Taco Bell rolls out Loaded Grillers snack line

Taco Bell is launching a new appetizer-inspired menu item today called Loaded Grillers with a limited-time price of 99 cents.

The new menu items are designed to build on Taco Bell’s savory snack options, especially for the daypart between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. The rollout leads up to a "Happier Hour" campaign that the chain said it will launch next year with a focus on sweet and savory snacks.

Earlier this year, Taco Bell expanded its dessert menu, adding sweet snacks such as a churro and a new vanilla-cream-filled cookie sandwich.

The new line of grilled snacks is inspired by popular appetizer flavors. The Loaded Potato Griller, for example, includes fried potatoes with nacho cheese sauce, bacon bits, reduced-fat sour cream and crisp red strips for crunch — similar to a stuffed potato skin appetizer — all of which is wrapped in a flour tortilla and grilled.

The Beefy Nacho Loaded Griller is plays off of nachos and includes chain’s seasoned beef, warm nacho cheese sauce and crispy red strips wrapped in the tortilla and grilled.

The Loaded Buffalo Chicken Griller evokes spicy Buffalo chicken wings with marinated grilled chicken in a spicy sauce with reduced-fat sour cream, wrapped and grilled.

The new snacks are supported by 15- and 30-second television ads featuring the band Little Hurricane singing “Hold Me Back.”

In addition to the Loaded Grillers, the Irvine, Calif.-based chain is also introducing a new version of its Taco 12 Pack that's designed to carry multiple tacos to go. Called the Variety Pack, the new version allows guests to select six Doritos Locos Tacos and six Crunchy Tacos for $12.99.

Currently, the Doritos Locos Tacos platform only features Nacho Cheese flavored shells. Next year, however, the chain will add a Cool Ranch version, and a Flamas Doritos shell is also in test.

Contact Lisa Jennings at [email protected].
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