Taco Bell never stops innovating. This leads to some unique ideas like a taco with a fried chicken shell, and it has led to countless iterations of products involving Doritos.
That's a seemingly small innovation -- the Doritos Locos Taco -- which has not just appeared in dozens of variations on the Yum! Brands chain's menu, but has also inspired items like Restaurant Brands International's (QSR) Mac 'N Cheetos, as well as a variety of other Cheetos menu items.
So, you can thank (or blame) Taco Bell for the proliferation of snacks making their way into various fast-food menu items. You can also credit Taco Bell with making limited-time offers (LTOs), specials, something that happens at a relentless pace.
LTOs aren't new to fast food. McDonald's (MCD) and Burger King have been steadily using them since the 1980s, but Taco Bell accelerated the pace. It seems like the Mexican fast-food chain has a new product or offer in some phase of testing at nearly all times.
Now, Taco Bell has been trying out a new offer, and it's sort of an extreme take on something Wendy's has been doing.
Taco Bell
Taco Bell Goes Big, Wendy's Goes Biggie
Rising ingredient prices has forced fast-food chains to reconsider their deals. That has long been something McDonald's has wrestled with -- how to balance low prices and actually making money on what you sell -- and Wendy's recently tackled the same issue by downgrading its most popular deal.
Basically, Wendy's limited the choice in the 4 for $4 to just a Jr. Cheeseburger, when previously you could swap that out for a double, or even a chicken sandwich. And while the basic 4 for $4 remains on the menu, the chain has pushed sandwich choice into its $5 Biggie Bag.
The Wendy's move may not be popular with its customer base, but it was a clever solution to a pricing problem. Now, Taco Bell has its own take on the Biggie Bag, but it costs $10 and it's for two people.
What Is Taco Bell Doing?
Taco Bell has been testing a $10 "Cravings Meal," according to Brand Eating.
"The $10 Cravings Meal for 2 includes 2 Chalupas, 2 Beefy 5-Layer Burritos, 2 Chips & Cheese, and 2 large fountain drinks. It's basically a doubled-up version of what you'd typically get in one of their $5 My Cravings Box, which basically seems like they're trying to see if people will buy it in one bundle instead of as two boxes," the food website shared.
The offer is currently only available for a limited time at select locations in the Kansas City, Mo. area. The chain is also testing a "Deluxe Meal for 2 at the same locations. It includes 2 Steak Chalupas, 2 Burrito Supremes, 2 Chips & Cheese, and 2 large fountain drinks," the site added.
Marketing a two-person meal seems like a way for Taco Bell to encourage people to eat together or, perhaps more realistically, a way to sell a lot of food to one person. It's a unique idea that takes what Wendy's has done and makes it even more of a perceived value (though nothing stops you from buying multiple Biggie Bags).
