FAST FOOD NEWS: Wendy’s Taco Salad

Wendy s Taco Salad

Wendy’s Taco Salad is back!

To be honest, I didn’t know it once existed.

Bad junk food blog editor!

The salad was introduced in the 1980s and it featured lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and Wendy’s chili. Here’s a commercial for it:

The 2016 version has hand-chopped iceberg and romaine lettuce, Wendy’s signature chili, diced tomatoes, sour cream, salsa (made with roasted tomatoes and ancho chili peppers), shredded cheddar cheese, and yellow corn tortilla rounds. It’s available at participating locations for $5.99 for a full-sized entree salad or $3.99 for a half-sized salad.

A full-size serving has 660 calories, 32 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 85 milligrams of cholesterol, 1820 milligrams of sodium, 63 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of fiber, 18 grams of sugar, and 32 grams of protein.

If you’ve tried it or the original Wendy’s Taco Salad, share your thoughts in the comments.

(Image via Wendy’s)

47 thoughts to “FAST FOOD NEWS: Wendy’s Taco Salad”

  1. I never knew the taco salad was gone. I’ve been eating them for years. Maybe it’s regional? I live in Baltimore. I worked at Wendy’s as a teenager and they had them then as well. Granted that was 20 years ago…. Jeez. Now I’ve depressed myself. Lol

  2. I wasn’t aware they got rid of it either. I worked at Wendy’s until about 5 years ago and it was our biggest salad seller. I do remember once I left they started to redesign their salads though. I’m not a big fan of salad’s or chili so I never tried it, but almost everyone I know loved it. It sounds like the same recipe as the old one so maybe they got rid of it and got backlash and they brought it back.

  3. It’s so funny because I used to order this salad every freaking time I went to Wendy’s, back in high school and college. I guess I just forgot about it because I never gave it another thought when it disappeared from the menu. I’m so excited that it’s coming back!!

  4. I worked at Wendy’s in 2002-2003 when I was a teenager, and this was always my favorite. I was so excited that it came back! I’m eating it right now. It’s worth the price since you get so much food, and it’s just as good as I remember. I don’t know why they ever got rid of it in the first place.

  5. The baja salad was a lot better. It came with a very good low fat lowish calorie dressing. I just got this today and was pretty disappointed. It was ok. I miss the baja salad. I could do without the sour cream and with the return of the dressing. There was not very much cheese on it at all – seriously maybe about 1 tablespoon. The salsa was too sweet for me, so i didn’t use it. I just used the chili and the chips. I’m glad to see the taco salad back, I just wish the baja salad was back!!!

    1. I completely agree. I don’t know why they did away with the Baja salad. I don’t even go to Wendy’s anymore since they’ve taken it off the menu.

  6. The new taco salad was a joke, they gave me a bag of chips, a bowl of chili, a container of salsa, and a bowl of salad. I had to mix, or put the ingredients together myself in such a small container that it wouldn’t fit. That will be my last purchase of this product. Other places have a better product that they put together

    1. If they put it together for you and you don’t eat it right away, the chips are mush and the lettuce is limp from the hot chili. They used to have an awesome chipotle ranch dressing, smokey, creamy heat that made the salad, now it is extremely bland and flavorless. Bring back the dressing!!!

    2. Hysterical, I just walked in to Wendys and I skipped lunch today. I figure let me try this taco salad, the picture looks good. They had the balls to hand me a salad, a bag of chips, a container of chilli and two things of sour cream. I looked at the dude and said wtf man that doesn’t look like the picture at all. Give me my fkn money back and tell your company the picture should reflect what they actually hand you and on the sign ….assembly required. Wendys is a absolute fkn joke !!!!

      1. Albert Wendys needs to redo their commercial! I just did the same after WAITING IN THE DRIVE THRU 25 MIN.!!! This not Taco Salad is back… I left after I got my 6.00 back and went across the street to Taco b…there is not much on that salad but romaine, chili, chips for 6.00??? get real………..

