Popular Discontinued Taco Bell Items Ranked Worst To Best
If there's one fast food joint that just about everyone can agree on, it's Taco Bell. Taco Bell has been around for years, and throughout all the decades it's been serving up delicious, Mexican-inspired grub, people haven't stopped being obsessed with it. Whether you need a cheap meal, a quick meal, or have a very specific craving for something cheesy and meaty, Taco Bell has you covered.
Additionally, Taco Bell's value menu is always on point, and they are always coming up with new creations that are somehow even more delicious than the one before it, and they aren't afraid to spice things up, literally. Taco Bell is truly a beloved fast-food establishment, but since it's been around for so long, it makes sense that it's gone through a ton of changes, especially on the menu.
Taco Bell has had menu items that disappeared for a while, then came back, and they've also had items that were just straight-up discontinued, to the disappointment of fans all over. Seriously, some of Taco Bell's discontinued items were pretty popular and delicious, while others probably did need to go. So, if you're curious to see where your favorite Taco Bell menu item of the past lies, keep reading: We've ranked popular discontinued Taco Bell items from worst to best.
11. Seafood Salad
As much as you might love Taco Bell, there's no denying the fact that their Seafood Salad was probably their worst menu item ever. It was introduced in the '80s, reportedly to help the establishment compete with McDonald's Filet-o-Fish, but it just didn't cut it. The salad doesn't sound too bad when you just look at the ingredients: an edible taco shell bowl filled with lettuce and other vegetables, all topped with white fish, snow crab, and shrimp. But when you think about getting seafood from Taco Bell? Yeah, that just doesn't sound appealing at all.
Obviously, the Seafood Salad didn't stay on the Taco Bell menu for too long, but it's still interesting to look back at advertisements for it and see how hard the chain was pushing the new menu item. "A refreshing change from anything on a bun," one commercial boasts of the Seafood Salad, clearly referencing the McDonald's fish sandwich. But clearly, consumers were smart enough to avoid this particular menu item, and it was soon discontinued. And let's just say, no one is running to their nearest Taco Bell to demand they bring back their Seafood Salad.
10. Spicy Chicken Crunchwrap Supreme
These days, one of Taco Bell's most popular menu items is without a doubt the Crunchwrap Supreme. The Crunchwrap Supreme is definitely filling, and not exactly a simple menu item. It features ground beef, nacho cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and a crispy tostada shell all wrapped up in a flour tortilla and then grilled to perfection. But in 2006, Taco Bell decided to change things up and offer a new alternative to the Crunchwrap Supreme: the Spicy Chicken Crunchwrap Supreme. Unfortunately, it was a total miss.
It might seem smart to offer a chicken alternative to the ground beef typically in the Crunchwrap Supreme, but this menu item just wasn't as good as the original. After all, there's a reason why most Taco Bell items are made with ground beef: It's just more flavorful and what you expect from a taco or burrito. So, once the Spicy Chicken Crunchwrap Supreme was discontinued, it wasn't missed at all. As they say, why fix what isn't broken?
9. Grilled Stuft Nacho
In 2013, Taco Bell brought on a new menu item with the Grilled Stuft Nacho. Well, sort of new. Anyone who tried the item probably recognized that it was very similar to the Crunchwrap Supreme. The Grilled Stuft Nacho featured ground beef, nacho cheese, sauce, sour cream, and crispy tortilla chips all wrapped in a flour tortilla folded into a triangle and then grilled. Again, it was basically just a smaller version of the Crunchwrap Supreme. And overall, the Grilled Stuft Nacho wasn't as good as the Crunchwrap Supreme as it lacked a lot of the crunchy texture that makes the crunchwrap so addicting and special.
The item was eventually taken off the Taco Bell menu, and then brought back on for a limited time in 2015, before it was discontinued again. And while there's no such thing as too many Crunchwrap Supremes, the Grilled Stuft Nacho was just totally unnecessary for Taco Bell to add to their menu.
8. Black Jack Taco
As classic as some of the menu items at Taco Bell are, the chain is also known to try and invent new items to be cool and trendy. Enter the Black Jack Taco of 2008. Sure, the Black Jack Taco was good, but it wasn't great — and it was kind of overrated. According to E! News, the Black Jack Taco was originally introduced as a special edition Halloween menu item, before coming back for a limited time in 2009.
One of Taco Bell's commercials for the Black Jack Taco was pretty entertaining, as they tried to equate the taco with high-end fashion and luxury living. Apparently in the 2009 advertisement, Taco Bell wanted people to think the Black Jack Taco was chic, but really, it was just ... a taco. Sure, it featured a special sauce that's not on a regular crunchy taco from the fast-food chain, but that's about all that made it special. The black crunchy shell didn't actually offer any new flavor to the item, which is probably why it was discontinued. And no one has really missed it since.
7. Enchirito
One of Taco Bell's biggest fan-favorite menu items that was discontinued would definitely be the Enchirito. According to CopyKat Recipes, the Enchirito was originally introduced onto the Taco Bell menu in the '70s, and was basically the fast food chain's version of an enchilada. The original Enchirito featured a corn tortilla filled with ground beef, beans, and onions, and then topped with a red chili sauce, olives, and cheese. Again, it was basically an enchilada. And as any Mexican food lover knows, it would be pretty nice to get an enchilada at a drive-through instead of a sit-down restaurant. But, the item was taken off the Taco Bell menu in 1993, before it was brought back again with a few tweaks and then permanently taken off the menu in 2013.
For anyone who was able to get an Enchirito at Taco Bell before it was discontinued, it might have just been their most beloved menu item. But, at the end of the day, it wasn't that tasty and was discontinued for a reason. The changes Taco Bell made to the Enchirito might have been what led to its inevitable downfall. Still, you might be able to find an Enchirito at your local Taco Bell if you get lucky, because it's so easy to whip up.
