Unlike many of its competitors, Taco Bell is known for its constantly fluctuating menu -- the Yum Brands (YUM)-owned chain will constantly test new limited-edition products and use sales and fan reactions to judge which to make permanent or bring back again for another try.
Mexican Pizza is by far the most famous example but Taco Bell has recently also asked social media to weigh in on which of two old-school classics should make a comeback. The Enchirito, which was first launched in 1970 but pulled in 2013, beat out the Double Decker Taco.
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The latest new product being tested by Taco Bell was first spotted by the fast-food website Chewboom.
The New Taco Bell Product Is Crispy, Cheesy, and Chicken-y
The Cheesy Chicken Crispanada is a take on the South American pastry (the empanada) that the chain describes as "crisped to perfection" and filled with shredded chicken and a three-cheese blend.
Just like the chicken wings Taco Bell first introduced for a few weeks at the start of 2022, the crispanada will come with a side of ranch dressing for dipping.
Taco Bell is reportedly selling them at participating locations in Knoxville, Tennessee but scant details exist on everything from price to availability and whether there will be a nationwide rollout.
But at least for those in Tennessee, social media is aflutter over a product that is different from what has currently been available at Taco Bell -- the only permanent item that resembles a chicken sandwich is the chicken quesadilla.
"Can confirm it’s good asf," one Knoxville resident wrote on Twitter.
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While chicken is not the main protein on Taco Bell's menu, the chain has experimented with it in various LTOs. In February 2022, Taco Bell briefly tested two takes on the Cantina Crispy Chicken Taco at some locations in Sacramento, California. The sandwich was a take on the viral fried chicken sandwich with breaded crispy chicken meat in a grilled tortilla wrap.
The reason Taco Bell, as well as countless other chains, have been trying to bring chicken to its menus dates back to 2019 -- that summer, the chicken sandwich made by Restaurant Brands International (QSR) Popeye's went so viral that down-the-block lines started appearing at many restaurants.
Many brands have been trying to achieve the same level of success for the four years that followed -- both classic competitors like Chick-fil-A and even more distant chains like Starbucks (SBUX) and Panera Bread have introduced their own takes on the chicken sandwich.
At Taco Bell, beef and beans are more common on the menu but long-standing chicken items include the chicken quesadilla and the Chicken Chipotle Melt. The chicken wings were brought back to the menu briefly in the winter of 2023 but tend to sell out very fast due to low availability.
"You've seen it in a number of other industries where the consumer does want to interact more and more online because it is easier and it is more personalized," Taco Bell's Chief Digital Officer Zipporah Allen told TheStreet in an exclusive February 2022 interview. "But the way that I think about our digital experience and our restaurant experience is wanting to meet the customer where they are.”
