Heartburn for $2.50, plus tax
Written: Apr 28 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Cheap food, open late
Cons: Bland food, inconsistent quality
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| atara's Full Review: Taco Bell |
Let me start this off by saying this: I used to work here. Am I biased? Perhaps. But it's been almost 8 years since I worked there, so I think I've gained a little distance from the restaurant chain.
Taco Bell is a staple in any college diet. The university I attended was blessed with a Taco Bell directly across the street from campus. We were doubly blessed that the place was still open when the bars were just closing at 2am. What's better to round off a night of drinking and partying than gooey burritos filled with guacamole?
(Ick.)
Anyway, Taco Bell's talking chihuahua seems only to be interested in the "expensive" items on the menu. No wonder, from a marketing standpoint, but Taco Bell has many cheap alternatives to offer. The restaurant near me has 29 cent taco days - all plain hard shelled tacos are 29 cents! Even on regular days, a $2 bill could conceivably feed you, with change left over. For a really filling meal, you should expect to pay about $4, including the drink. (And save money by taking it to go!)
But, what about the food?
Aah, I'm glad you asked. Chalupas and gorditos aside, the food is basic "mexican-style" food. Taco Bell has been accused of many health-related atrocities, but they have cleaned up their act considerably. To be safe, however, order a "special" item - add sour cream or get it without tomatoes - so they'll be forced to make the food fresh, and thus avoid the Bell's most common food-handling violation.
The consistency of the pinto beans, the staple of many of their menu items, can vary considerably depending on which employee mixes them. They should be slightly stiff, not watery and goopy. Also, if your burrito "shell" (called a "flour") is crusty on the edges, demand a new burrito. The burrito flours should be smooth and pliable all the way to the edges.
A real crowd pleaser are the hard-shelled tacos. If you're throwing a party it's nice to buy a few ten-packs of tacos for your guests. If you're on a date (augh! Go to a real restaurant!) you might want to get a taco salad and split it between the two of you. If you're allergic to the herb cilantro, ask that they put no pico sauce on your food. Pico sauce is in most of their menu items, such as the Mexi-Melt and Mexican Pizza.
Taco Bell is definitely not the place for health-nuts. Their so-called "vegetarian" items, such as bean burritos, do contain meat products! The pinto beans are made using pork by-products to give them their flavor. A substance almost resembling cheese is draped on almost every menu item, driving up the fat content and the total calories. And not even their Wild Sauce can disguise the bland flavoring of their food.
When I go to Taco Bell, I am in one of two moods. Mood one: I'm starving. I'll order two hard shelled tacos and two bean burritos (extra cheese) and get a large Mountain Dew. To go. Price: about $3.80. Taste: Eh. I'm hungry... I really don't care. Mood two: I'm not starving. So I'll order a taco salad (no obligatory olive slice, please) and a large Mountain Dew. Price: about $4.70. Taste: Excellent.
(Interesting how you have to pay extra for good food, hmm?)
It's not fancy, it's not perfect, and it doesn't even taste that good... But when you're out at 2am and you only have $2 left in your wallet, make a run for the border. Just don't forget your antacid.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
atara
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Reviews written: 26
Trusted by: 13 members
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