10 Taco Bell Favorites We Still Miss & 10 That Deserved To Be Cancelled ASAP
Taco Bell has always been full of surprises—some delicious, others downright baffling. I’ve had my share of late-night Taco Bell adventures, whether celebrating college wins or drowning heartbreak in a burrito.
Over the years, the menu has seen bold experiments come and go. Some discontinued items still live rent-free in my mind (looking at you, Beefy Crunch Burrito), while others had me wondering what they were thinking.
It’s a rollercoaster of nostalgia, flavor, and questionable choices. So let’s dive into the Taco Bell vault and revisit the beloved creations we still crave—and the fast-food flops we’re perfectly happy to leave in the past.
1. Missed: Double Decker Taco
Whoever thought of combining a crunchy taco with a soft tortilla deserves a Nobel Prize in fast food innovation! The Double Decker Taco was my go-to order throughout college – that perfect marriage of textures with a layer of refried beans holding everything together.
I still remember pulling all-nighters with my roommates, fueled by these magnificent creations. The soft outer layer prevented the dreaded bottom-of-the-taco shell shatter that ruins so many taco experiences.
When they discontinued it in 2019, I actually tried recreating it at home. Spoiler alert: not even close to the original. Taco Bell, if you’re listening, bring back this textural masterpiece!
2. Missed: Mexican Pizza
Mexican Pizza fans rejoice! After a brief disappearance that caused an uproar worthy of a national crisis, this beloved item returned to Taco Bell menus nationwide. The crispy tortillas layered with beans, seasoned beef, tomatoes, and melted cheese created a unique eating experience unlike anything else on the menu.
My grandmother, surprisingly, was its biggest fan. She’d never admit to liking fast food, but would mysteriously suggest Taco Bell whenever the grandkids visited. During its absence, online petitions garnered thousands of signatures.
Even Doja Cat campaigned for its return! The Mexican Pizza proves that sometimes fan passion can resurrect even the most seemingly doomed menu items.
3. Missed: Nacho Fries
Crispy, seasoned potato perfection dipped in molten nacho cheese – Taco Bell’s Nacho Fries were a game-changer that proved the chain could venture beyond traditional Mexican-inspired fare. These fries had a cult-like following during their limited-time appearances.
My first encounter with them happened during a road trip through Arizona. After hours of driving, that first bite of seasoned fry dipped in cheese sauce was practically a religious experience. The genius marketing campaigns featuring fake movie trailers only added to their mystique.
While they occasionally reappear as limited-time offerings, their absence from the permanent menu creates a void in my fast-food loving heart that no amount of Crunchwraps can fill.
4. Missed: Grilled Stuft Burrito
Massive, hearty, and perfectly grilled – the Grilled Stuft Burrito was the heavyweight champion of Taco Bell’s menu. This monster wrapped seasoned beef, rice, beans, cheese, sauces, and veggies in a tortilla before being grilled to create those beautiful sear marks we all crave. During my broke college days, this burrito was practically a financial investment strategy.
One could fuel me through an entire day of classes and still leave me satisfied. The XXL version that came later made it even more legendary.
When they axed it in 2019 during their menu purge, I briefly considered learning how to grill my own burritos. The current menu options just don’t match the heft and satisfaction of this stuffed wonder.
5. Missed: Volcano Taco
Fire-engine red shells filled with spicy goodness – Volcano Tacos were a feast for both the eyes and taste buds! The vibrant crimson shell housed standard taco fillings topped with the legendary Lava Sauce, a creamy, spicy concoction that had heat-seekers like me absolutely hooked. My spice tolerance skyrocketed during the Volcano Menu era.
That distinctive burn followed by the cool relief of sour cream created an addictive taste cycle that kept me coming back. The entire Volcano Menu deserves a comeback, but this taco was its crown jewel.
No current sauce option comes close to matching the complex flavor profile of the original Lava Sauce that made these tacos legendary among Taco Bell’s spicier offerings.
6. Missed: Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes
Potato lovers wept openly when Taco Bell temporarily removed Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes from their menu in 2020. These crispy potato bites smothered in nacho cheese sauce and sour cream were the ultimate vegetarian-friendly side dish that even meat-eaters coveted.
My vegetarian roommate practically lived on these during our college years. The uproar over their removal was so intense that Taco Bell eventually brought them back in 2021. They’re the perfect texture combination – crispy exterior, fluffy interior, and creamy toppings.
While they’ve returned to the menu, those dark potato-less months taught us to never take these cheesy spud nuggets for granted again. They’re proof that sometimes the simplest menu items create the strongest emotional attachments.
7. Missed: Beefy Crunch Burrito
Flamin’ Hot Fritos inside a burrito? Pure genius! The Beefy Crunch Burrito combined seasoned beef, rice, nacho cheese, reduced-fat sour cream, and those spicy Fritos chips for a texture and flavor explosion that created one of the most passionate fan bases in fast food history.
