8 Taco Bell Items Their Own Employees Won't Eat

There are plenty of restaurants out there that offer authentic Mexican food. But Taco Bell always hits the spot when you're looking for something that's quick and not necessarily authentic. Ever since the first Taco Bell outlet opened in 1962, it has been a beloved stop for fast-casual Mexican food. No wonder the restaurant chain now has over 8,400 locations across the world.

The best part about Taco Bell is that it has a vast menu with something for everyone, and most fans would say that all the offerings are delicious, be it the burritos, tacos, sides, or desserts. However, many who identify themselves as either current or former Taco Bell employees on Reddit don't necessarily have good things to say about some of the menu items. They've declared they would never eat a few of the options available at the restaurant chain, providing an array of reasons for their refusals. In fact, they have also advised customers to avoid getting these same items.

That said, we aren't here to scare you or stop you from ordering your favorite food from Taco Bell. But, if you're looking to make better choices at the restaurant chain, this article is worth a read. While there are plenty of big mistakes you could make when ordering at Taco Bell, getting the menu items that even the staff wouldn't eat should definitely not be one of them.

Taco Bell offers a variety of burritos, and while you can argue that most of them are pretty decent, the Chili Cheese Burrito is definitely not. You might be wondering what could be so bad about this burrito. After all, it's a classic combination of hearty American chili with cheese wrapped in a tortilla — something that usually doesn't go wrong. It's not how the burrito tastes, but instead the fact that very few people order it, which badly affects the quality of the filling and makes it an entry on this list.

On a Reddit thread where a person asked Taco Bell employees what items they shouldn't order, one commenter straight up wrote, "Chili cheese burrito. Nobody orders it and when they do the chili is usually from the morning because stores usually only make one batch per day so you're most likely going to get old chili that's not stirred or just [an] inconsistent burrito." This is concerning, as when you're paying for a good meal, the least you'd expect is everything to be fresh.

Even worse, the person added, "Some stores will just put red sauce nacho cheese [on] beef and call it a chili cheese burrito. It's just overall a bad item that needs to be taken off the menu." Given how problematic all of this is, it might be best to just order a different burrito if you're really craving one.

The Cinnamon Twists from Taco Bell may seem like an okay item to order. But we bet you've had a few experiences where they've tasted like something else from the menu, or just simply bad. That's exactly why some employees suggest avoiding this sweet treat from the restaurant chain.

When someone asked on a Reddit thread why the Cinnamon Twists had an off taste or often seemed bitter, a former staff member jumped in to answer. They stated, "To me it sounds like the cabinet the twists are stored in hasn't been cleaned in awhile, that and a combination of bad oil/old twists can make them taste really gross. I've actually had to fry fresh shells on demand because the few shells we had were old and smelled and tasted just awful." Of course, many customers said they'd never order the cinnamon twists again after getting to know these horrid details.

Another factor that makes Cinnamon Twists taste odd is that they are usually kept in the same cabinet as other fried items. This leads to all these foods smelling — and eventually tasting — like each other. In fact, on a different Reddit post, a customer asked why their Cinnamon Twists and chips have a slightly similar flavor and smell. A former employee answered, "After they're both done they are kept in the same heating cabinet though. That could be why." We assume you'd possibly want your Cinnamon Twists to taste how they are supposed to. So, you might want to reconsider ordering this menu item.

The Mexican Pizza from Taco Bell has seen its fair share of ups and downs. It was taken off the menu in 2020, then brought back due to popular demand in 2022. Even though it's now on the menu and a lot of people love it, some employees don't highly recommend ordering it. One former employee outright mentioned on Reddit that they weren't happy about the Mexican Pizza's return, saying, "People lost their minds over the Mexican pizza. When we ran out a guy became enraged and threw a drink on me. The damn thing isn't even that good."

You may think this comment isn't as relevant, since it's partly about the item being problematic for the staff. However, even though the Mexican Pizza looks great on the surface, a former employee posted something on a separate Reddit thread that might put you off. They stated, "As for something not to order id say the pizzas or salads. The shells are super gross imo and they're probably the items people will mess up the most."

Sure, the item has faced some controversies, like a petition on Change.Org that helped bring it back to the menu, and how later on a man actually sued Taco Bell over a disappointing Mexican Pizza. Despite that, the menu item has managed to stay put. But that still doesn't mean it's worth ordering, considering that one of the employees actually called it gross.

Beans are often a go-to order for all the non-meat eaters, as they are one of the few vegan options available at Taco Bell. Unfortunately, though they may taste great, beans of any sort aren't something that many current and former employees from the restaurant chain recommend ordering. These staff members find all the beans unappetizing, mainly because of how they are prepared rather than how they taste.

