Because sometimes a dollar is just too much!

Back in May, Taco Bell introduced their ‘Why Pay More’ menu featuring a fairly wide selection of super cheap eats. It had several items that were available previously, but also including new items such as Triple Layer Nachos, Cheese Roll-Up, Cheesy Double Beef Burrito, Big Taste Taco, and more. Taco Bell breaks the menu down into 79, 89 and 99 cent items. Over my next few reviews, I will be exploring this budget menu, and today I’m focusing on the Triple Layer Nachos, Cheese Roll-Up, and Cinnamon Twists. According to TB’s website, the Triple Layer Nachos are featured in the 89 cent category, however all 3 of these items are 79 cents in my area.

The Nachos are very basic, as you would expect for the price. It’s tortilla chips with refried beans, Taco Bell red sauce, and nacho cheese. While there isn’t any meat, and not many ingredients, they actually taste pretty good. If you’re willing to get your fingers a bit messy, this makes the perfect side dish. The beans and nacho cheese sauce are standard Taco Bell fare, the same used on a dozen other items. They go well together, and the red sauce adds a little extra kick of flavor. Both times I ordered, some of the tortilla chips in the center became soggy, but I wouldn’t say that’s a bad thing, or totally unexpected. The chips on the outer portion of the bowl stay crisp, so you can use those to scoop up their soggy brothers along with the other ingredients. For only 79 cents, these nachos are a winner. They’re not very filling, and it’s really only a handful of chips, but they’re a great snack or addition to a larger meal. [ B+ ]

The Cheese Roll-Up is an item I’ve purchased 3 or 4 times now, and each time I get it, I wonder why the hell I did. Maybe I thought it would get better… but it never does. There are three cheeses, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, and American, melted together in a warm tortilla. That’s it, just melted cheese, nothing else. Whenever I eat it, I’m reminded of those days when there’s nothing left in my refrigerator except a few random items. They can’t make a complete sandwich or meal, but if I throw them together they’ll at least make a snack. Yep, that’s the Cheese Roll-Up… it’s those left over items in the refrigerator that are just thrown together, and never quite amount to anything. There’s only tortilla and cheese, and the cheese makes little impact. All 3 cheeses are small in quantity and lite on flavor. It’s way too bland. And it’s a tiny, short and thin little thing to begin with. Maybe if they added some beans, or onions, or something… anything… it would help. Even at 79 cents I feel ripped off. [ D- ]

The Cinnamon Twists surprised me. I don’t know what I was expecting, other than having cinnamon flavor, but they’re really a nice treat after finishing a taco or burrito. The texture of the twists remind me of Jax, but instead of cheese flavor these are cinnamon. It’s airy, light and crunchy, with a large amount of cinnamon and sugar flavor. I would say the cinnamon taste was stronger than “Cinnamon Toast Crunch” brand cereal, but it wasn’t too much or overpowering. It was a satisfying treat overall, though I don’t see myself driving by Taco Bell and suddenly having a craving for them, in the same way I crave the Crunchwrap Supreme or Volcano Taco. You receive a decent amount of twists in an order, and it’s a good deal for 79 cents. [ B ]

Currently there’s only two items on the 79 cent section of the menu (three items if the Nachos are reduced from 89 cents as in my town). One of those items is a big bland disappointment, but the other two get a thumbs up. If you want more food with your next Taco Bell meal but are low on cash, try the Triple Layer Nachos or Cinnamon Twists. They won’t hurt your wallet, and they might be the extra little something you need to defeat that hunger. Coming up next time — the 89 cent value menu.

Price: $.79 each / Website: TacoBell.com

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Nutrition Facts - Taco Bell, Triple Layer Nachos.

Calories - 340
Calories from Fat - 160
Total Fat - 18 grams
Carbs - 38 grams
Saturated Fat - 2.5 grams
Trans Fat - 1.5 grams
Cholesterol - 0 milligrams
Sodium - 720 milligrams
Protein - 7 grams

Nutrition Facts - Taco Bell, Cheese Roll-Up.

Calories - 200
Calories from Fat - 90
Total Fat - 10 grams
Carbs - 19 grams
Saturated Fat - 5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 20 milligrams
Sodium - 490 milligrams
Protein - 9 grams

Nutrition Facts - Taco Bell, Cinnamon Twists.

Calories - 170
Calories from Fat - 60
Total Fat - 7 grams
Carbs - 26 grams
Saturated Fat - 0 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 0 milligrams
Sodium - 200 milligrams
Protein - 1 gram

It’s Big. With plenty of steak. But not enough variety or balance for most folks.