The Beefy Crunch Movement (yes, an actual organized group) has been fighting for its permanent return for years. I once drove 45 minutes to a Taco Bell location rumored to still have them during a limited comeback.
The combination of warm, soft ingredients with those crunchy, spicy chips created a contrast that made every bite interesting. No current menu item replicates that specific textural joy that made the Beefy Crunch Burrito a cult classic worth fighting for.
8. Missed: Caramel Apple Empanada
Sweet, flaky pastry filled with warm apple filling and caramel sauce – Taco Bell’s dessert game peaked with the Caramel Apple Empanada. This hand-held apple pie alternative was the perfect way to end a Taco Bell feast on a sweet note.
My first apartment had a Taco Bell right across the street. Late-night study sessions inevitably ended with a warm empanada reward that somehow made calculus problems seem less daunting. The contrast between the crispy exterior and the gooey, cinnamon-spiced apple filling was divine.
When they discontinued it in 2019, dessert options at Taco Bell became limited to Cinnabon Delights, which are good but don’t fill the empanada-shaped hole in my heart. No apple-caramel dessert has matched its perfect balance of flavors.
9. Missed: Enchirito
Before the term “smothered burrito” became commonplace, Taco Bell blessed us with the Enchirito – that magical hybrid between an enchilada and a burrito. This cheese-topped, sauce-drenched creation required a fork and serious dedication to consume.
Growing up, this was my dad’s standard order. He’d meticulously eat it with a plastic fork, somehow never dripping sauce on his work clothes. The oval plate it came in, the perfectly placed olive slices on top, and that red sauce that somehow tasted different than any other sauce on the menu – it was special.
While it has occasionally returned for limited runs, the original Enchirito with its unique serving style represents a bygone era of Taco Bell that newer items just can’t replicate.
10. Missed: 7-Layer Burrito
Vegetarians mourned collectively when Taco Bell axed the 7-Layer Burrito in 2020. This meatless marvel packed beans, rice, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese, and guacamole into a tidy tortilla package that satisfied even without meat protein.
My vegetarian sister would drag us to Taco Bell specifically for this item. The carefully constructed layers meant each bite delivered a perfect balance of ingredients – no sad, all-rice bites here! While you can technically still order it through customization, it’s not the same as having it as a menu staple.
The 7-Layer represented Taco Bell’s acknowledgment of vegetarian customers long before plant-based options became trendy. Its removal felt like a step backward for menu inclusivity that newer vegetarian options haven’t fully replaced.
11. Cancelled: Waffle Taco
Breakfast innovation or morning monstrosity? The Waffle Taco folded a waffle into a taco shape, stuffed it with scrambled eggs and sausage, and included syrup for drizzling. This sweet-savory disaster lasted less than a year on Taco Bell’s breakfast menu, and for good reason.
I tried it once out of sheer curiosity. The waffle quickly became soggy, creating a floppy mess that dripped egg and syrup down my shirt during my morning commute. The concept sounded intriguing – who doesn’t love a good sweet-savory combo? But the execution fell flat.
The waffle couldn’t maintain its structure, the syrup made everything slippery, and the whole thing felt like a breakfast identity crisis. Some food experiments should stay in the test kitchen.
12. Cancelled: Kit Kat Chocoladilla
Melted Kit Kat bars inside a grilled tortilla. Yes, this actually existed. The Kit Kat Chocoladilla appeared briefly as a dessert option that left chocolate lovers and Mexican food enthusiasts equally confused about their feelings. Against my better judgment, I ordered one during its test run.
The chocolate-filled quesadilla arrived hot, with melted Kit Kat creating a strange textured interior that stuck to my teeth uncomfortably. The wafer pieces lost their crispness, becoming soggy in the melted chocolate.
While I appreciate dessert innovation, some combinations exist in separate food categories for good reason. The Chocoladilla proved that putting candy bars in tortillas crosses a culinary line that perhaps shouldn’t be crossed. This chocolate experiment deserved its quick demise.
13. Cancelled: Seafood Salad
Seafood from Taco Bell sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, not an actual menu item. Yet in the 1980s, they actually served a Seafood Salad – a shell bowl filled with lettuce, shrimp, whitefish, and snow crab topped with olives and tomatoes.
My uncle still talks about trying this bizarre creation. “Never trust seafood from a place with ‘Taco’ in the name,” he warns at family gatherings. While I never experienced this oceanic oddity myself, its legendary status as one of Taco Bell’s worst ideas lives on.
The chain wisely realized that budget seafood and fast-food Mexican concepts don’t mix well. Some food combinations are better left in the past, and this underwater experiment definitely deserved to sink permanently.
14. Cancelled: Bell Beefer
Taco Bell once tried to compete with burger chains by creating the Bell Beefer – essentially a taco in sloppy joe form. This bizarre creation put taco meat, lettuce, diced onions, and mild sauce on a burger bun, creating a messy handheld that confused the brand’s identity.
