12 Foods You Might Want To Reconsider Ordering At Taco Bell

Taco Bell has been offering Tex-Mex cuisine at affordable prices since its inception during the swinging sixties. Since then, it has expanded its menu according to the ever changing needs of foodies. From secret menu items to classic Mexican staples such as burritos and quesadillas, Taco Bell provides no shortage of flavors and appetizing aromas on a budget. What's more, the company has long been renowned for its diverse menu, with many of the offerings being accidentally vegetarian.

However, not everything available is truly scrumptious. While we can't always expect the finest cuisine from a fast food joint, there are certain standards that even the fastest of fast food chains really ought to abide by. Just because one is in the mood for a budget-friendly burrito at 2:00 a.m., it doesn't mean it should compromise on taste. Additionally, Taco Bell has been known to engage in some rather dubious and eyecatching cooking techniques throughout the years, which just may make you think twice before placing that order.

Of course, the majority of food at Taco Bell is undeniably delicious and packed with zesty and fulfilling flavors. But there are always going to be a few duds in an otherwise tantalizing selection, particularly considering that the restaurant's menu is pretty lengthy and varied. Let's take a look at which items  you should think twice about before parting with your dough. Here are 12 foods you might want to reconsider ordering at Taco Bell.

Whereas a number of fast food restaurants offer healthy options, many of Taco Bell's items are heavy on the grease. It should come as little surprise, then, that the Beefy 5-Layer Burrito is one such item.

As the name suggests, this layered burrito is stacked full of beef and beans, with layers of cheese, including regular and nacho, along with sour cream. The Taco Bell website even makes a point of noting that this one doesn't come with lettuce or any other added veggies. It contains 7 grams of saturated fat, which makes up 35% of the recommended daily amount, and 55% of an adult's recommended daily sodium intake. The American Heart Foundation highlights that excess saturated fat can cause high cholesterol, and advises that one's diet should consist of around 5% to 6% of saturated fat, a mere fraction of what the Beefy 5-Layer Burrito offers. High levels of sodium can cause similar health problems over time. It should be noted, though, that folks can still enjoy foods high in fat and salt in moderation.

So while there's nothing wrong with indulging in salty comfort food every so often, many argue that the Beefy 5-Layer Burrito simply isn't worth it. On Reddit, users have lamented that it's almost always a hit and miss item, based entirely around how dry the beef and beans are. When Taco Bell gets the consistency wrong, this burrito can taste pretty disgusting.

Having been discontinued in the '90s, the Chili Cheese Burrito was brought back to Taco Bell menus nationwide following a public outcry. This burrito is pretty simple, and as the name suggests, it contains little more than heaps of chili and cheese. Here's the problem, though, the shredded cheddar cheese may prove just a tad too inauthentic for cheese lovers. As detailed on the Taco Bell website, the shredded cheese is made with an anti-caking agent, also known as cellulose. There's been much controversy surrounding cellulose in recent years, as it's made with wood pulp.

As Eater notes, there was concern over the potential dangers of wood pulp in cheese following an investigation by Bloomberg. However, food safety specialists say that the problem with wood pulp lies not in the supposed dangers (it is, overall, a safe ingredient as long as it doesn't exceed 4%), but in the fact that it's ultimately used to dupe consumers into believing that food is healthier than it is. "I'm not of the opinion that it's necessarily harmful, of all the additives out there," explained Jaydee Hanson of the Center for Food Safety. "It's just a cheap way to make a product appear to be healthier than it is. But you probably want to get your fiber from whole wheat instead of whole wood." So, if you're a cheese aficionado you may want to reconsider eating Taco Bell's wood pulp-infused burrito.

The Mexican Pizza is a scrumptious delicacy, but it needs to be done right. Although it was once a fan favorite, Taco Bell's version of Mexican Pizza has proven one of the most reviled items on the menu as of late. This is largely due to the new recipe the company introduced in 2022, which was apparently near unrecognizable from the original Mexican Pizza that fans came to love. 

As The Street reports, angry consumers vented their frustrations on Twitter, lamenting that the shell is too greasy and lacks the crunch of the original recipe. One customer tweeted a rather revolting snap of their pizza, which resembled a cheesy, gelatinous mess. "It was a hard shell with a couple scoops of beef and beans smashed together with another shell," they vented. Meanwhile, others complained about the apparently gooey taste and messy eating experience.

