Review: Taco Bell Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco

Last year when Taco Bell unleashed the Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Taco on us, we were helpless, awe-struck by its cheesy, crunchy goodness. Two of our guiltiest pleasures, Taco Bell and Doritos, collided, creating a fast food sensation unlike any we’ve ever seen. The idea was so brilliant, yet so simple. On paper, it’s really just a flavored taco shell. But it’s oh, so much more. It represents everything that America stands for: combining great things. A taco that tastes like nachos – it’s so meta! Twenty-twelve belonged to you, Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Taco. But your time is up. It’s a new year, and you’ve given us the collective runs enough times over the past 12 months that we know better now. On to the next one.

And the next one’s name is Ranch. Cool Ranch. Those of us who prefer the blue bag of Doritos will no longer be left out in the cold. The proverbial cold, anyway. We actually kind of like the real cold, what with our love for “Cool” Ranch and all. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that Nacho Cheese’s baby brother was born yesterday. We hope Nacho won’t resent the little tyke for hogging the spotlight, but really we don’t care because we just want to eat Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos by the Party 12-Pack.

I’ve actually only had the Nacho Cheese DLT one time. I found that the shell did indeed taste like a Nacho Cheese Dorito, but since I’m not a fan of those it didn’t do much for me. I didn’t like it any more or less than the regular Crunchy Taco. Since then I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of the Cool Ranch DLT, and folks, it’s finally here. In my head, I imagined it being pretty good. It wasn’t going to blow my mind, but I would like it more than Nacho Cheese. Well yesterday, I finally found out.

In my area, the regular DLT is $1.39 and the supreme goes for $1.69. I planned to get one of each, but in true Taco Bell fashion, they just gave me two regular ones. They also threw in someone else’s Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, so we’ll call it even.

Before I dug in, I broke off a piece of the shell to see how closely it resembled a Cool Ranch Dorito as far as flavor. It definitely had the same taste, although maybe not quite as strong. It was also not as thick and crunchy as an actual Dorito, probably to prevent a taco collapse.

When I finally took a bite, I was not surprised at all. It basically tasted exactly as I had expected. Of course, everything besides the shell is exactly the same so there’s not much to say there. Same flavorful, greasy beef; same flavorless shredded cheese; same sad, wilting shredded lettuce. (Side note: they should get rid of whatever cheese that is and use the 3-cheese blend in everything because it’s awesome.) The Cool Ranch flavor is present at the beginning of every bite, but fades as you chew. I did wish the shell had more flavor so it would last throughout. The taco was pretty salty, so I think the supreme version might be the way to go because the sour cream would cut through that a bit.

Overall, the Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco is solid. I give it 7.5/10. For comparison, I would say the Nacho Cheese DLT is a 6/10. I think your taco flavor preference all depends on which Dorito you favor. I’m a Cool Ranch guy, so it’s no surprise I like the Cool Ranch taco. I can say with confidence that I will be eating more of these, and that I will most definitely be losing a foot in the near future.