    3. I totally agree. Had the same experience tonight. Don’t have to worry about me eer getting again. Will be lucky if I go back at all.

  7. I am so happy they have this back on the menu. I just hope they keep it this time. If you haven’t tried it, you definitely should.

  8. I’ve never had it but I love tacos and tried it for the 1st time today. I loved that everything came separately as it traveled well back to the office for lunch. It was delicious. I ate every bite. I’ll be back for more!

  9. i ordered the Taco salad today because I thought it was like the one they use to have. I was so excited to get home and eat it. It had no chips, no chili, no sour cream, nothing! It was just lettuce, a few tomatoes, about 1 Tablespoon of cheese and a container of salsa. No chili, no chips, no sour cream. Pretty boring. I stuck it in the refrigerator and when I go back to Wendys I will buy some chili. I already have some fritos so I will use those for the chips. Pretty disappointed!

    1. I bought this taco salad today and it was tasty! I ordered a full size I couldn’t finish the whole salad so I wrapped the rest of the salad in a burrito that I had in the fridge. I had everything in my salad. Corn chips,salsa,extra sour cream. But Wendy’s won’t keep this on the menu long. Go get yours now! I love Mexican food and I love how this salad was prepared the restaurant was clean and the food was worth every penny.

    2. Sounds like they got it wrong, Peggy. You should have received all of those ingredients.

  10. I bought this taco salad today and it was tasty! I ordered a full size I couldn’t finish the whole salad so I wrapped the rest of the salad in a burrito that I had in the fridge. I had everything in my salad. Corn chips,salsa,extra sour cream. But Wendy’s won’t keep this on the menu long. Go get yours now! I love Mexican food and I love how this salad was prepared the restaurant was clean and the food was worth every penny.

  11. yes love this salad- its not that you can’t make your own- just grab some lettuce, tortilla chips, salsa and go to wendy’s and buy the chili. I am glad they brought it back though it’s just easier to order it.

  12. yes love this salad- its not that you can’t make your own- just grab some lettuce, tortilla chips, salsa and go to wendy’s and buy the chili. I am glad they brought it back though it’s just easier to order it.

  13. Was so excited Wendy’s brought back their taco salad, so got two for dinner last night. What a disappointment – next to no cheese, very few tomatoes. And the chili, must be a different recipe because it wasn’t as hearty and beefy as I remember. Also, it had a vinegar flavor, not savory like before. My husband thought it was okay but agrees with me that something is “off” about it. Just not as good as before.

    1. That is too bad. I was so excited when I saw the ad for it again. I loved the original taco salad. Why do they always mess with a great thing? Bring back the original one!!

  14. A big rip off. They want you to pour hot chilli on the salad. No olives or beans on the salad. These guys were out of chips. Gave me a dollar credit.
    I will not be ordered the salad again.
    Overpriced for what you get for sure.

  15. I am eating a full size taco salad from Wendy’s right now. Does anyone out there know what is the difference between the full and the half? I only got one bag of chips and a small chili. What would I have gotten on a half size one??

  16. I absolutely loved the first taco salad I ate it every time I took the kids to Wendy’s for lunch. I was so disappointed when they discontinued it. The Baja salad was not the same. I can’t wait try it!!

  17. Never again! A bowl of lettuce, half a cup of chili, salsa, and NO chips. And charged $6.79. The ticket says “2 sour cream” but I didn’t order or receive that. What a disappointment!

  18. I am absolutely flaming mad right now. I just walked out of Wendys but here goes it. I skipped lunch today at work because we were swamped. I see the picture of this taco salad and it looks nice so I order the full size one. The dude behind the register hands me a salad in a sealed container, a bag of chips, two sour cream containers and a small chilli container??? I say dude…that doesn’t look anything like the picture, give me money back!!! This company just needs to go out of business. Who told these people I wanted to assemble my own meal?? That’s like going to subway and getting everything handed to you individually and you put it together at the table.

