Taco Bell is gonna Taco Bell when it finds something that sticks. When that happens, it attempts to add that thing to every menu item possible. The thing that has stuck for a while now is making cheese literally stick to the exterior of tacos, burritos, fries, regular Chalupas, and now compact Chalupas with its Toasted Cheddar Street Chalupa.
These mini Chalupas come in two per order and feature Cantina chicken or marinated steak with onions, cilantro, cheddar cheese, and chile lime crema sauce. I ended up purchasing the chicken one, but I’m a little disappointed I couldn’t get one chicken and one steak with an order since there’s no upcharge for the steak one.
While they look a bit appetizing with the cheese attached to the shell, that cheese doesn’t make these taste as cheesy as expected. However, they do add some crispy texture to the soft-ish Chalupa shell. Now that I look at it again, the cheese adhesions remind me of zombie movie makeup. Okay, now it’s less appetizing.
Despite the cheese and the decent amount of ingredients within the shell, the most dominant taste was the Chalupa shell’s breadiness. While the shell is the eye-catching highlight of the menu item, it shouldn’t also be the most tongue-catching ingredient.
I tried the other components separate from the Chalupa shell, and they have a nice flavor, with the marinated chicken, onions, and chile lime crema sauce standing out the most. It’s pleasant enough that I wish I could’ve tasted it more with the Chalupa shell.
Now, let’s talk about their size. By calling them “Street Chalupa,” I know they’re supposed to be small like street tacos. However, even though there are two, their size makes them seem more like a value menu item. So what I paid for them, and even the advertised price of $5.49, is a hard price to swallow.
Taco Bell’s Toasted Cheddar Street Chalupa won’t be sticking around permanently because it’s a limited-time item. But if it ever comes back, I’m sure I won’t be sticking it and its bread-y flavor in my mouth again.
Purchased Price: $6.99*
Size: 2 Chalupas per order
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 order) 580 calories, 38 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, 1030 milligrams of sodium, 37 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 23 grams of protein.
*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.
boy that last picture really emphasizes just how tiny these are. those should be on a $2.99 taco bell appetizer menu
Gotta love Hawaii prices combined with YUM Foods aggressive pricing! They do it to offset losses from the other fast food companies they own that have been ruined by either high prices and a lack of ingenuity since the 90s (KFC and Pizza Hut). You would think they would learn high prices for less food is a dangerous gamble.
The full size Cheesy Cheddar Chalupa version of these came out here in Hawaii in 2019 or 2020 when I first arrived. 2 of them was about the same price. You’d need 4 or 5 of these Street versions for a comparable amount of food. They should be $2 per especially since it is one of the only TB items to use a half scoop serving of meat. Sometimes you get lucky with employees that give you a full scoop instead but the sad reality is that what you got is the standard.
Taco Bell and YUM Foods truly need to reassess their pricing strategy. Half of Reddit already quit going consistently. The other half are saying the food is good but they are now buying $2 Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos to offset the decreasing value of their favorite items.
Like a lot of things with TB nowadays, these are waaaaaaaaaay too small for the price. Only way its worth it is if you get them in the lux box. They are tasty enough, but considering the price and the size, its more just a one time try it out for me than something I’d order again
California Tax brings these up just shy of Hawaii prices at $6.19. Hard pass from me. Insulting portions for that price.