My dad reminisces about these strange sandwiches from his youth. According to him, they were “sloppy as all get-out” with taco meat sliding everywhere. While some nostalgic fans occasionally campaign for its return, the Bell Beefer represents Taco Bell at its most identity-confused.
The chain wisely returned to its Mexican-inspired roots and left burger territory to the specialists. Some discontinued items deserve their retirement, and this identity-crisis sandwich is definitely one of them.
15. Cancelled: Naked Egg Taco
Breakfast innovation went too far with the Naked Egg Taco – a taco-shaped fried egg serving as a shell for potato bites, cheese, and bacon or sausage. This protein-heavy monstrosity looked like something from a bizarre food challenge rather than a practical breakfast option.
Curiosity got the better of me during its brief run. Eating it was an exercise in frustration – the egg “shell” quickly became floppy, creating a greasy mess that required multiple napkins and hand-washing afterward. The concept might appeal to keto dieters, but the execution was fundamentally flawed.
Some foods simply need a proper container, and breakfast ingredients definitely fall into that category. This egg experiment proved that innovation without practicality is just a messy gimmick that deserved its quick cancellation.
16. Cancelled: Border Lights Menu
Long before health-conscious fast food became trendy, Taco Bell attempted a reduced-fat menu called Border Lights in 1995. This ahead-of-its-time concept promised 50% less fat but delivered 100% less flavor, according to customers who tried it.
My health-conscious aunt was briefly excited about this menu. Her enthusiasm quickly faded after trying the lackluster offerings that substituted artificial fat replacers for the real thing. The menu flopped spectacularly and disappeared within a year.
Taco Bell learned a valuable lesson: people visiting at midnight aren’t typically counting calories. Sometimes, knowing your audience means accepting that your customers come for indulgence, not diet food. This well-intentioned but misguided menu concept earned its quick retirement.
17. Cancelled: Blackjack Taco
Halloween brought us the Blackjack Taco in 2009 – a standard taco with a jet-black shell that left customers with alarmingly colored tongues and some unfortunate bathroom experiences. This gimmicky limited-time offering prioritized shock value over actual flavor innovation.
My roommates and I tried these during a Halloween party. The black food coloring transferred to everything – fingers, lips, tongues, napkins – creating a mess that wasn’t worth the standard taco inside. The excessive food dye didn’t add any flavor benefit, just visual novelty that quickly wore off.
Some food gimmicks are better left as one-time experiments. The Blackjack Taco taught Taco Bell that color gimmicks alone don’t create memorable menu items – they need substance behind the style.
18. Cancelled: Grilled Cheese Nacho Fries Burrito
Carb overload reached new heights with the Grilled Cheese Nacho Fries Burrito – a burrito stuffed with nacho fries, beef, nacho cheese, sour cream, and chipotle sauce, then grilled with cheese on the outside. This excessive creation pushed the boundaries of how many different forms of carbs and cheese could fit in one item.
My stomach still remembers the night I tackled this monster. The initial excitement of the cheese-crusted exterior quickly gave way to the heavy realization that I’d consumed what felt like a week’s worth of calories.
While the grilled cheese exterior was admittedly clever, the interior became a mushy mess where individual ingredients lost their identity. Some fusion concepts simply go too far, and this carb-loaded behemoth crossed that line into excess that not even late-night cravings could justify.
19. Cancelled: Triple Layer Nachos
Budget menu items don’t always deserve to survive, as proven by the Triple Layer Nachos. This sad pile of tortilla chips topped with beans, red sauce, and nacho cheese was neither satisfying nor impressive despite the grand “triple layer” name that oversold its meager contents.
During my broke college days, I occasionally ordered these as a side. Each time, disappointment followed as I discovered mostly bare chips with small dollops of toppings concentrated in the center. The concept had potential, but the execution consistently fell flat with insufficient coverage and cooling toppings that solidified too quickly.
Some budget items provide genuine value, but these nachos were a lesson in false advertising. Their disappearance made room for more deserving value menu options with better topping-to-chip ratios.
20. Cancelled: Chocolate Taco
Not to be confused with the ice cream truck favorite, Taco Bell’s Chocolate Taco attempted to create a dessert version of their signature item. This strange creation featured a chocolate taco shell filled with chocolate cream and topped with candy pieces and chocolate sauce.
My sweet tooth convinced me to try one during its limited test run. The chocolate shell had an odd, waxy texture that didn’t melt properly in your mouth, creating an uncomfortable eating experience.
The filling was overly sweet without complexity, and the whole thing felt like a novelty rather than a genuinely delicious dessert. Sometimes food items should stay in their lane, and tacos perhaps belong firmly in the savory category. This chocolate experiment proved that not every food needs a dessert counterpart.