    1. Albert you left basically the same comment twice. And the reason they don’t prep the entire thing is that the salad would quickly get soggy and gross if they dumped the hot chili on and added the chips ahead of time. (They are a fast food restaurant after all. And many of the salads are ordered carry out.) I loved it separate because I like to dip the chips in the salsa separately.

  19. Really need to bring the dressing back also. The dressing is what made the salad. Very bland without it!!

  20. I was over the moon when I saw Wendy’s Taco Salad was back! I’ve been missing it too long, so I stopped by and picked one up this afternoon. I’m sad to say it looks the same, but it isn’t. Something tastes really off, and I think it’s the ancho salsa. Kind of sweet and off-tasting. The original was delicious! Wish they’d bring it back, otherwise, I think I’ll do as someone suggested and buy Wendy’s chili and make my own salad. Good idea!

  21. I just had one – never had the Baja, but this one was just like the Taco Salads I remember from Wendy’s. I always liked the “build it yourself” aspect of the salad myself. Was nice and fresh that way especially if you got it to go. Salsa could have used a bit more heat but overall I was quite happy with the new version. Hope it sticks around for a while.

  22. I was so excited that the taco salad was back, until I ordered and ate it. The assemble it yourself aspect did not bother me, I realize it’s an attempt to keep things fresh until you’re ready. I give Wendy’s high marks for freshness, but the chili was not the same, more beans, less beef (oh irony!) and less tomato flavor. Overall I’d guess there’s a lot more water. Without the chili, the taco salad is just not worth bothering with. Bummer!

  23. My mother is 95 years old and drives herself–many trips made to Wendy’s for lunch by herself. She called me today as mad as I have ever heard her and said that she ordered the half taco salad. She was definitely put off by having to make the salad herself and that the chili was awful and pure watery. She has loved the chili in the past. But she was not about to pour watery soup on her lettuce. It sure didn’t look like the picture! Then when she took it back, the ladies behind the counter laughed at her. She asked why they were laughing and they just shrugged and kept laughing. She asked for the manager and they said that he had just stepped out. They were rude on top of horrible food. She will never go back–they are losing a good customer. We won’t go back either. And we will make sure that people we know don’t go either! The store is in Chandler Arizona at the corner of Arizona Avenue and Ocotillo.

    1. Hopefully this truamatic event keeps your old @ss mom from driving. At 95 she is a danger to everyone else around her on the road. That should be what your worried about, instead your worried about tossing your own salad.

  24. Definitely not the original Baja Taco salad. Not only is it missing the chipotle ranch dressing and salsa it’s also missing the QAUCAMOLE! very disappointing!

  25. I love your taco salad. I eat 1200 calories a day on my diet. I can’t wait for lunchtime. It is very satisfying and I enjoy it. Thanks for bringing it back.

  26. I ate a half size taco salad today for lunch. It was great and just the right size for me. I left off the chips, hoping to save on my total amount of carbs. I will definitely be getting it again.

  27. To the people complaining about having to pour the chilli on their salad: F#8k, really?I would of laughed at you too, hahahahaha, lazy MF.No but in all seriousness, I like that they don’t put it together, so I can put my chips under the chili (i like them soggy).Furthermore, when it is all portioned I am not worried about another 400 worth of calories in chili dumped on top. To each their own. “she’s not about to pour water soup on her lettuce” what do you think taco salad is? And besides, it’s Wendy’s!

    1. I just fanned through the comments and did not see one comment about the “eat it all” bowl.I m not sure if people even look at this anymore because of the dates.I really liked the “Eat It All” bowl because it included the crackers that you don t get anymore.I also liked the generous portions of condiments (even though I added more when I got home.Even though I didn t get the Eat It All bowl I dearly enjoyed my salad which happened to be the taco salad, not the Baja BRING BACK THE “EAT IT ALL” bowl

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