Taco Bell's New Menu Item Leaked, and Fans Aren’t Happy

When it comes to fast food, everyone has their favorite treats. Whether it's a carton of piping hot McDonald's fries or an OG Shackburger, there is something comforting about knowing exactly how something will taste.

Nostalgia for a discontinued menu item can run high, particularly when a restaurant introduces a new item that looks similar to the discontinued one. It reminds fans how much they miss the food and sends them back into mourning. Taco Bell accomplished just this with its latest menu item launch.

Taco Bell’s New Empanada Is Not the One Fans Want

Taco Bell lovers ask for the chain to bring back discontinued items frequently. One of those items is the Caramel Apple Empanada, a “flaky pastry filled with apples doused in a sweet caramel sauce” that was just $1 in 2019. (Remember when dollar menus actually had items for $1 on them?)

When Instagram’s Markie_devo recently posted a photo of a new empanada-shaped item from Taco Bell, I thought it looked pretty good. So I was completely unprepared for the collective “nope” that echoed throughout the comments on his post. 

Fans don’t seem to want any empanada if it’s not the Caramel Apple Empanda. Technically the new item is called a Cheesy Chicken Crispanada (because crispy chicken is all the rage these days), but it’s an empanada. Markie_devo describes it this way: “Delicate pastry dough that’s 'crisped to perfection' and filled with shredded chicken and melty three-cheese blend. It comes served with spicy ranch sauce to dip.”

The first comment—and so many after it—had nothing to do with the item in the photo. “Caramel apple need be back,” the first person to comment wrote, and over 100 people liked that comment. One person responded to the demand for the caramel apple treat, saying, “I would pay for a case of them!!!”

Comment after comment mentioned caramel apple.

“Ugh thought it was caramel apple someone please get Taco Bell on the line so I can complain, I miss them so much!!” cried one commenter. Another tried to directly address the restaurant with their comment: “@tacobell You acting like you don’t see everyone always asking for your caramel apple empanadas. Give us some facts at least, why did they go away and are they ever coming back? I miss them sooooo much.”

“They’ll give us everything EXCEPT what we actually want smh,” another lamented.

A few commenters did mention that the Cheesy Chicken Crispanada looked good, and one even tried to impart some perspective and wisdom to those who were disappointed.

“Maybe if this one turns out well, they’ll think about bringing back the caramel apple one. Remember, friends. Patience is a virtue,” he said.

I think that’s pretty good advice when talking about fast-food menu items.