Every Taco Bell Taco, Ranked

Do you think you've tried every Taco Bell taco over the course of your drive-thru eating career? It's a feat that I think should come with some kind of accolade — perhaps the Live Más Lifetime Achievement Award?

It would require dedication — along with an adventurous appetite — to obtain. And unfortunately, I've never become a member of this exclusive club. I'm a creature of habit when I roll up to the fast-food speaker, immediately blurting out a Crunchwrap, maybe followed up by a soft taco or an order of Nacho Fries for good measure. That means I've left many of the chain's tacos untouched, and now seems as good a time as ever to finally give them the attention they deserve.

I recently tried every single taco on my local Taco Bell menu as of May 2026. That includes established classics, Supreme versions, specialty offerings, and even a few limited-time tacos that are currently demanding a fair amount of attention. It was a certified fiesta-style feast full of shells, cheese, and, of course, a few Taco Bell sauce packets. After sampling them all, with a Baja Blast palate cleanser in between, I ranked them from worst to best based on their balance of ingredients and flavor.

This may be a hot take — or, at the very least, a lukewarm take – but I'm not the biggest fan of Taco Bell's Doritos collaboration. Do I enjoy both separately? Absolutely. I'm all for a fresh bag of Doritos and a late-night T-Bell run. But put the two together, and suddenly I'm not so sure.

Even the iconic Doritos Locos Taco is a stretch for me. But the Doritos Cheesy Gordita Crunch is where I really draw the line. It just doesn't come together in the ways you would hope. The Doritos shell poses the biggest problem. It comes sandwiched between a flatbread lined with a trio of shredded cheeses and the inner ingredients, so it almost instantaneously becomes soggy in your to-go bag. That means the "crunch" part of this taco is immediately canceled out, and the Doritos shell simply provides a quick whiff of nacho cheese dust. Under the weight of this issue, the beef, cheese, lettuce, and spicy ranch inside just make it feel even more disjointed.

As one of the most expensive tacos on the menu, I wanted more. So it was quickly demoted to last place.

The Black Bean Chalupa Supreme is one of just two vegetarian taco options on the Taco Bell menu (the Spicy Potato Soft Taco is the other). You can even order it the vegan way, known as "Fresco-style," which replaces the sour cream and cheese with chopped tomatoes. I like that the chain attempts to cater to different diets, and I don't mind the substitution of meat for black beans here at all. You're still getting some protein, and the beans are cooked until soft. What I don't necessarily prefer is the chalupa shell. Taco Bell describes it as a "warm-and-flaky flatbread." In reality, though, it tastes like puffed-up and greasy deep-fried dough that sits heavy in your stomach.

Some people may enjoy the more extravagant, almost dessert-inspired shell, but I think it overpowers the rest of the ingredients. The taste of cheesy beans, fresh lettuce, and tomatoes is hard to appreciate. Even the small dollop of sour cream didn't do much to balance it out.

With almost the exact same makeup as the Black Bean Chalupa Supreme, the classic Chalupa Supreme suffers from the same issues. It's mostly that pesky shell again, dominating each bite with its thickness and deep-fried oiliness. I simply don't prefer it and would rather the emphasis stay on the ingredients waiting inside.

This taco ranks higher than the previous option solely for its use of ground beef instead of black beans. The meat is seasoned with a chili pepper and spice blend, which adds more flavor to the taco and makes it feel a bit less dry. Of course, it's accompanied by lettuce, tomatoes, a three-cheese blend, and reduced-fat sour cream as well. Sheathed in a normal shell, this combination goes far (as we'll see later on). Here, though, it doesn't fully live up to its potential. It either needs more ingredients or less shell, but either way, something needs to shift to create a better taco balance.

In case anyone was confused (as I was), the Doritos Locos Tacos do not come pumped full of nacho cheese. "Nacho Cheese" simply refers to the flavor of the Doritos shell. Could you order a side of nacho cheese with your taco? Yes, absolutely, but it doesn't automatically come on it.

Despite this somewhat confusing naming convention, this taco does have some things going for it. For starters, it presents a better ratio of shell to fillings than the last few chalupas. And without the cheesy soft shell surrounding it, the Doritos shell does hold up better here than it did in the Gordita Crunch. The trade-off, though, is that now, instead of being soggy, it just tastes stale — similar to a chip that's been sitting out a while. So you only get a light crunch and pop of nacho cheese flavor, in addition to the beef, lettuce, and cheese that are packed in.

I will admit that I am more of a Cool Ranch Doritos kind of person. But I'm not even sure that flavor swap would be an improvement. So, no need to rush bringing that one back, Taco Bell.

