Taco Bell’s waffle taco first bite: ‘Mushy’ meets ‘rubbery’

Fast-food news travels fast: Taco Bell is quietly testing a new “waffle taco” at three Southern California locations, including its Santa Ana restaurant on Grand Avenue.

And by 10 a.m. Tuesday, a steady stream of customers was coming in to order the new breakfast menu item in multiples -- four, six, 10 or more -- for a mere 89 cents each.

The waffle taco comes steaming in foil, a waffle folded around a thin sausage patty and a generous helping of scrambled eggs.

Squeeze the packet of Heinz table syrup over the top for a sinful morning treat.

That’s what Louise Carson, who lives near the restaurant, said she likes to do. She has been ordering the waffle tacos in the morning, and then offers them as after-school snacks to her kids.

“I pass them out in the car during pickup time and they have a bite before we go to different sports events,” she said. “It’s handy, and the price is right.”

Taco Bell has begun selling breakfast items at nearly 800 outlets in 10 states as one of the latest fast-food chains to attempt to nab a bigger share of the early morning market. Because the menu item is still in the testing stage, calorie counts aren’t available.

The waffle taco has become a staple for her family, Carson said, because it’s so affordable.

Our take: The waffle part of the taco is mushy, and the meat has a slight rubbery texture that is not uncommon with fast-food items. But we might be in the minority. As reported earlier on the Daily Dish, Taco Bell’s waffle taco already has fans buzzing on social media and an enviable hashtag: #itsdelicious.

Carson says she’s a fan as well.

“It’s all about convenience and a good deal,” she said. “And it’s easy to pack.”

She also eyed the menu above the cash registers, noting the new fruit-topped oatmeal and chocolate-chip sandwich items being touted.

“Thumbs-up” to the chain for trying new flavors, she said, adding that tacos and waffles combine “the best” of both worlds.

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