According to some Reddit users, it's the worst item on the menu due to the sogginess, sloppiness, and overall antiquated and bland flavors. A review by TheReportOfTheWeek echoes such sentiments, with the blogger opening the pizza box to unveil something that looks, at best, like smushed lasagna. He also notes that it's severely lacking in spices and flavor, with this one proving a far cry from the company's Mexican Pizza of yesteryear. After all, Taco Bell is not a pizza joint, so those looking for an authentic Mexican pie might want to consider avoiding this one and stopping by a dedicated pizzeria instead.

One of the most simple items on the Taco Bell menu, the Cheesy Roll Up is, well, little more than rolled up cheese. The company melts its three cheese blend, which is then encased in a flour tortilla. When it comes to the ingredients listed, there's no denying that, as simple as this may be, it's also one of the most processed items on the Taco Bell menu. It contains American Cheese, which, as Healthline points out, is one of the unhealthiest cheeses around, increasing one's risk of developing atherosclerosis, a build-up of fat and cholesterol in the arteries.

Moreover, at $1, some folks on Reddit argue that it simply isn't worth the money. "I got it once when I was young and was like 'Wow! What a waste of a dollar!'" one irate user wrote. "It's not even worth a dollar! 50 cents at most! It is not even a quesadilla, it is the flattest little strip of tortilla with the least amount of cheese inside. Usually, it's just mostly tortilla."

Indeed, Taco Bell has been known to skimp on the cheese in the roll ups, as one unlucky restaurant patron in California found out. Writing on Trip Advisor, the disgruntled consumer posted a snap of their sorry excuse for a roll up, which was 90% tortilla, with a few crumbs of shredded cheese dispersed inside. Ick!

In recent years, Taco Bell has made strides towards offering consumers more vegetarian options. But the Black Beans and Rice arguably isn't the best veggie meal on the menu. Much like the restaurant's beans, Taco Bell's rice is cooked in a rather unappealing way. 

A restaurant employee posted a TikTok video that detailed the rice-making process, which involves dunking dry rice in boiling water and oil. "I worked for TB for 2 years. This is indeed how it is made," commented one user. "Their beans are made similarly, just no oil and a bunch of water with dehydrated beans that look like rabbit food." Additionally, a review by Timmy's Takeout highlights that the Black Beans and Rice does taste super processed, which is to be expected from the menu's manufacturing methods. The blogger also states that the beans are rather bland, so there are certainly other, more flavorful options that you can order from the fast food chain's menu.

While this option is by no means one of the unhealthiest Taco Bell offerings, CNN recommends that carb-conscious individuals should reconsider eating the Black Beans and Rice. This is due to the high carb content. This dish, however, contains no saturated fat, though it does have a high sodium content. And like the Cheesy Gordita Crunch Supreme, the rice contains maltodextrin, which may be unsuitable for those who need to closely monitor their blood sugar levels.

As previously mentioned, Taco Bell typically uses frozen potatoes, so those looking for freshly made sides should reconsider ordering the Nacho Fries. As a former employee explained on Quora, "Pretty much everything is frozen. It's all delivered frozen and stored. The nacho chips are also frozen but they're uncooked and are fried every morning." The nacho cheese sauce has a similarly inauthentic and manufactured feel to it. Eater suggests that it has a chemical consistency hence the plasticky yellow color, which, truth be told, hardly sounds appealing and is indicative of low-quality ingredients. As for the fries, the outlet argues that, despite a crispy exterior, they're too mushy to be considered appetizing.

A user on Reddit agrees that there is something off about the nacho sauce, arguing that it only works on chips as opposed to potatoes, and advising that shredded cheddar is preferable to the nacho variety. "It honestly tastes like gas station nacho cheese, and that's not a good thing," they wrote.

Furthermore, you may want to reconsider ordering these fries if you're looking for a healthy side. Taco Bell certainly has numerous healthy options on its menu, but these aren't among them. As WebMD points out, nacho sauce is one of the unhealthiest sauces around, containing hefty amounts of salt, which can potentially cause heightened cholesterol when consumed in excess. According to Fast Food Nutrition, Taco Bell really does pack on the sodium with its Nacho Fries, containing 26% of the recommended daily intake.