Brought to menus at the start of 2018 as the kind of limited-time promotion for which the Yum Brands (YUM) -owned chain Taco Bell is known, Nacho Fries sold 53 million orders in the first two months after launch and made up roughly a quarter of all Taco Bell items sold that year.
But despite the fact that they retain the place of Taco Bel’s best-selling item every year, what is essentially regular french fries seasoned with a mysterious “Tex Mex” blend are not always available for purchase. For reasons that give way to speculation about whether it has to do with freezer space or just to drum up excitement around the item, Taco Bell has brought back and later removed Nacho Fries from its menus 10 times between 2018 and 2024.
The latest spicy iteration of the hit favorite arrives at Taco Bell locations across the country this spring.
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The new item is named Secret Aardvark Nacho Fries and is made with the hot ranch sauce from the namesake company the chain has partnered with. Other toppings to make these fries “loaded” include slow-roasted chicken, a three-cheese blend, nacho cheese sauce, sour cream, and pico de gallo salsa.
Cult favorite Nacho Fries coming back for 11th time
Nacho Fries will be available at locations across the country as of April 25 for $4.99. It is one of the new items that Taco Bell announced at its Live Más! event in Las Vegas last February.
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“We’re thrilled to bring back fan-favorite Nacho Fries for their 11th return, in a whole new way, with an extra flavorful partnership with Secret Aardvark,” Taco Bell’s Global Food Innovations Officer Liz Matthews said in a statement. “Secret Aardvark’s dedication to bold flavors and culinary innovation makes them the perfect partner for Taco Bell and our iconic Nacho Fries.”
Taco Bell promises to take ‘flavor exploration to new heights’ (here’s what that actually means)
To promote the new item, Taco Bell is partnering with Portland-based artist Bryce Wong and doing a drop in which the first 300 Fire Tier! loyalty program members to log into the Taco Bell app on April 23 will get a “special secret drop” (most likely a free order).
While Taco Bell started out offering Nacho Fires, they were a simple order of fries with cheese-based dipping sauce, the Secret Aardvark version is the latest in a series of “loaded” versions” — in 2022, the chain partnered with hot sauce company TRUFF for one with hot sauce and steak while in April 2023 there was a Spicy Habanero version.
“Together, we’re taking flavor exploration to new heights, ensuring our fans experience the ultimate taste sensation with every bite,” Matthews said further — a phrase that usually means experimenting with different ingredients beyond the original fries and side of cheese-based dipping sauce which earned the item its cult following. The different versions help catch customer attention and get them to try something new but the original Nacho Fries are still the cult favorite that spurs numerous petitions and customer complaints about why Taco Bell doesn’t just make it a permanent item.
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