Unique Things At Taco Bell You Take For Granted

"Live Más." To all of you who skipped Spanish class in high school (you naughty students), those two words are Taco Bell's way of advising their customers to live life to its fullest. Anyone who's walked into one of their establishments and experienced life through Taco Bell's metaphorical eyes knows they're right. Why wouldn't you have the urge to let loose on their assortment of delicious foods and unleash the Spanish side that lives in us all? Yea, live más.

Taco Bell knows what customers want when it comes to Mexican cuisine, and they go out of their way to serve up unique things only found when thinking outside the bun. But, have you ever walked into a fast food place with a craving for something Taco Bell-ish only to suddenly come to the horrific realization you can't scratch that itch? Uh oh. You just made a grave mistake. 

That mistake was taking those exclusive items only found at Taco Bell for granted. It's far too easy to do, and the thing about Taco Bell is there's a whole bunch of unique items we're so used to getting, we don't even realize you can't get them anywhere else. Shame on us.

Mountain Dew knows people have the urge to "do the Dew" on occasion (or, to all you adrenaline junkies out there, frequently), so they have several varieties of their drink to crack open and pour down your gullet while holding it a foot above your face. However, there's only one fountain version of Mountain Dew you can get exclusively at Taco Bell, and that, friends, is the Baja Blast.

The Taco Bell tagline states the flavor is a " tropical lime storm," and anyone who's taken a big ol' sip to the face knows how very true that description is. There aren't many carbonated drinks that dispense from soda machines with an epic aquamarine color, but then again, Baja Blast ain't your average carbonated drink. Hitting Taco Bell's menu in 2004, the soda's apparently specially formulated to pair perfectly with the flavor profiles of their food. You can find the flavor bottled in some grocery stores depending on the season, but it just doesn't taste the same when it's not fresh from the fountain — and that's something you can only get at Taco Bell.

It took eight years for the company to up the ante and offer the Baja Blast Freeze, which is basically a slushy with the same great taste. Anyone who loves Mountain Dew knows how righteous Baja Blast is, but in order to find yourself lucky enough to snag one straight from a fountain, there's only one place to go.

While some people prefer a soft tortilla to hold snug their fixins, others know the textural crunch of a taco shell adds an irreplaceable layer to their dining experience. Let's be honest here: When you picture a taco, the thought of a tortilla doesn't even come to mind. No, that crunchy outer jacket is what you envision, and many of us shell-heads thought there was simply no enhancing them. Of course, that was until Taco Bell got involved and blew us all away. 

The creatives at Taco Bell pondered the "how do we kick the taco shell game up from 10 to 11" question intensely, and that's when a "Eureka!" moment hit. They knew people loved Doritos chips, and a taco shell is essentially a flavorless tortilla chip, so why not have a Doritos taco shell?  

It was 2009 — three years before Taco Bell celebrated its 50th anniversary — when CEO Greg Creed ordered his creative team to "reinvent the crunchy taco," and man, did they hit that request out of the park. He figured if places like Subway kept coming out with new flavored buns, Taco Bell could do something along the same lines. Just remember though: When you order tacos anywhere else, plain is the unfortunate name of the shell game. 

Everyone has a favorite meal when they go to Taco Bell. Some like Gorditas, others prefer Chalupas, but an overwhelming majority of people will announce two words with the same fervor of a powerful dictator: "Crunchwrap Supreme!" And they should. It has layers of lettuce, tomato, cheese sauce, sour cream, jalapeno puree, and the textural crunch of a shell all wrapped in a warm tortilla (a crunchwrap Snuggie some might say). Yea, Crunchwrap Supremes have it all. 

What you don't have, however, is the luxury of ordering anything like this at any fast food location but Taco Bell. Try asking for one at any other Mexican restaurant. You know what they'll say?  "I'm sorry, but you need to go to Taco Bell for that." Then, you'll look at them with astonishment (and probably disgust) and realize just how exclusive those discuses of flavor are.  

2005 was the epic year the product hit Taco Bell like a sledgehammer. It was the restaurant's most successful product introduction at the time, and one year later it was a permanent menu addition. They knew they had something special, so when the craving hits, Taco Bell's your host with the most.

If you're one of those people whose eyes glance past the Crunchwrap Supreme while staring at Taco Bell's menu (you know who you are), you still have plenty of other options. You'll find something that fills the voracious void building in your stomach. You can grab yourself a handful of tacos. You can opt for one of their quesadillas. Or, you can handle your decision the correct way and choose the path of the Chalupa. Why? Because even though the filling might be similar to other items, the slightly crispy, slightly crunchy, but always deliciously flaky shells demand it. And you're the type who responds positively to demands.

The Chalupa shell is a delicately fried flatbread that plays on the palate with a gentle crunch. They're bigger than regular tacos so you get more bang for your buck, and honestly, that toasty brown coloring just looks... delicious. Taco Bell knew Chalupas were a killer choice, but they also knew something even better was possible.

How so? Baking six month-aged cheddar into the flatbread before sending it into a deep-fry bubble bath. On September 12, 2019, Chalupa enthusiasts rejoiced at the new concoction, as did their taste buds. Go to Taco Bell, eat a Chlupa, and return home happy. Three simple steps we can all follow... but only if we go to Taco Bell.

Now, none of us go to Taco Bell with dessert on the mind. No, we have an urge for savory delights, so that's what we order. But, keep in mind that Taco Bell does have an assortment of post-meal treats to wrap up a meaty meal. You can always choose the classic Cinnamon Twists since they offer a nice sweet crunch, but what about when something moist and warm's the only thing you're after? Well, fear not hungry patrons. Taco Bell graciously has you covered.

Cinnabon Delights are an explosion of richness that coats the mouth and sends eyes rolling into the back of the head with, well, delight! They might look like your average doughnut holes you can purchase by the dozen at any pastry place, but let's take a look inside, shall we? It's the filling that sets them apart from those boring spheres of dough. Each Delight is pumped full of Cinnabon's signature cream frosting (are you drooling yet?).

That's not all, though. The decadent bite-sized morsels are also rolled in Cinnabon's trademark Makara cinnamon and sugar. Looking at the finished product makes you wonder why there wasn't an 11th Commandment stating "Thou shalt always finish a meal at Taco Bell with Cinnabon Delights."

Since we don't all have an endless supply of funds sitting nicely in our bank accounts, sometimes we need to cut back our expenses and act a little frugal. While frugality might get you next to nothing at many places, Taco Bell knows not every customer can spend money willy-nilly, and so they came up with a grand solution: Incorporate a value menu actually worth making the trip for. Most menus designed for penny pinchers are pretty bare, but not here. No way.

There are eight delicious choices to pick from, and here's the best part: They're each only $1! That's right, just shell out four measly quarters for either — ready for this — a Beefy Fritos Burrito, Shredded Chicken Mini Quesadilla, Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito, Cheesy Roll Up, Spicy Tostada, Cinnamon Twists, Spicy Potato Soft Taco, or the Triple Layer Nachos. Whew!

It's pretty incredible Taco Bell allows one dollar to stretch so far. But, then again, shame on any place that doesn't. If there's no shame in your game, Taco Bell has you covered in more ways than one (eight to be exact).