Where there's a classic taco at the chain, there's also a Supreme version not too far behind. This is even true for the specialty Doritos Locos Tacos. The only change between this taco and the last is the inclusion of both tomatoes and reduced-fat sour cream. It seems like a small change, but it's just enough to move it ahead in the rankings.

The shell still doesn't have the snap and bold flavor of Doritos chips fresh out of the bag. This one even started crumbling almost immediately after I picked it up. But, for some reason, it tastes great alongside the serving of sour cream. It just works, and it even made me want to try regular Doritos dunked straight into a tub of sour cream. Beyond that, though, the taco still feels as though it's missing a little flavor and pizzazz. Either that or a better, more neutral base to build off of (and yes, that is foreshadowing for the next taco).

It may be a boring pick, but it's also a reliable one. Taco Bell's Soft Taco, an alternative to the original Crunchy Taco, doesn't claim to be anything special. In fact, it only consists of three ingredients: seasoned beef, lettuce, and shredded cheddar cheese. But it somehow still hits the spot every time, mostly because everything is encased inside a soft, pillowy, and mildly flavored flour tortilla that gives its contents a chance to stand out. Plus, you can't beat the price. I often find myself tacking one on to the end of my order just because it's cheap and helps to round out any meal.

Of course, with a soft taco, I do always have a mild or hot sauce packet at the ready. With no saucy component built in, it needs that extra squirt of flavor, or else it doesn't go down quite as easily. If you want to take your soft taco further, you can also try DIY customer creations such as The Comfy Soft Taco, which drops the lettuce and adds sour cream and pico de gallo, or the Chicken and Guacamole Soft Taco, which replaces beef with slow-roasted chicken and also tacks on guacamole and onions.

Taco Bell's founder, Glen Bell, invented his own version of the crunchy taco in 1951. It's the taco that the chain's entire lineup stemmed from, and as simple as it is — especially in today's world full of over-the-top foods — it still gets the job done.

I actually used to think that the soft taco counterpart was superior. It's been my default for years. But after trying the two side-by-side, I think the Crunchy Taco has the upper hand. There's something about the crispness and added saltiness of the yellow corn shell that elevates the experience just a smidge. It gives you some contrast to the soft ingredients inside, including the beef, cheese, and lettuce. It also comes with its own customer customization options, similar to those presented alongside the soft taco.

The only thing to watch out for is the quick decline in the shell's crunchiness. You only have about 10 to 15 minutes after ordering to enjoy it before it starts to sag from the juiciness of the meat. That's really the only drawback. Well, that, and the fact that there are other tacos on the menu that offer all this and more.

The Crunchy Taco trumps the Soft Taco. But the Soft Taco Supreme trumps both. I mean, you just have to think about the math. Nothing is being taken away from the original Soft Taco. You still have that warm tortilla, seasoned ground beef, shredded cheese, and lettuce. Then things get a little cozier inside the shell with diced tomatoes and reduced-fat sour cream — two welcome additions to any meal. I don't think I've ever regretted adding rich and tangy sour cream to something, and the tomatoes are refreshing and impactful in their own right.

It's an obvious recipe improvement. You're also still getting the same amount of meat, but the taco seems bulkier and brighter. The only area where it could improve is with the flavor. It's good, but each bite feels as though it's communicating to me in lowercase letters. There isn't a "wow" factor that pushes it to the top of the rankings and puts an exclamation point on it. So, it's still left floating somewhere in the middle, despite its well-rounded composition.

You've probably picked up on the pattern by now. In my mind, Taco Bell Crunchy Tacos are more satisfying than soft, and supreme is always better than regular. So, that brings us to the best of the simpler, more foundational tacos at the chain: the Crunchy Taco Supreme.

It smooths out some of the rougher edges of the Crunchy Taco with its tomato and sour cream add-ins. These toppings make it seem cooler in every sense of the word. I adore the crunch factor of the shell combined with the sour cream, beef, and other veggies, and similar to the Soft Taco Supreme, it feels more filling and complete.

Sure, it still suffers from some sogginess, especially at the bottom, and could use some sauce to give it even more life. But it gets more right than it does wrong.

If you're going with a double-shell Gordita, go with the Cheesy Gordita Crunch over what feels like a forced Doritos mash-up. With the nacho cheese-flavored shell out of the way and a classic hard shell in its place, the rest of the ingredients have a better opportunity to strut their stuff.

Even though it's still not as crunchy as I would expect a "Crunch" taco to be, it makes up for it in other ways. It offers a decent amount of flavored beef, plenty of gooey cheese (a combo of mozzarella, pepper Jack, and cheddar, all tucked between the two shells), and some lettuce (mostly for show).

