Taco Bell is reviving five menu items from past decades for a limited time.
The nostalgic menu includes items like the Tostada, Meximelt, and Gordita Supreme.
We tried the new Decades menu, and the Caramel Apple Empanada was our clear favorite.
Taco Bell is the latest fast-food brand to bank on nostalgia, with a new limited-time menu featuring fan-favorite items from the past.
When the first Taco Bell restaurant opened in Downey, California, in 1962, it offered five items: frijoles, tostadas, burritos, tacos, and a chili burger. The menu has undergone multiple changes since, often removing and re-releasing fan favorites like the Mexican Pizza.
Now, Taco Bell hopes to evoke a sense of nostalgia in customers with its new "Decades" menu, which features five previously discontinued items.
The menu includes the Tostada from the original 1960s menu, the Green Sauce Burrito from the '70s, the Meximelt from the '80s, the '90s-era Gordita Supreme, and the Caramel Apple Empanada of the 2000s.
This isn't the first time a fast-food chain has leaned into nostalgia to win over customers.
Wendy's launched a collaboration with Paramount, which owns Nickelodeon, and "SpongeBob SquarePants," to celebrate the series' 25th anniversary with a limited-edition burger inspired by the Krabby Patty and a pineapple-flavored milkshake.
It came on the heels of McDonald's launching limited-edition cups inspired by iconic Happy Meal toys and its viral Grimace-themed shake, which paid homage to the character first introduced in the 1970s.
Nostalgia can pay off. In July 2023, McDonald's reported the Grimace shake helped boost sales by more than 10% during the quarter the campaign launched, while Fast Company reported that in the days after Burger King's rebrand, customer visits increased by 39%.
We tried all five items on Taco Bell's new Decades menu and ranked them from our least favorite to our favorite.
5. Tostada
Original release: The tostada, with its refried beans, tangy red sauce, lettuce, and shredded cheese layered over a crunchy corn tostada shell, was part of Taco Bell's original 1962 menu, but it was discontinued in 2020.
Price: $2.19
Note: All prices listed here may vary in different markets.
The soft refried beans and tangy sauce perfectly complemented the crispy corn shell.
Anneta: The corn shell was satisfyingly crispy, and the refried beans on top were well-distributed across the tostada. They also packed a punch of delicious flavor thanks to the red sauce.
But I found the lettuce to be limp and distracting, especially since it covered the rest of the ingredients. Customizing the tostada with some pico de gallo would help, but otherwise, I'd probably skip this.
Priyanka: I usually prefer crispy-shell tacos over soft ones, so I enjoyed biting into this crunchy tostada. It felt like I was eating one giant, perfectly layered nacho, minus the melted cheese and sour cream. And while initially this looked more like a side dish than a main dish because of its size, I realized how filling it was after a couple of bites.
However, I thought the tostada was a bit bland and would've benefited from another layer of hot sauce or some pico de gallo.
4. Gordita Supreme
Original release: The Gordita Supreme, which appeared on Taco Bell's menu in the '90s, features a flatbread shell filled with seasoned beef, sour cream, lettuce, diced tomatoes, and a three-cheese blend of mozzarella, cheddar, and Monterey Jack.
Price: $2.99
The fluffy flatbread was the star of the Gordita Supreme.
Anneta: The flatbread was the best part of my Gordita Supreme. It was warm, soft, and delightfully pillowy. But with no additional sauce and your standard rotation of veggies — lettuce and tomato — there just wasn't much flavor to it. I doused my Gordita Supreme with some avocado verde salsa, which helped a little.
I think this really needs some pico de gallo and purple cabbage, two new ingredients for Taco Bell that helped elevate its fantastic Cantina Chicken Menu.
Priyanka: Since I don't eat red meat, I swapped the beef for chicken, which I thought complemented the other ingredients well.
The light layer of sour cream gave the folded wrap a nice pop of freshness alongside the lettuce and diced tomatoes, and the chicken was well-seasoned. However, this dish would be better if the flatbread were lightly grilled or toasted.
3. The green sauce burrito
Original release: The green sauce burrito, which debuted in 1970, was among the chain's most loved and replicated items until it was discontinued. The burrito contains refried beans, onions, cheddar cheese, and a spicy green sauce made from green chili, tomatillos, jalapeños, and spices.
