What's The Actual Difference Between Taco Bell And Del Taco's Seasoned Beef?

The U.S. is home to over 8,000 Taco Bell locations and nearly 600 Del Tacos. That's a lot of ground beef — which both chains prepare with their own proprietary blends of seasonings and spices. That means the meat in items like the iconic Mexican Pizza and beef burritos at Taco Bell will taste different from what you get in the all-American Burgertaco or beef-filled burritos from Del Taco. So, how do these competing proteins differ?

Both chains' seasoned beef contains chili pepper, tomato powder, and onion. However, Taco Bell's is flavored with a secret blend of seven spices, which, according to Taco Bell's official nutrition info, adds some combination of salt, sugar, cocoa, and natural smoke flavor. Additives like maltodextrin and citric acid are also in the mix, along with other nondescript spices and natural flavors. At Del Taco, by comparison, the seasoned beef is flavored with a more savory-leaning mixture of onions, salt, chili pepper spices, tomato powder, and garlic powder. It also includes additives like oats and citric acid, plus plus textured vegetable protein made from soy flour and caramel color (which is listed as the third-biggest ingredient after beef and water).

It's worth noting that Taco Bell's beef isn't necessarily known for top-of-the-line quality. In 2011, an Alabama law firm infamously alleged that Taco Bell's seasoned beef couldn't legally be called "beef," claiming that an independent test found only 35% of the product was real meat, and the other 65% was fillers. Taco Bell clapped back that its seasoned beef was made from 88% USDA-inspected beef, with the remaining 12% being seasonings and water. Nowadays, the restaurant's website says that its seasoned beef is made from "100 percent USDA premium beef." To make it, the meat is simmered, drained of fat, seasoned, packaged with added water to preserve moisture during transit, then shipped to Taco Bell restaurants. The resulting product has been a longtime fan favorite.

Del Taco, by contrast, hasn't faced the same highly publicized litigation or allegations about dubious beef. Rather, the restaurant is known for its Southern California style. The concept centers around a more specific brand of West Coast Tex-Mex food, with its primary concentration of U.S. locations residing in California. In a Reddit thread, one foodie called classic beef Del Taco "A righteous taco." Others praised the fresh beans and cheese, elements which they say add major quality to the overall flavor profile. Multiple users praised this take on the beef taco over the offering at T-Bell. "This puts TB to shame!!! I would always rather have Del Taco," wrote one commenter. "Problem is, there are none near me."