5 Ordering Tips For The Hands-Down Best Taco Bell Burrito

It's fair to say Taco Bell knows what it's doing when it comes to inventive Mexican fast food. After all, Taco Bell has been at it since 1951, when Glen Bell came up with his take on the crunchy taco. In fact, the brand takes pride in being innovative. Today, there are over 8,000 Taco Bell outlets in America, and the chain has a presence in 25 other countries across the globe (including Aruba, Cyprus, and Sri Lanka), but the creative spirit remains intact.

At its headquarters in Irvine, California, it has an Innovation Kitchen, where a team of over 60, including 12 "chef scientists," push the boundaries of flavor and structure to put some unhinged and masterful items on its menu, from chocolate fudge and caramel empanadas to edible hot sauce packets. The spirit of innovation isn't restricted to its laboratory. For example, while its menu boasts an impressive range of burritos, Taco Bell also encourages patrons to run their own experiments. Its online menu features both "Popular Upgrades" as well as "Customer Creations," so fans can think beyond the standard selection. Here are our favorite ordering tips that take even the best Taco Bell burritos to the next level.

If you're getting a burrito at Taco Bell, get it grilled; it makes every single burrito on the menu better. Just look to the Cantina Chicken Burrito, the Grilled Cheese Burrito and the Black Bean Grilled Cheese Burrito, which come grilled. In fact, we'd say this simple request can make Taco Bell burritos taste gourmet, and what's more — it's absolutely free.

There are two big reasons grilling burritos is an instant upgrade. The biggest, by far, is the crunch on the tortilla, which provides a textural contrast to the soft fillings inside. The second is that grilling ensures the burritos don't fall apart as easily. "I always get my son's burritos grilled for him because his little hands have a hard time holding it if I don't," one Redditor posted. The general sentiment on that thread is this applies as much to adults as it does to kids. A popular opinion is that Taco Bell should just make grilled burritos the default option, while a running concern among fans is that the fast food chain will start charging extra for getting burritos grilled.

One of Taco Bell's biggest fan favorites is the legendary Quesarito, or a burrito stuffed with seasoned beef, rice, chipotle sauce, and reduced-fat sour cream wrapped in a grilled quesadilla loaded with melted cheese and nacho cheese sauce. Despite being such a hit, Taco Bell often takes the Quesarito off its menu (it also brings it back just as often). In case you're dying for a Quesarito in one of its off-the-menu stretches, one simple ordering trick helps you satisfy those cravings.

All you need to do is order the Beefy 5-Layer Burrito as a base, which comes with seasoned beef, refried beans, reduced-fat sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and some nacho cheese sauce. Then, swap out the beans for rice, add chipotle sauce, and get the burrito grilled. While it isn't an exact replica of the Quesarito, it's close enough to take care of the cravings. It's either that, or wait a couple of years for Taco Bell to put the Quesarito back on its menu.

The Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito, consisting of refried beans, seasoned rice, warm nacho cheese sauce, and Creamy Jalapeño sauce wrapped tight in a warm flour tortilla, is popular because it delivers a big bang for under $3. While it's relatively filling on its own thanks to the rice and beans, adding a serving of ground beef takes it up a few notches. In fact, this modification is popular enough for it to be listed under "Customer Creations" on the Taco Bell website. The beef, as one Redditor eloquently puts it, "beefs it up, literally." It takes a sub-$3 snack and turns it into a hearty meal for around an extra $1.

If you're seeking something more basic instead of adding volume, another customer-created modification worth trying is called the "Just The Essentials Burrito." You start off with the Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito, remove the nacho cheese and Creamy Jalapeño sauces, and replace them with Taco Bell's three-cheese blend. Come to think of it, some of the best Taco Bell modifications start with the Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito, including a TikTok hack to score a Beefy 5-Layer Burrito at an unbelievable price.

Some flavor combinations are foundational, such as the French mirepoix (made with onions, carrots and celery), or ginger, garlic, and onions in Indian cuisine. These form the basis for some of the world's most iconic dishes. Other flavor combinations divide opinion, such as ham and pineapple on pizza. Finally, a few flavor combinations are difficult to discuss because you're too busy stuffing your face. Chili, cheese, sour cream, and onions fall into that third category.

The heat from chili is cut by the salty, fatty cheese, with sour cream adding a fresh, acidic hit and chopped onions delivering crunch. You really can't go wrong with it. So, when you see a Chili Cheese Burrito on the Taco Bell menu, the logical next step is to top it up with some sour cream and onions. However, there are two additional requests you need to make with this one. When it comes to Taco Bell and sour cream, customers complain that the servings aren't generous enough, and that the sour cream often end ups at one end of the burrito instead of being spread evenly across. As such, consider asking for extra, and for it to be spread out.

When it comes to ranking fast food chains, there are many criteria that come into play, from speed of service to value for money and, of course, quality of food. When we say quality of food, we're not just talking about the meats, veggies, and carbs. One underrated factor, especially when it comes to fast food, is the quality of the sauces served on the side. Taco Bell has a wide range of fan favorites, but none bigger than its Fire Sauce.

"Fire Sauce is an expertly balanced mix of savory, sweet, hot, and smoky, never too much of one thing," we wrote when we awarded it the top spot on our ranking of 15 Taco Bell sauces from worst to best. "It's a warming kind of spice, almost like that of a good whiskey; not the kind of heat that rudely fries your taste buds and walks away." This perfect balance of flavor and heat means the Fire Sauce can make its presence felt on any burrito without overpowering the other ingredients, which can sometimes happen with the Diablo. The Creamy Jalapeño and Lava Sauce also get a lot of love from Taco Bell fans online, but if you're not big on spicy food, there are other sauces you can choose from.