Taco Bell's Expensive Nachos Have Some Customers Running To Its Competitor — 'Something Has To Give'

Taco Bell's Nachos BellGrande feature tortilla chips layered with seasoned beef, refried beans, diced tomatoes, Nacho Cheese sauce, and sour cream. But many customers are finding the chips don't come with nearly enough of those toppings, especially compared to the chain's nacho offerings from not so long ago. In an October 2026 Reddit thread, a poster showed off two Taco Bell nachos purchases in photos said to be taken less than a year apart. "It took 8 months to go from fully loaded nachos at $3, to 'almost nothing nachos' for $8," they wrote. "Something has to give."

Some commenters weren't ready to give up on Taco Bell nachos just yet, offering some cost cutting advice. "You gotta loaded beef nachos next time. less than half the price and way more food," one user wrote. They may have unknowingly been referring to the more generously portioned nachos in the original poster's "before" photo. The $2.99 Loaded Beef Nachos are only available at some Taco Bell locations, and have been discontinued by others.

If you don't mind swapping the chips for fries, Tasting Table's review of Taco Bell's latest fall 2026 menu drop recommends the Creamy Sriracha Chicken Nacho Fries that "did not skimp on toppings." But some die-hard nacho lovers are instead searching elsewhere for cheesy chips that meet their standards.

In the previously-mentioned October 2026 Reddit discussion, one commenter said, "Y'all need to go to Del Taco where da real ones at." Del Taco's Queso Loaded Nachos are topped with a choice of meat, beans, diced tomatoes, Queso Blanco, sour cream, and jalapeños — similar to Taco Bell's Nachos BellGrande, though a little less expensive with the seasoned beef or grilled chicken. The Queso Loaded Nachos are about a dollar more than the BellGrande.

The conversation around the portioning comparisons can be subjective, but if you were to guess which nachos were more "loaded" just by looking at the listed calories, Del Taco offers better bang for your buck. According to the two chains' officially listed nutritional information, Taco Bell's Nachos BellGrande are 740 calories, and Del Taco's Queso Loaded Nachos are between 1010 and 1090 calories.

In Tasting Table's ranking of 19 popular items from Del Taco, our reviewer found the Queso Loaded Nachos to be delicious. "The beef is thoroughly seasoned with that perfect texture without any gritty bits," they wrote, adding, "the queso blanco is rich and salty, while the jalapeños give heat to the otherwise creamy dish." Unfortunately, Del Taco only has approximately 600 locations versus Taco Bell's count of over 8,000. If neither seem viable, you might want to take on the task of superior nachos yourself, and for that, you can take a look to Tasting Table's 12 tips for making the best nachos every time.