6. Volcano Taco
In 2008, Taco Bell debuted a few menu items all with a "volcano" theme. One of the most popular and delicious volcano items was the Volcano Taco, which was basically just an extra spicy crunchy taco. "With spicy lava sauce, it could be the spiciest taco ever!" a Taco Bell commercial claims.
And honestly, the Volcano Taco was spicier than your typical taco from Taco Bell. It featured a spicy red shell, seasoned ground beef, and the typical taco toppings of lettuce and cheese, but the spicy lava sauce was key to making the Volcano Taco such a hit. Even today, there are certain hacks you can use to try and order something close to the Volcano Taco, though it's definitely not the same. For spice lovers, the Taco Bell Volcano Taco was a pretty great option and has definitely been missed since it was discontinued. And though it might not be the most popular item no longer on the menu, it's pretty darn beloved.
5. Chicken Caesar Grilled Stuft Burrito
Any time Taco Bell has tried to venture out of their typical Mexican-inspired fare, it hasn't really done well. Their Seafood Salad was especially disappointing, as was the Spicy Chicken Crunchwrap Supreme. But in 2003, Taco Bell launched some new menu items that were a shift from their typical fare, one of which wasn't their best, but was interesting. The Chicken Caesar Grilled Stuft Burrito was basically just a chicken caesar wrap, with a slight Taco Bell twist (crispy red tortilla strips).
First of all, the burrito was pretty expensive compared to other menu items at $2.99, according to the Los Angeles Times. As Taco Bell's chief marketing officer Greg Creed told the publication, "We're repositioning the brand," and the Chicken Caesar Grilled Stuft Burrito was just one way they went about that. While the burrito was good, it wasn't that different from any other Caesar wrap, which was probably why it was discontinued. "For the Chicken Caesar salad lover's burrito, think outside the bun!" one commercial for the item exclaimed. Well, it might be missed, but it's still not the most popular discontinued Taco Bell item, that's for sure.
4. Caramel Apple Empanada
Taco Bell might be known for tacos, burritos, and nachos, but they also have some menu items to satisfy your sweet tooth. Unfortunately, one of those menu items was discontinued in 2019, to the disappointment of fans everywhere. The Caramel Apple Empanada was a delicious dessert that was basically caramel apple pie filling inside a crispy shell that was deep-fried. Yeah, if it sounds delicious that's because it was.
But, when Brand Eating reached out to Taco Bell about the Caramel Apple Empanada, the restaurant didn't seem keen on bringing them back. "Those were a big hit but exited menus earlier this year, while the Cinnamon Twists and Cinnabon Delights (2, 4 or 12 pack) remain!" a spokesperson wrote back. It's pretty disappointing that Taco Bell took away one of their most delicious desserts, especially because their current dessert menu is pretty lacking with only two items, only one of which is really worth getting (the Cinnabon Delights). Honestly, part of what made a late-night Taco Bell run so amazing was the Caramel Apple Empanada, and it's definitely missed.
3. Cheesarito
As far as things on the Taco Bell menu go, the Cheesarito is probably the most simple menu item out there. It's quite literally just a flour tortilla with melted cheese, their Mexican pizza sauce, and scallions all rolled up. It's small and definitely more of a snack, especially compared to other Taco Bell menu items, but people love it. Honestly, when you wanted a middle-of-the-night snack from Taco Bell, the Cheesarito was the perfect choice.
The Cheesarito is so beloved that there are even hacks for how to order one at your local Taco Bell. And while they no longer carry the Mexican pizza sauce, it works well with hot sauce, too. So, if you missed the Cheesarito and are craving a cheesy snack next time you head to Taco Bell, try ordering it from their secret menu. It might be discontinued, but because it's so popular, you could get lucky and get it anyway.
2. BLT Taco
Over the years, Taco Bell has definitely had some interesting menu additions, most of which came with certain themes. You'll remember their volcano-themed menu featuring the Volcano Taco, right? Well in the '90s, Taco Bell introduced their new "Sizzlin' Bacon Menu," and featured three new menu items to go along with the theme. Now, none of these menu items were really on-par with the Mexican theme at Taco Bell, but they had their appeal. There was a Bacon Cheeseburger Burrito, a Chicken Club Burrito, and a BLT Taco.
All sound intriguing, but it was the BLT Taco that really reigned supreme. Like the name would imply, it was a soft taco with bacon, lettuce and tomato, topped with cheese and a special club sauce. Basically, it was a BLT wrap, with a little special Taco Bell flair, and it was absolutely delicious. Even though the BLT Taco had bacon in it, it didn't seem too heavy, and was a great lunch option from Taco Bell. Sadly, it was discontinued in the 2000s and never seen again.
1. Bell Beefer
The Bell Beefer just might be Taco Bell's most popular discontinued item. Imagine a sloppy joe, but with Mexican spices. Or, you could also look at the Bell Beefer as a regular ground beef taco, but on a hamburger bun. It featured ground beef, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and a sauce all in between two hamburger buns. The menu item was first introduced at Taco Bell in 1975, and was super popular for a while.
Of course, the Bell Beefer was eventually discontinued in the '90s before making a sort-of comeback in 2010 and then being permanently discontinued in 2012. Of course, it makes sense that Taco Bell would get rid of the Bell Beefer as it was essentially a taco on a bun, and one of their later slogans was to "Think Outside the Bun." But, fans of the Bell Beefer were still upset. After all, a taco on a bun sounds pretty delicious; fortunately, there are plenty of recipes you can try to recreate the iconic menu item. The Bell Beefer might be gone from Taco Bell's menu, but it will probably never be forgotten.