Taco Bell Breakfast: Chain Debuts 'First Meal' Menu In 10 States

Taco Bell is known as the fast food joint for your "fourth meal" -- that is, the late night, inebriated cravings for cheap, cheesy and greasy tacos and gorditas. Now the chain is moving in reverse order by rolling out "first meal," more commonly known as breakfast. The OC Register reports that after five years(!) of testing, Taco Bell will debut the 11-item breakfast line in 750 restaurants in 10 states. By 2014, the chain hopes to have 5,800 units serving breakfast.

Breakfast items include Cinnabon Delights (fried dough balls with cream filling), four types of breakfast burritos, hash browns and a sausage and egg wrap. The chain is also testing better-for-you items such as oatmeal and yogurt parfaits.

Although Taco Bell is getting into the breakfast game behind many other fast food chains, the company hopes to "steal marketshare from the growing number of quick-service chains offering breakfast, including category leader McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's," reports Nation's Restaurant News.

"First meal" is part of a larger menu refresh attempt by the chain. The chain is currently testing its "Cantina Bell" menu, which could start appearing by the end of the year. It is aimed at a slightly more upmarket audience and will include dishes such as black beans, cilantro rice and grilled corn salsa (i.e. Chipotle Mexican Grill, but with fast food diners in mind).

Watch a commercial for "First Meal":

Comments

[SparePocket]

10:05 AM on 02/20/2012

I wish they would bring back the Bell Beefer. It was basically a taco on a burger bun. Yummy.

[tippy301]

03:02 PM on 01/24/2012

The GM corn pollen kills butterflies. The genetically engineered soy causes sterility in the 3rd generation of lab animal consumers; in addition to some really nasty, puss fillled, hair growing abcesses in the mouth.

[FronzelNeekburm]

02:00 PM on 01/24/2012

I'm glad they introduced the fourthmeal, I always felt three felt kind of low.

No, seriously, I always wondered why Taco Bell didn't do breakfast. McDonald's does three different types of breakfast burritos, why wouldn't Taco Bell? Then I remembered that Taco Bell isn't very good. The last time I ate there I got sooo sick, I can't imagine what they'd do with the "eggs."

[Rafael Perez]

02:21 AM on 01/24/2012

What a great way to boost your cholesterol! :D

[dragonet2]

06:34 PM on 01/23/2012

They used to serve breakfast about 10 year or longer ago, their tortillas were a lot tastier than the 'wraps' the other fast food companies use.

[Food Review 101 Web-Site]

05:13 PM on 01/23/2012

Can't wait to have this review up on our site later this week!

[Sam Hill 01]

03:06 PM on 01/23/2012

"Think Outside Your Buns".....everytime I eat Taco Bell.

The cost of toilet paper was more than the damn taco's.

[YoureSoShain]

01:28 PM on 01/23/2012

Nice! I've always wanted colitis in the morning.

[tippy301]

01:04 PM on 01/23/2012

It may be halal, but, it ain't kosher.

[Tiffany Levison]

12:42 PM on 01/23/2012

It would be nice to have real low fat cheese and corn tortillas! There are several options for healthy foods that can be served in fast food settings! I dont eat meat so I'm limited on where I can eat and Taco Bell subs beans for meat so I eat there often when I dont have time to go home but even beans lettuce cheese and a taco shell at TB are unhealthy!

[360Dunk]

12:37 PM on 01/23/2012

And who wouldn't want to get their entire day's worth of saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol in one sitting, washed down with some coffee that tastes like it was roasted in 2006?

[Ellieshay88]

12:32 PM on 01/23/2012

LOVE TACO SMELL! Addicting - looking forward to their breakfast burrito

[nuthinleft]

12:32 PM on 01/23/2012

Ya, ya , ya complainers. Taco Bell food is so bad that my friend makes a couple hundred thousand dollars a year take home from the one he owns. I wish I owned a Taco Bell that had so many people complain about their food.

[kingbenny]

12:08 PM on 01/23/2012

The new item on the TB menu should be called the, " widow maker" Seriously bad food for people with the munchies. See what drugs do? Just say no......to Taco Bell

[bouncer827]

11:51 AM on 01/23/2012

i generally have my fourth meal after just one burrito at tacko bell. usually takes 4 burps to rid myself of indigestion. always said that one meal at tacko bell is worth 4 meals in long run.