Surprisingly, the double-shell setup never feels overly dense or too tortilla-heavy. And the thing that really pulls everything up a level is the Spicy Ranch sauce. It's not especially spicy, but it does add a creamy texture and a little extra zest. Plus, any sauce is better than no sauce, which is what many of the previous options offer.

The Cantina Chicken menu has grown and thrived since it was first launched in 2024. You have to admit, slow-roasted chicken offers a nice break from the seasoned beef that dominates the menu. Plus, Cantina Chicken now covers all its Taco Bell bases, from bowls and burritos to rolled quesadillas and now even Mexican pizzas as well. As for tacos, there are two Cantina options, and both are on my shortlist to order on my next visit to the drive-thru.

This Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco is really more of a sprawled-out quesadilla than anything else, and the crispiness of the fried white corn shell is nowhere to be found. But these facts don't stop it from being delicious. It's smothered in cheese, both grilled on the outside and tucked on the inside, in the form of mozzarella, pepper Jack, and cheddar. Pair that with tender chicken chunks and Creamy Jalapeño sauce, and it's hard to put down once you start eating it.

It also comes with two designated sauce packets. You can double down on peppers with the zesty Jalapeño Citrus Salsa or go with the Avocado Verde. I jived more with the latter since it offered a creamy change-up to the flavor profile.

As of the time of writing, this is the only taco on Taco Bell's Luxe Value Menu. It was also a major underdog in this taste test. I didn't expect something led by spuds to compete with longstanding staples or meat-heavy options. But here I am, admitting I was wrong and singing the Spicy Potato Soft Taco's praises.

There's nothing overly special about the assembly. Seasoned potatoes are at the helm, joined by shredded cheddar cheese, lettuce, and a creamy Chipotle sauce. Everything is encased in a classic soft taco shell. Similar to breakfast home fries, the potatoes are fluffy on the inside and add an immense amount of flavor to the taco. They're the main reason it jumps the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco. On top of that, there's plenty of cheese, and the sauce was a fitting choice here, adding smokiness and a mild heat.

I am a meat lover, so there were two meat-filled tacos that ranked above this one. But it's a worthy vegetarian alternative. I also couldn't help but think how it could be even better with nacho cheese added on — similar to a loaded potato situation.

At first glance, this has all the makings of a winning taco. It emerged from its wrapper vibrant, colorful, and well-maintained inside its soft flour tortilla. Luckily, the taste is every bit as good and put together as it looks.

The triple threat of veggie toppings gives this taco a freshness that you don't see all that often at Taco Bell. Lettuce is a given. But purple cabbage adds color and crunch, while pico de gallo gives it an extra shot of zest and salt. This is all offset by a decent helping of chicken — the kind that feels like it was cooked in a Crock-Pot for hours. The sauce of choice is a buttery smooth Avocado Ranch, and it comes with the Jalapeño Citrus Salsa and Avocado Verde packets so you can choose your own adventure. 

I may receive some flak for this, but I am all in on the Cantina Chicken Soft Taco over the chain's classic Soft Taco. It has far more to offer. And if this is what Taco Bell's future looks like, it's bright.

This taco is a beautiful mess. Taco Bell finally brought back the Shredded Beef Dipping Taco in 2026, and I'm petitioning to have it stick around forever.

From the outside, it looks similar to the Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco. It's flattened with melted cheese everywhere and a "crispy" shell that's not so crispy. It even throws on the same sauce as the Cantina Chicken, with the Creamy Jalapeño. However, it's the birria-style beef that makes all the difference. It's slow-braised and seasoned, so it comes out extra tender and juicy with an authentic flavor that the chain's ground beef simply can't compete with. Between that and the grilled-on cheesiness, it feels closer to a street food taco than a fast-food taco. Of course, it wouldn't be a dipping taco without something to dip it in. The chain's red sauce fulfills that requirement. It's much thicker than a normal consomé, leaning closer to a barbecue sauce consistency. But its spiced tang still works, and it tastes somewhat like an intensified version of the chain's mild taco sauce.

If you haven't tried this taco yet, do it. I would just advise against eating it in the car. With that red sauce in tow, you'd be playing a dangerous game.

I ordered all of the tacos available on my local Taco Bell menu online and picked them up. Much to my surprise, everything came out right the first time around. Usually, at least one item is missing from my order — and one memorable visit even resulted in my friends and me receiving nothing but bean burritos — but not this time around. I tried every taco by itself and then also with its accompanying sauces (where applicable) and made judgments from there.

I looked at everything from the shell to the veggies. I wanted an outer casing with a great texture, and one that wasn't too overwhelming for the rest of the taco. I looked for meat that was cooked well with good flavor, and for veggies and other toppings that tasted fresh and added something of value to the mix. I finally landed on the most flavorful and balanced of tacos — ones that do everything right and made me question why I hadn't tried them sooner.