Price: $2.49
The simplicity of the ingredients used in this burrito allowed the green sauce's flavors to shine.
Anneta: I don't usually go for a bean burrito at Taco Bell (I'm all about the Grilled Cheese Burrito and, more recently, the Cantina Chicken Burrito), but the Green Burrito took me by surprise. The green sauce brings so much flavor and elevates the entire burrito, adding subtle heat and pairing perfectly with the delicious refried beans.
My only wish is that my burrito had more crunchy onions for a little extra texture. But I couldn't resist finishing the entire dish, even though it was the last item I tried on the Decades menu.
Priyanka: It took a few bites before I reached the oozing refried beans and crunchy onions, but once I did, the burrito was flavorful. Even though it was made using simple ingredients, it came together well, and I liked that it didn't contain rice.
To elevate it slightly, I'd add some pico de gallo and request that my tortilla be extra toasty next time, but it was a solid dish.
2. Meximelt
Original release: TheMeximelt was on Taco Bell's menu for 30 years before it was discontinued in 2019. The dish, which first appeared in the '80s, features a tortilla full of seasoned beef, pico de gallo, and a three-cheese blend of mozzarella, cheddar, and Monterey Jack.
Price: $2.99
The Meximelt tasted super fresh and was packed with so much flavor.
Anneta: The ingredient list in the Meximelt is simple and short, but each one is performing at its peak. The pico de gallo added a burst of freshness to every bite, and the three-cheese blend was perfectly melted, wrapping up the beef in a deliciously cheesy hug.
I usually douse my Taco Bell order in hot sauce, but there was so much juice and flavor in the beef of the Meximelt that I completely forgot to add it. Even my boyfriend, who isn't a huge Taco Bell fan, was impressed.
Priyanka: Similar to the Gordita Supreme, I swapped the beef in the Meximelt for a layer of chicken, and I'm glad I did!
At first glance, I thought it looked a lot like the Gordita Supreme and would probably taste the same. But with the first bite, I was proven wrong. The tortilla was a bit thinner than the Gordita's flatbread, which I preferred since it allowed the flavors of the other ingredients to shine through.
1. Caramel Apple Empanada
Original release: The caramel apple empanada was first introduced in 2004 as part of Taco Bell's Big Bell Value Menu but was discontinued in 2019. The sweet treat consists of apple pieces and a creamy caramel filling encased in a crispy pastry.
Price: $3.65
The Caramel Apple Empanada was our clear favorite from the Decades menu.
Anneta: I was a hugefanof Taco Bell's Cheesy Chicken Crispanada, released for a limited time earlier this year, so I had high hopes for the Caramel Apple Empanada — and it delivered.
My empanada came out piping hot. As I took my first bite, the crispy shell immediately gave way to the warm and lovely filling. The shell had a great crunch and a super satisfying flakiness. The empanada also had plenty of juicy apple chunks, which paired well with the subtle hints of caramel.
This is a great sweet treat, especially for the chilly winter season. My only complaint is that it isn't a permanent menu item!
Priyanka: A bite of this crunchy, creamy empanada instantly put me in the holiday spirit. I've tried apple pies from various fast-food chains, but this one stands out for its perfectly crisp golden pastry and well-balanced apple caramel filling. I ate my dessert about 15 minutes after I'd received it, but when I took it out of its paper sleeve, I could still feel the warmth, which was very impressive given the cold weather outside.
I also loved not having to work through layers of crispy dough to get to the heart of the dish: the filling. The two were perfectly balanced right from the first bite. The tart apples and salted caramel paired beautifully without being overly sweet. If there's one item on this menu you shouldn't miss, it's the dessert!
When Business Insider contacted Taco Bell about the menu and our thoughts on it, the brand said it "is proud to have been able to provide fans with new and authentic innovations for decades."
It added, "As our fans continue to call for the legendary mouth-watering favorites that they miss, or that they have only heard about and never got the chance to experience, the Decades Menu is reintroducing the classics from the first five decades to connect generations of Taco Bell fans with nostalgic flavors that have withstood the test of time."
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