Taco Bell
Fast food restaurant · University Center
44855 Lakeview Overlook Plaza, Ashburn, VA 20147
Highlights
Crunchwrap Supreme, vegetarian options, fashion-forward merch
Crunchwrap Supreme, vegetarian options, fashion-forward merch
"Recalled by some Indian Americans as the fast-food chain they gravitate toward—offered as a cultural touchstone in the essay to contrast with other mainstream chains and to illustrate how diasporic tastes adapt and claim familiarity within American fast-food culture." - Jaya Saxena
"Known for turning absurd culinary mash-ups into surprisingly successful menu items, this fast‑food chain’s latest offerings—the Giant Cheez-It Tostada and Giant Cheez-It Crunchwrap—feel like a natural extension of that knack. The tostada uses a Cheez-It cracker blown up roughly 16× the grocery-store size and is topped with spiced beef, crunchy lettuce, taco sauce, and sour cream; the intense cheesy crunch provides an excellent foil for the savory filling, especially with a few dashes of hot sauce. Rewards members got early access, and both items are scheduled for a nationwide rollout on June 6 for an apparently limited time. That willingness to lean into cheesy, meaty absurdity that actually tastes good is why previous stunts—most notably the Doritos Locos taco, introduced in 2012 and selling over 400 million units within a year—have become enduring menu staples, and why the chain will indulge vocal fans by bringing back items like the Mexican Pizza, rather than producing one-off gimmicks like the KFC Double Down." - Amy McCarthy
"A quick-service, Mexican-inspired chain that partnered with dairy promoters to create novelty items blending dairy with other flavors, including a limited frozen drink that mixed dairy and Mountain Dew and an unusually cheesy burrito described as containing roughly ten times the cheese of a typical taco, illustrating the industry’s strategy of using high-profile product experiments to drive dairy demand." - H. Claire Brown
"Another early-round casualty in the bracket whose run was described as ending 'far too soon,' with no additional commentary about food or service provided." - Madeleine Davies
"Angry one-star reviews focus on specific menu letdowns — most notably a quesadilla described as "severely lacking in sour cream" and even labeled "quesadilla blasphemy" — alongside anecdotal complaints like "I came for an empanada, but all I got was an argument," painting a picture of petty but memorable fast-food disappointments driven by small expectations and condiment grievances." - Jaya Saxena
