Taco Bell has long been known as drunken delicacy–offering affordable tacos and burritos to late night eaters–and they are now acknowledging that perhaps they could add to their menu a bit. And while I love Nachos Bell Grande and chicken quesadillas as much as the next guy, I’m pretty down for some more choices. Taco Bell hasn’t done much to improve their menu over the years; sure, they’ve added a few limited-edition things (please, not the Doritos-shell taco. Let it stay a little longer) and given us a couple of side options (cheesy potatoes, anyone?), but for the most part they’ve stayed true to what’s worked for them for years.
All that will change this summer, however, when they roll out the new “upscale” Cantina Bell options created by chef Lorena Garcia. They’ll be a tad pricier, but will compensate by being bigger than standard Taco Bell fare. The new menu will include black beans, cilantro rice, citrus- and herb-marinated chicken and cilantro dressing; the comparisons to higher-end fast food chains Chipotle and Qdoba are running rampant, and perhaps Taco Bell is not immune to the long arm of the success of such businesses. Even a company that’s been around forever can go under when the right competition comes along.
But I don’t think Taco Bell has anything to worry about. Their fan base is rabid, particularly in connection to their late-night or overnight menu, and the other restaurants can’t compete with that.