In these tough economic times, hunting down a good value becomes extra important. For fast food addicts, Taco Bell provides a great selection of value items that fill you up while still going easy on the wallet. It came as a surprise to see them introduce a big burrito at a higher than average cost. The focus here is size, not price. Aimed at steak lovers with large appetites, the new Triple Steak Burrito is now available.

The tagline is “Steak, Steak and More Steak”, and it lives up that claim. It’s loaded up with plenty of Carne Asada steak, and is probably the biggest, most filling burrito I’ve ever eaten at Taco Bell. Along with the big pile of meat, there’s fire roasted salsa, reduced-fat sour cream, Mexican rice and cheddar cheese. At $4.49 you’d expect to get a large burrito, and this thing definitely had some weight to it. More than I was expecting. I made the mistake of ordering $.89 Triple Layer nachos and $.99 Big Taste Taco to go with the burrito. I didn’t realize it was going to be this large, and I also didn’t look at the price beforehand. So I had two surprises and was filled to the gills.

I thought the burrito was pleasantly spicy. Everyone has their own threshold for heat and mine is pretty low, so take that into consideration. But I felt the fire roasted salsa was mildly hot, though not at all uncomfortable. The Mexican rice tastes great, when you actually find some. The distribution of ingredients was off, and the amounts of each are small to begin with. No question this burrito was packed front to back with morsels of steak but the rest of the ingredients were barely noticeable. The cheese was only in the middle, and not enough to properly complement the meat.

I was also disappointed the sour cream and Mexican rice were rationed in such small amounts. I guess there just isn’t room for much else besides “Steak, Steak and More Steak.” If you’ve had Taco Bell steak before, there’s no surprise here. The steak has a decent flavor and it’s fairly juicy, but still a little on the tough/chewy side. It’s OK, but it’s not great. Having more cheese, rice and sour cream would’ve helped a lot. I could only taste two ingredients at a time. It was either steak/salsa, steak/cheese, steak/rice, etc. Things would be improved with a better balance between them. Luckily the steak still adds flavor to all those bites. For such a large burrito it held together well. It’s not very messy and doesn’t drip with grease, making on-the-go eating possible.

Overall, the Triple Steak Burrito is as advertised. It’s big and packed with steak. But with a hefty price of $4.49 I doubt I’d pick it up again. If I want a big burrito I’ll head to Chipotle and pluck down an extra $1 and customize my own special giant burrito, with as much of each ingredient as I want, and a wider selection to choose from. The Triple Steak Burrito is plenty large, and it’s not a bad value for the money, but the steak is not good enough to carry the entire load alone. If this was some type of new super premium steak, that would be different. The other ingredients are lacking, and it’s just not a very exciting item. Taco Bell really shines with their Value Menu, and in my opinion you can’t beat it. I’d rather stock up on 4 items from that menu, and get more variety for the same price. If you’re a big fan of TacoBell’s brand of steak, it’s worth giving this burrito a try. If you prefer variety and a broader range of flavors, skip it.

Price: $4.49 / Website: TacoBell.com

Fast Food Critic Score: C+

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Nutrition Facts - Taco Bell, Triple Steak Burrito.

Calories - 660
Calories from Fat - 230
Total Fat - 25 grams
Carbs - 70 grams
Saturated Fat - 11 grams
Trans Fat - 1 gram
Cholesterol - 90 milligrams
Sodium - 2050 milligrams
Protein - 37 grams

Recently, I walked into my local Taco Bell expecting to purchase one of their Cheesy Melts, but I was surprised to find another item on the menu I hadn’t tried. They had a sign up for their new ‘volcano taco’ which featured a picture of a red crunchy shelled taco. I asked the cashier for more info and she said it has a special ‘lava’ cheese sauce. Since the store had just opened it’s doors for the beginning of a new day, my taco was about as fresh as taco bell gets. But on my next visit to a different TB location, things were not nearly as fresh. Photos below are from that second taco trip.

I usually go with the soft tacos at TB, so I was a bit nervous about getting this, but I was definitely surprised. It’s really the cheese sauce that makes the taco. It’s quite spicy. Perhaps I’m just so used to it, but their “Fire Sauce” really shouldn’t be called “Fire”. It doesn’t have any real kick to it. The cheese sauce in the volcano taco however actually has some kick, making it possibly the spiciest sauce on their menu. But it’s not so strong that it overwhelms you. The spices that are present may seem odd for some. It reminded me of the juiced up ranch dressing I’ve bought at the grocery store with the flavors and spices come in a pouch. I love those, but they can have a grainy un-smooth feel. The same for TB’s lava cheese sauce, to a lessor degree.

