Taco Bell’s always been our reliable spot for affordable, craveable Tex-Mex, the sort of place where midnight snack attacks collide with value-friendly happiness. But times are changing. Prices are creeping up a 14.6% hike in 2022 alone and that fabled dollar menu seems like a distant memory. The “Live Más” spirit still hooks us, but when your order costs more than a sit-down meal, you start wondering if you should just whip up tacos at home. To get the real scoop, I dove into Reddit, where Taco Bell superfans spill the tea on what’s not worth your cash. Here are 13 menu items, listed as they originally buzzed, that fans claim is more miss than hit, with prices and quality as iffy as a midnight drive-thru order.
1. Cinnamon Twists
For a buck or so, Cinnamon Twists sound like a sweet bargain a fast fix of fried, cinnamon-sugar-coated heaven. But according to Reddit, it’s not. Fans liken these starch puffs to styrofoam or packing peanuts, complaining of their dry, crunchy texture or greasy taste from stale oil. The cinnamon topping is frequently skimpy, leaving you with dull bites that hardly amount to the buck. When they are fresh and well-seasoned, they can be a nostalgic treat, but that’s an infrequent jackpot. Most concur the price, though low, is a markup for what amounts to a low-cost-to-produce snack. Spare your change for something with some punch.
2. Nacho Fries
Nacho Fries ($1.50-$2) are the menu’s showy diva, coming and going to great publicity. Dipped in Mexican seasonings and served with nacho cheese, they threaten big flavor, but the executions patchy. Reddit commenters complain of soggy, uninspired fries or batches completely devoid of the signature seasoning some claim they’ve received bland fast-food fries by mistake. The 15-minute freshness guarantee is never met, and stores occasionally sell out of seasoning. Order them fresh (they cook for three minutes) to escape a flaccid, lukewarm disappointment. When made well, they’re a hit, but consistency is the ticket.
3. Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes
Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes, at about $2.29, are a festive side nacho cheese and low-fat sour cream atop potato wedges. But enthusiasts shout “shrinkflation!” with servings so diminutive they’re not even a snack. Reddit mocks the variable texture: mealy, mushy, or desiccated potatoes, sometimes without cheese at all or over-the-top application to cover staleness. A current employee suggested that thick topping helps disguise old batches. The absence of green onions (shaved following an E. coli nightmare in 2006) doesn’t improve things.
For a “fiesta,” these potatoes far too often sputter, and you’re left wondering about the cost.
4. Burrito Supreme
The Burrito Supreme ($4.50-$5) comes with a meaty lineup: seasoned beef, beans, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, sour cream, and red sauce. Sounds supreme, sure? Not exactly. Reddit’s biggest complaint is the lettuce wilted, warm, and misplaced in a hot burrito. “Who thought this was a good idea?” one user vented, lamenting the soupy texture it creates.
Skimpy portions and uneven filling distribution mean you’re often left with a bite of just one ingredient.
At this price, fans expect a filling meal, not a lettuce-heavy letdown that feels more like a budget burrito.
5. Quesadilla
A Quesadilla ($4-$5.59) seems like a safe bet: a tortilla, three-cheese blend, and creamy jalapeño sauce. But Reddit deems it a best ripoff. Unmelted cheese, sauce-less, or sloppy cuts kill the experience. A cold, sauce-less chicken quesadilla was deemed “hopeless” by one user, attributing the blame to spotty steamer training.
The casualness makes the price bite why spend this much on something you could do better at home?
When hot and melty, it’s a winner, but too many orders come as dry, undercooked tortillas with meager filling.
6. Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito
The Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito ($1.19-$2.49) is a Cravings Value Menu winner, stacking beans, nacho cheese, jalapeño sauce, and seasoned rice. It’s inexpensive and filling if it’s done correctly. Complainers report cold, congealed beans or rice, or bizarro unevenness: one bite’s all beans, the next just rice, occasionally crunchy.
