Just saying “Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco” out loud feels surreal, but given just how many chains have done this, it also feels stale, though there is a particular novelty in Taco Bell doing a chicken sandwich.

It’s a little disappointing, then, that their most recent batch of creativity is actually just their take on the year’s dominant fast-food trend – the classic crispy chicken sandwich.Īdmittedly, in any other context, this concept is just as divinely wacky as any Taco Bell has released. They’ve frequently divided the customer base, enthusiasts, and passive enjoyers alike with this approach – often striking gold and creating a fan favorite only to phase it out in search of the next great creation – and yet they still generate hype with each new release. It would be an unsustainable practice for any other company, especially in building a core menu people can identify with, but Taco Bell has bottled that unsustainability and experimentalism into a subversive marketing principle. They truly seem to delight in throwing anything at a board and seeing what sticks. Past successes include the Double Decker Taco, Doritos Locos Tacos, Volcano Taco, Mexican Pizza, Nacho Fries, Beefy Frito Burrito, and a host of other items. One of its unique appeals lies in its bold concoctions, taking a mad-scientist approach to creating a revolving catalog of big-ticket menu items. My dad ate Taco Bell in the nineties in the backseat of his best friend’s car, and likewise, I have eaten Taco Bell in a variety of cars with a variety of friends over the years. It’s been a generational destination of the after-school culture of riding around town with the homies or meeting up in a parking lot late-night to commiserate or celebrate over delectable, nutritionally confounding food. Taco Bell has always been one of the edgier fast food stops, appealing to generations’ worth of young adults and their insatiable cravings for cheap but satisfying food in bulk. Taco Bell has not only positioned itself as one of the most iconic chains in the fast-food pantheon, but it has also firmly planted its stake in internet and meme culture through the savvy 21st-century advertising and marketing that focuses on brand self-awareness and leaning into self-deprecative trends.

Taco bell volcano box