Farewell, Taco Bell Quesarito

Back when it debuted in 2014, Taco Bell’s Quesarito was a big effing deal. In case you don’t remember the buzz that surrounded it, the idea of using a quesadilla as a wrapper for a burrito simply blew everyone’s minds, including my own. The concept wasn’t new, per se; Chipotle would (and still will) occasionally make you an off-menu burrito with a quesadilla as a wrapper, if you order it nicely. But as the one who always seems to be the bearer of the worst news possible, I have to tell you that after a nearly nine-year run, the Quesarito is leaving the menu for good.

What is Taco Bell’s Quesarito, anyway?

If you need a refresher, aside from the quesadilla wrapper—which is filled with melted shredded cheese and nacho cheese—the Quesarito is filled with seasoned rice, chipotle sauce, seasoned beef, and sour cream.

Doesn’t ring a bell? That makes sense, because it has been inching its way off the menu for a while now. Currently, customers can only order the Quesarito online or via Taco Bell’s mobile app.

When is Taco Bell’s Quesarito going away?

Quesarito fans, you’ve got just over a month before this item disappears off the Taco Bell menu completely—a press release from Taco Bell confirms it’s leaving on April 19. I’m surmising it hasn’t been selling like hotcakes, considering it’s been in-app only for the past three years. It was just one casualty of the Great Menu Massacre of 2020 in which Taco Bell “revamped” its menu to streamline operations amidst COVID-related challenges.

Why Taco Bell is getting rid of the Quesarito

The removal of the Quesarito helps free up the Taco Bell menu for the return of a few crowd favorites: the Bacon Club Chalupa and the Double Steak Grilled Cheese Burrito. Both will be available nationwide

The Bacon Club Chalupa is sort of like a club sandwich, with chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and avocado ranch sauce served up in a fried Chalupa shell. It has leapt on and off the menu several times since the Chalupa’s inception in 1999, and especially over the past few years.

The Double Steak Grilled Cheese Burrito might sound familiar to you, since it was recently offered during last year’s holiday season and has only been off the menu for a few short months. This burrito is filled with a double helping of steak (compared to the steak quesadilla), plus seasoned rice, cheese, nacho cheese sauce, sour cream, and tortilla strips, then grilled with an exterior crust of cheese, hence the “Grilled Cheese” portion of the name. (How many more times can “cheese” be added to a Taco Bell menu description?)

Whether or not you’re a fan of the Quesarito, it’s never fun to be told something is going away. Then again, we all know by now that the drama of Taco Bell menu removals is typically followed by triumphant Taco Bell returns, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we cross paths with the Quesarito sometime in the not-too-distant future.