The Taco Bell Cheese Theory A TikToker Debunked

As the old saying goes: Where there's smoke, there's fire. Well, there's some considerable smoke emanating from TikTok about Taco Bell and its cheese that supposedly succumbs to no fire.

The fast-food chain has suffered a number of scandals in the past including one in which their seasoned beef came under attack for only being 36% real, according to The Daily Meal. That one was allegedly debunked after Taco Bell released a publicity campaign showcasing employees talking about the legitimacy of the meat. The most recent scandal, however, used TikTok as its battleground.

In a TikTok video, Caleb Lennon addresses an ostensible barrage of customer complaints who were attacking Taco Bell's cheese. It seems Lennon was pushed over the edge by a TikTok comment stating simply, "Bcuz their cheese don't melt." It was not the first time someone called it: Uber Facts unleashed a scathing criticism on the franchise through its Twitter account in October 2013. The tweet stated: "The shredded 'cheddar cheese' on Taco Bell's tacos doesn't melt when put to fire, it burns. Real cheese is supposed to melt."

Caleb Lennon (The self-proclaimed Taco Bell King), whom it seems, may also be an employee of the franchise (judging by his contribution in the video), demonstrated that Taco Bell's cheese can melt.

The video shows him adding what seems to be grated cheddar onto a piece of parchment paper atop a grill in a commercial kitchen setting. According to his video narrative, it takes about fifteen seconds before the cheese melts completely and bubbles away merrily, which is the standard melting time for real cheese in a microwave, per Microwave Meal Prep.

One commenter displayed an appetite for chaos when they demanded that the grill be closed on the melting cheese to see what a mess it would make. Another commenter was amused at Lennon's loyalty to the brand, and someone else suggested that the issue was not the cheese but the fast food chain's employees. This comment opened another can of worms with arguments that brought up issues of corporate standards, quality control, and employee indifference. While the comment string holds criticisms of varying relevance, there may be some valuable nuggets there for the Taco Bell higher-ups.