Taco Bell is something of a genius at keeping its menu items high in people's minds.
One of the ways it does that is by switching up what is on the menu at any given time.
Outpaced only by Mexican pizza, the Nacho Fries are one of Taco Bell's most social media viral offerings -- something about that vaguely Tex-Mex spice coating and cheesy dip sends social media aflutter whenever they reappear on the menu.
When the Nacho Fries first appeared on the Yum! Brands (YUM)-owned chain's menus in 2018, customers bought 53 million orders in just a little less than two months.
As Taco Bell is yet to make them a permanent menu item despite multiple fan petitions, any return causes a massive stir online. Multiple conspiracy theories about why Taco Bell doesn't make them a permanent menu item (some say it's the lack of freezer space) have been popping up on social media platforms like Twitter (TWTR) and Reddit.
Since 2018, Taco Bell has brought back and removed Nacho Fries at least eight times -- most recently, in October (they are still available for purchase for now).
Taco Bell
Grilled Cheese, French Fries, Burritos And More
Those who can't imagine a trip to Taco Bell without this item (the chain once calculated that at one point Nacho Fries were on every third order placed at the chain) need not worry too much as the chain has committed to some new spins.
After going through a pilot run at Taco Bell's across Orlando, the 7-Layer Nacho Fries and a 7-Layer Nacho Fries Burrito launched nationwide on Nov. 17.
While the burrito is exactly what it sounds like (fries inside a burrito), the 7-Layer Nacho Fries feature the same beef, guacamole, black beans, shredded cheddar, low-fat sour cream nacho cheese sauce topping as the Nachos BellGrande but have a fry rather than tortilla base.
Taco Bell has also started testing the Grilled Cheese Nacho Fries in restaurants across Sacramento, California. The fries are also topped with grilled marinated steak, nacho cheese sauce and a chipotle sauce that will then be covered by a mozzarella, cheddar and pepper jack cheese blend that is grilled to get the crunchy feel of the grilled cheese sandwich that many will remember from childhood.
"Finished with a blend of mozzarella, cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, the fries are then grilled to make the cheese on top melty and golden brown," Taco Bell wrote in a release.
The item will cost either $3.49 or $3.99 depending on whether wants steak or ground beef.
Taco Bell
Why Don't Chains Make Beloved LTOs Permanent?
Despite the new items, Taco Bell has continued stressing that the Nacho Fries are on the menu for a "limited time nationwide" -- that period is, thus far, inching toward two months.
As shown with popular McDonald's (MCD) items like the McRib, fan obsession or even social media fame is not always enough for chains to commit to keeping something on the menu permanently.
Despite a large spike in sales and even a small correlation with a strong S&P 500, the Golden Arches found that initial virality of the barbecue pork sandwich peters out into sales that are weaker than its beef burgers over time.
That's why chains need to constantly recreate the "gotta have it now" and "get it while it lasts" phenomenon while looking further ahead -- the McRib is currently in the midst of a dramatic "Farewell Tour" in which customers have "one last chance" to try the sandwich before it goes off the menu for good on Nov. 20.
