Review: the New Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco

A spy leaked us a sample of Taco Bell’s new Cool Ranch Doritos Locos taco on Valentine’s Day—correctly assuming that the way to our heart (and free publicity) is through cheap fast food—and we’ve got the taste test results.

Taco Bell sold 100 million of its Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos tacos in just 10 weeks after they were unveiled in 2011, and the chain no doubt expects similar results with this culinary mashup.

Our fearless prediction: The Cool Ranch-flavored shell will be a hit, but not as big as the Nacho Cheese version. The shell’s flavors—a blend of tomato, onion, cheese and garlic powder—tend to get lost among the taco’s already-there mix of beef, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. It’s good, but compared to the Nacho Cheese shell, the Cool Ranch just doesn’t stand out enough.

The Cool Ranch Doritos Locos tacos will be available at Laguna Beach’s famous Taco Bell and other locations around Orange County on March 7. For more locations, visit Taco Bell’s online map.  

Up next later this year: Flamas Doritos Locos tacos. But what we want to know is, will Taco Bell come out with a taco-flavored Doritos shell, thus creating a taco-flavored taco? The mind, it boggles ...