The red taco shell tasted like a regular shell, though it made me wonder if they’ll have a red ’soft’ shell. I’ve never mastered eating a crunchy taco. They always fall apart and these were no different. I can’t fault TB, that’s all me. The rest of the ingredients are standard Taco Bell: ground beef, shredded cheddar cheese, and lettuce. With the first round of tacos everything was fresh and tasted very good. On the second round things were noticeably less fresh and flavorful. Not bad, but definitely a step down.

Trying the Volcano Tacos at 2 locations, I loved the first one, where the server put on lots of cheese, and things were fresh. The second time it tasted as though everything had been sitting around for awhile. The ‘crunchy’ shell was soft, it wasn’t very warm, and the spiciness wasn’t as powerful (still had a small kick, but not as much). Sadly, it also had less cheese. It would seem the volcano taco will be hit or miss depending on the TB you visit and the time you go. I would have given this a solid ‘A’ after my first experience, but finding inconsistency with the second drops a letter grade to ‘B’.

At just 89 cents, I recommend you go out and buy one. It’s definitely worth spending less than a buck to check it out, and your TB may have the consistency to make it seem like a bargain. They also feature this new taco in the ‘Big Bell Box Meal’.

Price: $.89 / Website: TacoBell.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B

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Nutrition Facts - Volcano Taco from Taco Bell.

Calories - 240
Calories from Fat - 150
Total Fat - 17 grams
Carbs - 14 grams
Saturated Fat - 5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 35 milligrams
Sodium - 490 milligrams
Protein - 8 grams

My love for double decker tacos is undying, and they will always have a place in my fast food rotation. But I have found a new love at Taco Bell, the Steak and Chicken Grilled Taquitos. With only half the number of main ingredients, 3 compared to 6, and a fraction of the DD Taco’s size, they’re a simpler item, but no less satisfying.

Wikipedia says — A taquito (from the Spanish diminutive of taco) is a Mexican dish consisting of a small rolled-up tortilla and filling, usually beef or chicken.

In the case of the Taco Bell, it’s a smaller version of the familiar TB flour tortilla stuffed with either Carne Asada Steak or Chicken, and cheddar cheese. Once the tortilla is loaded with meat and cheese, it’s rolled-up and then grilled on two sides. The end result is a warm tortilla with a wonderful combination of textures. It’s soft and slightly chewy overall, yet it has a crispy thin shell covering part of it. The taquitos are small, but you get two per order. Each one is roughly the size of a candy bar.

Meat, Cheese and Tortilla. No refried beans, rice, veggies or sauce here. Sometimes the less-is-more formula works, sometimes it doesn’t. This time it DOES.

The cheddar cheese appears to be the same used in the Fiesta Beef Burrito, which is fairly tasty, and was the highlight of that item. With the Taquitos, that cheese has better quality companions with the steak and chicken. The ground beef is not an option, nor should it be. These solid chunks of meat are definitely an upgrade, and have a much greater impact on the taste and texture. There were moments, briefly, where they tasted like fajitas I make at home. If they had grilled onions, it would be very close. Both the steak and chicken are well seasoned, on the mild side, just the right balance of spices to still allow the natural flavors to come thru. They are pleasantly and surprisingly un-processed in appearance and taste. I’ve unrolled one of each type and took photos to show the filling. There won’t be any jokes about fake fast-food meat or formed shapes of mashed parts here. These are solid chunks of real meat, and they are tender and moist.

The steak tastes beefy, the chicken is slightly spicy with a mild kick, and the cheese is above average for the fast food variety, with a good cheddar flavor, and thick natural consistency. But what I think plays just as big of role as the tasty ingredients, is the size and proportions. Each bite has a near perfect balance of warm tortilla, melted cheese and seasoned meat. They are small, but they pack a hearty punch.

The Steak and Chicken Grilled Taquitos from Taco Bell are great. They taste like miniature fajitas. If you haven’t tried these yet, I recommend you do. They won’t make you forget your favorite “real” Mexican place, but they are better than average fast food variety. I find them to be significantly more enjoyable than the fiesta beef burrito.

Price: $1.89 — Website: TacoBell.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A-

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Nutrition Facts - Taco Bell, Steak Grilled Taquitos, serving of 2.

Calories - 310
Calories from Fat - 100
Total Fat - 11 grams
Carbs - 36 grams
Saturated Fat - 5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 35 milligrams
Sodium - 870 milligrams

Nutrition Facts - Taco Bell, Chicken Grilled Taquitos, serving of 2.

