In February, Taco Bell announced that they would once again be rolling out a breakfast menu nationwide beginning March 27th, 2014. Among the items tested at select locations prior to the announcement, and the one that received the most attention on social media outlets was the Waffle Taco.
From the press release:
After breaking through and successfully introducing a variety of platforms and products – including FourthMeal®, Doritos® Locos Tacos and Cantina Bell® – Taco Bell is launching the brand’s largest, most extensive menu since it first opened its doors more than 50 years ago. Taco Bell Breakfast comes as a change to the traditional quick service restaurant (QSR) breakfast routine, bringing the brand’s distinctive approach to a crowded breakfast sandwich market. Taco Bell will not just deliver but will bring a little más to morning time, offering consumers a break from the usual.
“Fans already like to come to Taco Bell for lunch and dinner, and they share with us their love of late night. Now they’re not just asking, but telling us they want Taco Bell Breakfast,” said Taco Bell President, Brian Niccol. “To give customers the great-tasting food and Live Más experience, with value in mind, we have invested in our most extensive training ever for Team Members and will not require any major new equipment for operators – making for a holistic effort our teams are proud of and our owners are confident to execute.”
One of my neighborhood Taco Bell restaurants jumped the gun and launched the menu early, so I was able to get ahold of some of the new breakfast items this morning, and of course I took one for the team to bring my thoughts to you.
Steak A.M. Crunchwrap (Also available with Bacon and Sausage)
Nice spice, crispy hash brown potato. Real eggs cooked perfectly without rubbery consistency common to fast food eggs. To make assembly easier they have formed the steak into a patty, but the texture and flavor are tremendous. Even my son (a notoriously picky eater, especially at breakfast) loved the flavors and textures. This is sure to be a hit.
The Waffle Taco
Bacon - Waffle is a little dry but has decent flavor if not as sweet as I would prefer. Not crispy, but that is likely a necessary evil to allow it to bend without breaking to form the taco shell. The bacon was not very flavorful, and definitely the week point of this one. Again the eggs were good, and the cheese was ok, but could have had more flavor.
Sausage - Blend of flavors was much better here than with the bacon version. The waffle was again pliable and had good flavor is not as sweet as I make them at home. The sausage had decent flavor for a prepared sausage, not as heavy on sage as my normal breakfast choice but serviceable.
In all from what I have tasted so far I think Taco Bell may have a winner here. The crunchwrap was awesome, and the Waffle Tacos were fairly good. I have to say, if they offered a steak version of the Waffle Taco, I would eat one nearly every morning.
I will give some of the other menu items a try over the coming days and let you know how they are, but as of now I would say Taco Bell breakfast out of the gate is better than Wendy's, Burger King, and Jack in The Box. It is getting close to Carl's JR (Hardees) or McDonalds in terms of variety and flavor. Truly deserving of a place in Fat Boy Heaven.