Fast-food chains are notorious for dropping limited-time menu items to get people in the drive-thru, then axing them just as quickly. Taco Bell is a master at the art of drool-worthy temporary items, leading to a weird combination of cult-like followings and frustrated fans who can’t get what they crave.
But many of those fans are thrilled this week because Taco Bell is bringing back an item customers have been clamoring for: the Quesarito. It probably won’t be around long — shocker! — so if you want to try it, you should get it ASAP. Here’s everything you need to know about the Taco Bell Quesarito, including how to try it for cheap.
What’s the Taco Bell Quesarito?
Taco Bello’s Quesarito is like a mashup of a burrito and a quesadilla. It’s got a giant, cheese-filled quesadilla wrapped around ground beef, rice, chipotle sauce, and sour cream, burrito style. It’s filling and delicious, at least if you believe its legion of fans.
The “Quesarito had a very well textured center of rice meat sauce and sour cream, with an extremely gooey outer core thanks to there being both nacho cheese and melted shredded cheese,” said one fan on Reddit. “Truly one of Taco Bells more indulgent creations.”
The Quesarito was introduced back in 2014, and was on the menu permanently until 2020. At that point, the menu was streamlined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Quesarito became something you could only order in the mobile app. Then, in 2023, it was discontinued altogether.
What’s the Deal with the Basketball Player?
The Taco Bell Quesarito went a little viral when it first debuted over a decade ago because of some weird timing. NBA superstar Nikola Jokić was drafted that year, and his draft announcement was made during a Quesarito commercial.
Though it was just a strange coincidence, Jokić became linked to the Quesarito, and has still never even tried it. He doesn’t seem interested, but Taco Bell is still grasping on to that decade-old viral moment.
In a press release, Taco Bell says it is “issuing a call for Nikola Jokić to finally try the Quesarito that unintentionally stole his spotlight. This comeback’s for you, Jokić.” Desparation is not a good look on you, guys.
How Can I Get It Cheap?
If, unlike the NBA player, you do want to try it, it should be priced around $5 when it’s back on menus December 18th. Of course, that’s just a suggested price, and we all know some Taco Bells are more expensive than others.
But if you are a Bell regular and have a rewards account with the chain, you may be able to score it for only $1. On December 23, the chain is dropping 30,000 rewards for $1 Quesaritos in the app. Log in at 2 p.m. PST to try and claim one.
If that’s a little too much effort, you can always do what Taco Bell Quesarito fans have done for years: create your own by modifying current Taco Bell items. A Redditor explains how to do it. “In my experience: Get a beefy 5 layer [burrito]. Remove beans… Add rice and chipotle sauce. Make it grilled.” Bonus: It might be cheaper than the real thing.
More on Cheapism
- Taco Bell Adds 3 Fan-Created Items to the Menu — The items include a new Crunchwrap and a veggie burrito.
- ‘More Expensive Than Chipotle’: Fans Lament Taco Bell Prices — We visited both Chipotle and Taco Bell to see if the claim was true.
- 10 Taco Bell Secrets Employees Want You To Know — Large orders destroy a drive-thru, and other secrets from Taco Bell employees.