For instance, a former Taco Bell worker explained how the refried beans were made on Reddit, stating, "Re-fried Beans are dry storage, mix 1 bag with 3 liters of near boiling bunn water, let sit for 45 minutes, and viola [sic]: beans." They further added, "The one thing I haven't been able to eat since I found out how they were made." Another employee pointed out the same issue on a separate post when they were asked what they would never eat based on how it's made, saying, "refried beans. I already didn't like them, but pouring a bag of brown substance and mixing it with water to make 'beans' is a big turn off."

The sad part is that all beans at the restaurant chain are prepared this way. In a YouTube video that highlights fast food items that employees won't eat, the narrator said this about Taco Bell beans: "They look like cat food and they add water ... in the morning and then the beans sit in the pan all day." We wouldn't blame you if these details put you off the beans from Taco Bell.

While it may have seemed like a good idea to get a side of classic fresh guacamole with your Mexican food order from Taco Bell, some employees do say that they would personally never eat it. The reason? Well, the hearty dip from the restaurant may still be considered a classic, but it isn't as fresh as you'd want it to be.

Yes, it is made daily at every outlet with packaged ingredients, much like most items at any fast-casual restaurant chain. A former staff member also explained the preparation method on Reddit, saying, "We use a bag of avocado pulp, with a bag of guacamole seasoning and 2 blue cups of tomatoes and 1 cup of onions, stir tf out of it."

However, on a separate AMA thread, a Taco Bell employee explicitly mentioned, "i would NEVER do the guac though, it's usually like the least used ingredient and is usually left out in a warm environment." This is genuinely a bad sign, as most of you would know that any food left out for a long time is bound to go bad and taste off. Based on what the worker shared, it would be difficult to know whether the guacamole you're served is freshly made or has been sitting out for a few hours. Assuming you'd rather not take the risk of getting sick because of old guacamole, it's surely a menu item worth staying away from.

If you really think about it, you'd possibly struggle to recall the last time you ordered steak at Taco Bell. Most people just pick beef or chicken as their preferred meat, and that's one reason why many employees say the steak is worth steering clear of. A former assistant manager mentioned the steak when asked on a Reddit post which menu item is the worst to order. They didn't hold back at all when giving the reason and wrote, "Steak doesn't sell as much compared to chicken and beef so it'll just sit there for hours, plus it's not like actual steak."

In case this didn't put you off, the other thing that some of the employees have to say about the steak might just leave you speechless. When a customer asked on Reddit if anyone else thought the steak smelled like dog food (yes, dog food), an employee replied, "Yeah it's been like that for the time I've worked there. That's usually one of a new employee's first questions, 'why does the steak smell like dog food?' I have no freaking clue."

To be fair, Taco Bell uses steak in some pretty amazing items, like in burritos, tacos, or even limited-time options, such as when it once added a spicy twist on its menu with steak chile verde fries. But if employees compare the steak's smell with dog food, you're probably better off ordering something else.

Getting your breakfast from Taco Bell shouldn't be your first choice — at least that's what some of the employees say. One of the factors that makes the breakfast from the restaurant chain a hard pass for the staff members is the eggs.

One worker directly wrote on Reddit to avoid the eggs in a thread about the worst items to order. You may wonder why, and even though they didn't mention the reason, it could be because of how they are prepared. A former employee explained the process in a different post where someone asked how the eggs are made, stating, "There's a clear bag with liquid egg in it. We put the bag in our water thermalizer cooker. Wait the allotted time and while the egg is still in the bag cut it up with a dull cutter (don't know what it's called) and pan it up. "

You can argue here that most fast-casual chain restaurants probably follow the same method. But, since an employee said they aren't worth ordering, and that they are added to most breakfast menu items, you might be better off making an easy breakfast burrito at home. Besides that, a different former staff member straightaway mentioned on another thread that they don't like anything on the breakfast menu. The reason they gave is, "The preparation and the ingredients that go on the items just make it disgusting to me." This is a clear sign that the breakfast from the restaurant might just not be worth it.

The quesadillas may seem decent, but Taco Bell employees have plenty to say about them. They've shared their thoughts on various Reddit threads, and the comments might make you reconsider buying quesadillas again.

When someone asked what they shouldn't order on an AMA thread, a commenter who claims to be a Taco Bell employee mentioned, "I think the quesadillas [are] a bit overrated. It's just meat and cheese with a spicy sauce steamed and grilled before cut and served with the rest of the order."

Of course, you may think this is just one employee's opinion and still be willing to spend the money on a quesadilla. But since they're tedious to make, employees have stated that they are sometimes prepared in bulk and not always stored well. One wrote in a post, "I've seen stores stage quesadillas in their hot case. They made thirty or forty of them in advance and stored them in grey tubs." Another stated the same on a different Reddit thread, writing, "just the way they're stored to me doesn't seem right for what they are." In conclusion, even though an employee called them overpriced, the fact that they are prepared in bulk and not stored properly (which means you might not always be getting a fresh quesadilla) is worth taking into account. From that point of view, it's safe to say that you should give Taco Bell's quesadillas a pass.