Taco Bell changed the fast food game when it introduced the Doritos Locos Taco in 2012. At the time, fast-food chains certainly had limited-time offers (LTOs), but the Yum Brands chain switched up the formula when it partnered with PepsiCo's Frito-Lay brand to create the unique taco shell.
This may not have been the first example of a fast-food chain teaming with a snack chip company, but it was certainly the first to become an international sensation. The Doritos Locos Taco, which was first tested in limited locations around the United States spread by viral word of mouth and via social media.
By the time it got a national release, demand was already sky-high and Taco Bell had a certified hit on its hands.
Related: Taco Bell's new menu item follows McDonald's lead
"In 2012, Taco Bell released the Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Taco everywhere across the country and the rest was history. People were hooked. So hooked, in fact, that Taco Bell had to hire 15,000 more employees and set up four new production lines at the Doritos taco shell factory to meet demand," Thrillist reported.
It was a product created out of the relatively modest idea of trying to rethink Taco Bell's signature taco shell. That worked to a spectacular level as the Yum Brands (YUM) -) chain not only made the Doritos Locos Taco a permanent menu item, it has released all sorts of variants using various other Doritos flavors.
The chain also inspired rival Burger King to introduce its short-lived Mac 'n Cheetos and countless other mashups between snack chips and fast food. What Taco Bell has never been able to do is reach the heights of the original Doritos Locos Taco craze.
That's not for lack of trying as the chain has had various Frito-based offerings (another PepsiCo (PEP) -) brand) and offered the Big Cheez-it Tostada in July 2022. That product got a lot of attention as it was impressive to look at, but proved much less popular than its Doritos offerings.
Now, in its Costa Rica locations, the chain may very well have stumbled upon its next snack chip collaboration that could become a global sensation.
Image source: Taco Bell
Taco Bell takes on a new chip
Takis owner Barcel USA, the American snack division of Grupo Bimbo, describes its flagship product as "rolled tortilla chips." They're marketed around how crunch they are and are sold in a variety of flavors including Fuego, Blue Heat, Intense Nacho, Guacamole, and Zombie, among others.
The company also sells a number of other Takis-related snack chips including Sticks, Hot Nuts, Waves, Crisppz, and Crisps.
Taco Bell has partnered with Barcel to offer a Takis Burrito, albeit, only in Costa Rica for now.
"Taco Bell just dropped a new TAKIS BURRITO in Costa Rica and I have to say this one sounds like a must-bring to the states kind of item," Snackolator posted on Instagram.
"It's basically a burrito with sour cream and actual Takis inside which is pretty simple but I'd think that crunch and spice would make for a really nice snack," the social media site shared.
The Takis Burrito is served with a salsa cheese dipping sauce, according to the image posted on Instagram.
Taco Bell grows internationally
Like rivals McDonald's and Burger King, Taco Bell U.S. sometimes takes innovations from global markets and brings them to their home country. There's no exact formula for when that happens, but a big seller in one market that's not using flavors unique to that market would certainly be a candidate.
Taco Bell has been growing its store base around the world. That's something Yum Brands CEO David Gibbs talked about during his chain's third-quarter earnings call.
"Taco Bell International delivered 16% system sales growth driven by 23% unit growth and 1% same-store sales growth," he shared.
The chain has not only been growing, but it's also investing in improving its in-store operations.
"We continue to focus on delivering a seamless digital experience for our consumers, enabling easier operations for our team members and harnessing our expansive data to make fast and informed decisions. We frame up this approach through three lenses: easy experiences, easy operations, and easy insights. Within easy experiences, we successfully rolled out the Yum! Commerce platform to the Taco Bell system last quarter," Gibbs shared.
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