Taco Bell has been around for over 60 years, and a lot has changed since its founding in 1962.
Not surprisingly, its menu has been changed and updated over time as well.
But unfortunately, some truly amazing fan favorites have disappeared along the way.
And let’s face it:
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Some of these disappearances were a big disappointment to true longtime Taco Bell fans.
So here are eleven that I’m pretty sure aren’t coming back from here – and I know we’ll all miss forever.
Starting with…
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The enchirito was a longtime staple of the Taco Bell menu – it lasted for 40 years(!) before finally exiting in 2013 (before briefly returning in 2022).
Along the way, it built up an enormous fan base.
It’s essentially a burrito treated like an enchilada – a tortilla filled to bursting with beans, beef, and onions, and covered in shredded cheese and a delicious red sauce.
Bring it back!
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The Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos were easily the best of the bunch.
You’re free to disagree, but you’ll be wrong.
They were just such a great combination of that sharp cool ranch with the typical Taco Bell fixin’s.
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The 7-layer burrito was one of THE biggest and most iconic Taco Bell dishes ever, and I know tons of fans who are disappointed that it’s no longer there.
It was a fantastic combination of guacamole, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, rice, and beans (either refried or black).
As a consolation prize, the burrito supreme and the beefy 5-layer burrito are reasonably close. But still not as good as the original!
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The loaded grillers were essentially burritos treated like paninis – that’s right, they were grilled on a panini press.
You had three options – beefy nacho, spicy buffalo chicken, or loaded potato (my favorite of the bunch) – and they were a fantastic value at just $1 each.
You can’t get food like that anymore…especially that cheaply!
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I tried the waffle taco when it came out in 2014 as part of Taco Bell’s new breakfast menu.
It was delicious – a waffle folded like a taco, with sausage (or bacon) and egg in the middle – and you could dip it in syrup too!
Truly a masterpiece.
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The quesarito was a quesadilla wrapped like a burrito, and it had a nine-year run on Taco Bell’s menu (from 2014 to 2023).
It was part of a great period of experimentation at Taco Bell, but not everything lasted!
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Cinnamon crispas were simple, straightforward, and delicious:
Tortilla chips covered in cinnamon sugar.
That’s it. Nothing fancy, nothing wild, just chips as a delivery vehicle for sugar. They were great.
(Fortunately, their spiritual heirs – Cinnamon Twists – still exist.)
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Think of the Meximelt as kind of a cross between a quesadilla and a soft taco.
It was simple – beef, pico de gallo, and their three-cheese blend – but absolutely delicious.
Luckily, this one does come back from time to time (like on the Decades Menu promotion recently).
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So the thing about the naked chicken chalupa is…
Instead of using, you know, a taco shell like everyone else does…
It used a fried chicken filet folded into the shape of a taco…akin to its sister restaurnt’s KFC Double Down (two pieces of fried chicken as the “bun”).
(And the toppings were good too – especially their avocado ranch sauce.)
Genius. Delicious. Unfortunately discontinued.
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Taco Bell has had plenty of spicy burritos come and go over the years.
But their firecracker burrito, which debuted in 2017, was one-of-a-kind.
More specifically, in addition to the usual beef, nacho cheese, and spicy sauce – the firecracker burrito had tiny crystals that popped off in your mouth.
(Like pop rocks. Or, you know, firecrackers.)
It really brought home the taste. And it was just a lot of fun!
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The caramel apple empanada was another entry on the $1 cravings menu that ultimately went the way of the dinosaur.
And that’s a real shame, because – well, come on! Apples, caramel, pastry. Hard to argue with that!
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So there you have it – eleven fantastic dishes that have disappeared from Taco Bell’s menu, probably forever.
Every one of them will be missed.
But what will people miss most?
That’s for you to decide:
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So – what discontinued menu items do YOU miss most from Taco Bell?
The Meximelt is tough to beat…just saying.
Let us know in the comments!
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