Calories - 310
Calories from Fat - 90
Total Fat - 11 grams
Carbs - 37 grams
Saturated Fat - 4.5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 40 milligrams
Sodium - 980 milligrams

I once heard somebody joke that Taco Bell only has 3 ingredients, and they mix and match various types of tortillas to create their entire menu. I suppose there’s a certain amount of truth to that, but it’s not quite so simple. In many ways, I think Taco Bell gets an unfair bad rap. As somebody who’s eaten there for many years, since my youthful school days, I feel that I’m qualified to say TB is not as bad as you might have heard. In fact, their double decker taco is one of my favorite cheap fast food items.

I’m not as fond of the Fiesta Burrito. It’s OK, but it’s not good enough to be something that I look forward to having again. It consists of ground beef, seasoned Mexican-style rice, cheddar cheese and salsa, wrapped in a soft flour tortilla. The portions are ample, and it’s a decent sized burrito. Once you get past the inevitable Burrito-Flap (that section of tortilla at the end with no filling, that just flops around loosely) you get a good amount of beef, rice and cheese with each bite.

However, I’ve found after eating these a couple times now, the salsa gets put towards one end, instead of distributed evenly, which results in only 1/3 of the burrito having this extra flavor component. You will see in my second photo, sliced in half, you don’t even see the salsa. I’m not sure what’s going on with that. It would seem to be done on purpose, by design, since it’s happened at 2 different locations, but maybe their ‘aim’ with the big sauce spoon just gets off-track when things are busy. In all fairness, my visits did occur during peak hours at both locations.

The biggest problem is that nothing stands out, and the overall taste is bland. The ground beef is not very flavorful to begin with, and the rice and thick tortilla combine to mute it further. The rice is not bad on it’s own, but still too weak for what I expect from “seasoned” rice in a Mexican offering, even though it’s just fast food. The salsa was alright, but not nearly enough flavor or quantity to make up for the lack of kick from either the beef or rice. The cheese was perhaps the tastiest of the ingredients. I tasted real cheddar, and it had a consistency which confirmed it’s ‘genuine’ content.

The Fiesta Beef Burrito from Taco Bell is decent, but it’s not going to make any new fans of the brand, or fast food in general. Taco Bell has much better items on their menu. This is too bland in my opinion. It should be noted, there is an “upgrade” option to replace the beef with All-White-Meat Chicken, or Carne Asada Steak.

Price: $1.69 — Website: TacoBell.com

Fast Food Critic Score: C+

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Nutrition Facts - Taco Bell, Fiesta Beef Burrito.

Calories - 370
Calories from Fat - N/A
Total Fat - 13 grams
Carbs - 49 grams
Saturated Fat - 5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 25 milligrams
Sodium - 1200 milligrams

It seems that Taco Bell is the subject of many jokes and insults relating to fast food, but my own experience has been mostly positive. I’ve never gotten sick from eating there, and had no more problems with food quality or service than any other large chain. That being said, I also avoid certain things when eating out. For instance, any type of cheese “sauce” or liquid-cheese is something that sends up a red flag.

Everybody loves melting cheese, but when the cheese is already in liquid-form before you see it, before it hits your food — watch out. Like many people I’ve had some bad experiences when eating those type substances, and that goes for anywhere in the fast food world, not just Taco Bell. One of the few exceptions is Arby’s, who has a cheddar cheese sauce that is thick and tasty with identifiable real-cheese content, unlike the thin yellow oily goop found at many restaurants. Enough of my cheese rant.

There is no liquid cheese on the item I’m reviewing today, the Double Decker Taco. Why is it called double decker? Because it’s a soft flour tortilla that’s spread with a thin layer of refried beans, then wrapped around a regular crunchy corn tortilla, creating a second outer-level. It’s almost like a taco inside a taco, and it looks rather odd.

The result of the extra outer-layer is positive in two different ways. First, it adds more taste and texture to the taco. Second, it helps hold the crunchy inner-shell in place. How often have you bitten a crunchy taco and had it crumble and fall apart, spilling the meat and cheese everywhere. That’s not a problem with the double decker because the soft flour tortilla and refried beans on the outside, serve as a safety-net for the crunchy corn tortilla and all the goodies packed on the inside.

The ground beef has a good meaty flavor, and there’s significantly more than in a smaller taco like the version from Jack In The Box. The seasoning is mild, and the combination of beef with a thin layer of beans is a perfect match. The shredded lettuce tastes crisp and fresh. The cheese is grated thin and just starting to melt from the heat of the beef and warm tortillas. The cheese is rather dull and doesn’t have much flavor on it’s own despite being “real cheddar” but it’s OK as part of the whole package.