Bare sauce or next-to-nothing fillings make this budget favorite a dud.
Grilling assists, but higher costs in certain locations reduce the value when the prep is off.
7. Chalupas
Chalupas ($3-$4) offer Tex-Mex appeal through puffy wheat flour shells. But the trick dissolves in stale, hard, or undercooked shells lacking the promised fluff. Reddit cites sporadic fryer temperatures some retailers overcook, others pre-fry and let them sit too long.
Skimpy fillings, heavy on lettuce and light on meat, add to the woes.
Fresh chalupas can be glorious, but their quick-to-stale nature makes them a risky pick unless you’re at a bustling location.
8. Crunchwrap Supreme
The Crunchwrap Supreme ($4-$5), with its bullet-shaped iconic design, fills beef, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream. But die-hards too frequently receive a flat, under-packed wrap that is largely lettuce. “It’s more like a salad in a tortilla,” complained one Redditor, describing greasy, soggy, or burnt ones. Inconsistent preparation between stores means you could get a plump, flavorful wrap or a wilted bust. For the price of a premium item, the lack of weight is a letdown, leaving die-hards wanting more oomph.
9. Mexican Pizza
Mexican Pizza ($4-$5) brought excitement back around, topped with beef, beans, cheese, tomatoes, and sauce between crunchy shells. The hype doesn’t always live up. Loyalists complain of bitter, unripe tomatoes, off-center sauce, or shattered shells. Some even detect a strange, cleaner-like flavor. Being one of the more expensive menu items, its complication catches careless kitchens off-center, resulting in poorly cut, off-center pizzas that are a disappointment for the price.
10. Beefy 5-Layer Burrito
The Beefy 5-Layer Burrito ($3.69) forgoes lettuce in favor of beef, beans, shredded cheese, nacho cheese, and sour cream. Sounds good, but fans are perplexed by its inconsistency. Some receive a nacho-cheese-covered wrap, others merely beef and beans inside a thinly rolled tortilla. Uneven distribution results in bites of lone ingredients instead of a mixed flavor. Too light for a non-value item, it leaves fans questioning what they’re paying for.
11. Bean Burrito
The Bean Burrito ($1.50-$2) is a no-brainer: beans, cheese, onions, red sauce. But cold beans, unmelted cheese, or absent red sauce make it a disappointing snack. Some complain of rogue beef in this veggie option. Top-heavy toppings beans spread far and wide, cheese clumped in the middl result in only a few bites with decent toppings. With so simple an item, these misses make even the low price feel like a stretch.
12. Baja Blast
Baja Blast ($2-$3), the tropical Mountain Dew limited-batch, has faithful fans since 2004. But fans complain about watery, syrupy, or flat versions, some of which taste like “mouthwash” or “cleaner.” Inadequate syrup blending and ingredient supply issues anger enthusiasts. When it works, it’s a cool treat, but too many orders fall short of that signature zesty punch, leaving fans high and dry.
13. Cheesy Rollup
The Cheesy Rollup ($1) is as simple as it comes: a three-cheese blend inside a tortilla. It’s a budget-friendly, family-friendly choice, but others say it’s a rip-off. “Tortilla mostly,” one devotee pouted, describing its flat, cheese-thin reality. Unmelted cheese is a frequent gripe, and while great for carrying sauce, the cost seems too high for so little. Despite that, its low price keeps it a go-to for a fast bite. Outsmarting the Taco Bell Traps Taco Bell’s appeal quick, tasty, cheap remains, but these 13 foods demonstrate that not every order is a “Live Más” reality. From stale chalupas to bare-bones crunchwraps, uneven prep and climbing prices induce groans. To avoid the duds, ask for fresh fries, grilled burritos, or double-check your sack before peeling out.Better still, have a homemade taco for a fraction of the price. The Bell’s still on our hearts, but having seen these pitfalls might just save your wallet and your hunger.
