Take Two translates the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that affect our lives. Produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from October 2012 – June 2021. Hosted by A Martinez.
Do you love waffles? Love tacos? How about the two of them together?
Taco Bell recently announced their new breakfast menu launching nationwide on March 27. It includes a morning version of their Crunchwrap, a flatbread with sausage, Cinnabon Delights, which are icing-filled cinnamon donuts, and the star of the show, a waffle taco.
It's exactly as you might imagine it. An Eggo-like toaster waffle folded in half and filled with eggs, cheese, and your choice of bacon, sausage or steak. Naturally, you have the option of dousing it in maple syrup.
Taco Bell is just one of a handful of fast food restaurants putting in big money to spur interest in their breakfast menus. And for good reason: There's big money to be made.
"It's a $31 billion industry in sales for breakfast alone for the fast food industry," said Nancy Luna, Fast Food Maven for the OC Register. "They want a piece of that pie. They see other fast food chains — McDonalds, Subway, Jack in the Box — in that game, and they think that they can be a strong leader."
The waffle taco debuted in Southern California for a test several months ago and has since disappeared. The company has been compiling customer feedback and making slight adjustments to the item before next month's launch.
"If you look at the original waffle it was super puffy, it didn't seem to have a crunch to it," said Luna. "I think new revamped waffle taco that comes out next month nationally will have a thinner, probably crispier waffle that wraps around all that yummy breakfast stuff."