Taco Bell Is Testing New $1 Items

After taking flack in 2020 for shrinking their menu a bit (via the disappearance of certain fan faves like the Mexican Pizza), Taco Bell seems to be going out of its way to win back everyone they alienated with their menu cuts.

In their latest endeavor to appease angry fourth-mealers, Taco Bell seems to be testing out new items aimed squarely at the budget-conscious. Specifically, that means two new dollar menu-ish items representing slight twists on old favorites.

Over in Kansas City, Taco Bell's trying out Primo Burritos starting at just a buck. That includes a $1 Loaded Taco Primo Burrito, which is Taco Bell's term for a flour tortilla containing seasoned beef, lettuce, cheddar, sour cream, and those "crunchy red strips." In essence, it's a slightly more portable version of your standard-issue taco. There's also the Chicken Enchilada Primo Burrit, which takes marinated white meat chicken, seasoned rice, sour cream, cheddar, and enchilada sauce, rolling it up for the comparatively princely sum of $1.49.

Burritos that look like tacos and enchiladas aren't the only cheap eats Taco Bell's testing. They've also announced that Columbus, Ohio, a city that a 2020 petition sought to rechristen as Flavortown, is getting three different spicy beef tacos, each promising their own level of heat. Things start out with Mild Jalapeño, which uses Taco Bell's signature jalapeño sauce. From there things ratchet up to Medium Chipotle, and, finally, White Hot Ranch, which takes Ghost Chili peppers and adds a bit of buttermilk to balance things out and keep your mouth from melting. No matter how much heat you choose, each goes for just $1.

These local-area tests come amid a burst of innovation and restoration for Taco Bell. In addition to reviving the Quesalupa, a fan favorite that's been MIA since 2016, they're testing out their own Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco, which looks more like a bao than anything if you ask me.

Still, the fact that there's such a frenzy of new and/or improved items working their way onto the Taco Bell menu is surely a good sign after a year full of subtractions and disappointments. Maybe living mas really does mean something after all.