Fast-food chains largely offer comfort food. There's a familiarity in sitting down with a burger and fries, a slice of pizza, or a plate of tacos that keeps bringing customers back.
But, just because a dish qualifies as "comfort food" does not mean it will easily find a place on the menu at chains like McDonald's (MCD) -), Burger King, or Wendy's. Those chains, for example, have never been able to make chicken soup or meatloaf -- two quintessential American menu comfort food classics -- work.
Restaurant Brands International's (QSR) -) Burger King tried another beloved comfort food, the hot dog, in 2016, but it did not succeed. Wendy's (WEN) -) has made chili and baked potatoes staples of its menu, but none of the big-three burger chains have been able to crack the code for one of America's most beloved comfort foods, the grilled cheese.
That seems like it should be easy. Grilled cheese is a simple dish that can be embellished with bacon, tomato, and even shredded beef, but McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King have not been able to crack the code.
Yum Brands (YUM) -) Taco Bell has offered Grilled Cheese Burritos in the past, and now it's bringing a novel take on the beloved food to its menus nationwide.
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Taco Bell Menu Adds Grilled Cheese Tacos
While its fast-food burger chain rivals may add a few new items each quarter, Taco Bell seems to change its menu multiple times a month. It's never surprising when the chain adds a new item, but it's also never predictable.
Now, the company has added something a little different with its new Grilled Cheese Dipping Taco.
"Inspired by the hearty, rich flavors of birria, the new Grilled Cheese Dipping Taco features slow-braised shredded beef -- a brand new protein offering from Taco Bell – with a three-cheese blend melted on the inside and grilled on the outside of a freshly fried daily white corn shell. The new taco comes with a side of warm nacho cheese sauce and a savory red sauce for dipping," Chewboom reported.
The new taco joins the chain's menu nationwide on August 3 and it's expected to cost $3.49.
In addition to the dipping sauces, the new taco will go heavy on the cheese. It will be filled with "a creamy jalapeño sauce and showcases a melty three-cheese blend of cheddar, mozzarella, and pepper jack inside and outside of the freshly fried daily white corn shell," the website reported.
Grilled Cheese Has Been a Taco Bell Success
These new tacos extend Taco Bell's Grilled Cheese lineup. The chain's Grilled Cheese Burrito offerings have been major sales drivers that have also shown that the company can compete on higher-end offerings with rival Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) -).
Yum Brands CEO David Gibbs talked about that success during the chain's first-quarter earnings call.
"This quarter, Taco Bell created customer buzz around crave-able product offerings that included the Crispy Melt Taco and the Grilled Cheese Burrito while still providing everyday value through $2 burritos on the Cravings Value Menu," he said. "Strong demand for the Grilled Cheese Burrito is a fantastic example that proves Taco Bell can win in the big burrito category and participate in higher price points while maintaining value leadership."
