco Bell tested a Steak & Poblano Rolled Quesadilla in Detroit, which was also one of my favorite things I tried at Live Más Live. It seems the fast food chain is still trying to make a rolled quesadilla work—and, from the photos, it looks like the new Cantina Chicken Quesadilla Rollup will be a bit larger than the Steak & Poblano Rolled Quesadilla, which was more like a grilled burrito.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, Taco Bell is testing its Crispy Chicken Tacos and Crispy Chicken Burritos. You may recall the chain ran an initial test of these tacos and burritos, which are essentially Taco Bell's version of a Snack Wrap, in Indianapolis earlier this year.
For this second market test, the items haven't changed, which is a good sign that they, along with Taco Bell's first-ever chicken tender, could make it to nationwide menus.
The Crispy Chicken Tacos feature fried chicken, purple cabbage, lettuce, pico de gallo, and Cheddar cheese, plus your choice of spicy Ranchero or creamy Avocado Ranch sauce. The Crispy Chicken Burrito is a larger portion with fried chicken, purple cabbage, lettuce, pico de gallo, and Cheddar cheese in a grilled flour tortilla. The burrito also comes with your choice of Ranchero or Avocado Ranch sauce.
It does sound like Indy's Crispy Chicken Bacon Club Burrito, which had chicken strips, Cheddar cheese, lettuce, avocado ranch sauce, and bacon in a grilled tortilla, might be nixed. However, we'll be happy to see any of these crispy chicken items hit menus—and who knows, it might even happen before McDonald's brings its Snack Wrap back.
As with all market tests, these four items are only available at select locations. So, check the Taco Bell app or contact your local restaurant to determine if you're one of the lucky ones who will decide what comes to Taco Bell's menu next.
For the rest of us, Loaded Steak & Jalapeño Topped Fries are a pretty good consolation prize.
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