Each bite starts out warm and soft with the flour tortilla and beans, followed by crunchy corn tortilla, then you hit the middle where cold lettuce and cheese mix with warm beef. It’s a very satisfying combination of flavors, temperatures and textures. And despite costing only .99 cents and coming from the largest mass producer of such items in the world, it’s a pretty darn good taco. If the flavor is not spicy enough for you, they include packets of hot sauce in your choice of intensity from “Mild” to “Fire”.

I’m sure some folks would thumb their nose at such food, and list all the things wrong with it. They wouldn’t even touch it. But those same people will go eat dinner at a fancy restaurant with enough calories, cholesterol and fat to kill a horse, and pay $50 for it. So who’s really better off? Hey, I’m just a regular guy who eats regular food, and I haven’t lived such a privileged life that I can’t appreciate a good 99 cent taco.

The Double Decker Taco from Taco Bell is a great value. There’s nothing fancy or special about it, but it tastes good, it’s decent size, satisfying and cheap. This is a fast food junkie’s dream come true. I don’t know many $1 fast food menu items that offer a better balance of taste, variety and price. Excuse me now, I’m eating another one.

Price: $.99 / Website: TacoBell.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A

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Nutrition Facts - Taco Bell, Double Decker Taco.

Calories - 320
Calories from Fat - 120
Total Fat - 13 grams
Carbs - 38 grams
Saturated Fat - 5 grams
Trans Fat - 0.5 grams
Cholesterol - 25 milligrams
Sodium - 810 milligrams

In my younger days, my hungry friends and I would often visit the drive-thru of a fast food restaurant following a long night of partying. A regular stop was Jack In The Box. The main attraction was not the burgers, it was the “cheap” tacos. They had a good menu in general, but they featured a promotion of 3 tacos for a dollar, that was clearly the star of the late-night show. You could spend $5 and drive away with a bag full of 15 tacos. Even as broke kids, we could usually scrape up 5 bucks between us.

Today, many years later, the same beef taco is still on the Jack In The Box menu, and it remains virtually unchanged from the good old days. About the only thing different is the price, which is now 2 tacos for a dollar. Still a good value. Though as you might have expected, they are small and very thin. You can think of them as mini-tacos.

Much of the flavor comes from the mixture of beef and spices packed inside. It’s a taste that’s unique to Jack In The Box, and so is the unusual texture. I suppose it’s because the twice-cooked, 2-part preparation method (read more below). The end result is a nice contrast for your mouth and taste buds, with the outer parts of the taco shell being crisp and crunchy, and the thicker center soft and moist.

The beef filling has a paste-like consistency, it’s smooth with just the slightest bit of graininess. The meat is ground so fine, it literally melts in your mouth. For that matter, it feels like it’s half melted already. I’m sure a beef expert could tell me why the meat has this particular trait, but for the moment here at FFC, and for this review, we’re just going to call it “soft meat”. As for toppings, there’s a small amount of shredded lettuce, and instead of using grated cheese they toss in a tiny slice that looks to be cut from the singles used on their burgers. It’s not a lot of cheese, and it quickly melts.

Compared to most fast-food tacos, the JITB taco might seem a turnoff at first, and the fact that it comes from a burger joint might have kept you from adding it to your rotation with Taco Bell, Taco Time and the other Mexican spots, but I think most people will be pleasantly surprised. It’s surely not for everyone, but generations of fast food eaters have grown up enjoying these tacos, and their popularity is still going strong.

You may not know it, but the “core” of this taco is prepared off-site, away from the restaurant, at the Jack In The Box food manufacturing plant. They grind their own beef, then cook it with a trade-secret blend of spices. Then a machine places clumps of this meat mixture on-top freshly cooked tortillas, at a rate of 60 per minute. Next the machine folds the tortillas in half, and sends them down the assembly line where employees inspect and pack them into trays. Those trays get flash-frozen and shipped to your hometown Jack In The Box restaurant. When you order a taco there, an employee just drops the pre-made “core” in the deep fryer for a minute, then tops it with a slice of cheese and a pinch of shredded lettuce.

The Beef Taco from Jack In The Box is a classic fast food icon, dating all the way back to the 1950’s. It’s a solid and consistent product. It’s tasty and it’s cheap. This is not the best taco on the market, but it scores good marks for taste and value.

Price: $1 for 2 tacos / Website: JackInTheBox.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B-

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Nutrition Facts - Jack In The Box, Beef Taco (1).
Calories - 160
Calories from Fat - 70
Total Fat - 8 grams
Carbs - 15 grams
Saturated Fat - 3 grams
Trans Fat - 1 gram
Cholesterol - 15 milligrams
Sodium - 270 milligrams