Taco Bell menu brings back spicy fan favorites nationwide

Taco Bell customers never know exactly what to expect when they visit the chain. That’s because the menu changes regularly and every time you stop in there might be something different or an old favorite might make a return appearance.

In recent years, the Yum Brands (YUM) chain has also pushed the edges of what customers can expect from what has traditionally been a Mexican menu. That has included adding french fries and chicken nuggets — two items that it has borrowed from fast-food burger chains.

Taco Bell has also been incredibly inventive when it comes to its core menu. That started with the Doritos Locos Taco, a product that has led to countless spinoffs that have given the chain endless attention.

And while Taco Bell has received a lot of media attention for its wackier innovations like its taco that used fried chicken as its shell, its bread and butter has been adding new twists to its classic menu items. That might mean adding a new sauce, a different topping, or playing with variations of its classic taco shell.

Now, the chain has brought back a number of fan-favorite menu items that offer a novel twist on some of its classic menu items.

Taco Bell has regularly added special variants of its classic taco shells. Image source: Taco Bell

Taco Bell brings back its Lava menu

Taco Bell has no set schedule for when it brings back popular menu items. Unlike McDonald’s which has items like the Shamrock Shake which comes back around the same time each year, the chain keeps people guessing.

That makes it especially exciting when the chain brings back a fan favorite that customers have regulalry requested on social media. In this case, Taco Bell has added its Lava items back to its menu without much in the way of fanfare.

“Taco Bell has quietly brought back the Volcano Taco, Double Beef Volcano Burrito, and Lava Sauce to menus nationwide for a limited time. Taco Bell’s Volcano Taco features seasoned beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and Lava sauce inside of a red crunch taco shell,” Fast Food Post reported.

The chain has also brought back the associated “Lava Sauce,” a spicy sauce that mixes a cheese blend and various peppers.

Taco Bell has not shared how long the Lava Menu will be around, but it’s available now at its locations nationwide.

“The Double Beef Volcano Burrito includes double the seasoned beef (as compared to the Beefy Melt Burrito), cheddar cheese, seasoned rice, fiesta strips, reduced-fat sour cream, and Lava sauce, wrapped inside a warm flour tortilla,” the website reported.

Taco Bell has been growing

Yum Brands CEO David Gibbs raved about Taco Bell during his company’s third-quarter earnings call.

“Taco Bell is in a class of its own in the domestic QSR category as a culturally iconic brand and clear leader in value perception with the most crave-worthy food in the industry. Taco Bell has unmatched menu flexibility, exceptional pricing power, industry-leading unit economics, and world-class franchise partners,” he shared.

Globally Taco Bell deliverd 11% system sales growth in Q3, led by 8% same-store sales growth and 5% unit growth. At Taco Bell U.S., system sales grew 11% with 8% same-store sales growth and 3% unit growth.

In the coming year, while it’s not reflected with the Lava Menu, Taco Bell plans to lean heavily in expanding beyond beef.

“A key component of the magic formula is mass occasions, the brand’s personal expression of building new category entry points. One such example is the growth in chicken offerings, which the team plans to further expand with the launch of its Cantina menu,” he added.

Taco Bell has also leaned into improving and expanding its loyalty program.

“Another component of this brand’s success is digital, which includes loyalty. While at Taco Bell, loyalty customer already spends 40% more per year than a traditional customer, the consumer feedback we’ve received indicates that we can do an even better job at creating more obvious and exciting ways to both earn and redeem rewards,” Gibbs shared.