It’s always fun to write about food, but especially fun when it feels like there is an underlying sense of competition involved in the introduction of a new menu item or product, something like what happened with Burger King and Wendy’s over those spicy nuggets. So who’s shaking the dinner table this week? Taco Bell has just introduced their own brand of chip in the flavors of their sauces, which are sure to be in direct competition with Doritos.
Starting in May, grocery stores and convenience stores all over will witness, firsthand, the battle of the Mexican-inspired, spicy tortilla chip. The familiar Taco Bell sauce flavors — Mild (including hints of three chili peppers and cumin) and Fire (with jalapeño, chili peppers and paprika) — and a “Classic” tortilla chip that looks and tastes more like something one would use to dip in salsa, simply salted and crispy, will be hitting shelves across the nation.
Our own Life editor Steve Bramucci got to try the chips early and had some flavorful comments of his own:
For a company that works closely with Doritos, these are decidedly un-Doritos-like. First of all, they have a little more bite and a little more crunch to them. More like Paquis chips. In fact, the way the flavor is dusted is similar to Paquis too, so much so that I did some googling to see if they were the same producers. The chips do taste like Taco Bell salsas, which is nice. They aren’t worth losing your mind over in a bag, but will my next nacho supreme be made with them? Hell yes.
Alternate take: Red chips look cool and hot chips are so hot right now.
In a fast food world where custom menus and variation win the day, these will surely succeed. Now the question is, will they keep using Doritos for the Tacos Locos or bring that in-house?
