How Taco Bell Created 100 Menu Items With 4 Ingredients

Taco Bell’s menu looks huge, but most of it comes down to the same four ingredients: tortillas, beans, beef, and cheese. That fact went viral after comedian Tim Hawkins joked about it in a TikTok video, which claimed nearly 100 different menu items are just those basics in different combinations. Once you hear it, it’s hard to see the menu any other way.

@timhawkinscomic Fun Fact: All 97 items on the @tacobell menu are made from the same 4 ingredients. #timhawkins #cleancomedy #familycomedy #tacobell #drivethru ♬ original sound – Tim Hawkins

The Internet Has Been Onto This for Years

People have been joking about this for years. Back in 2015, a post on Reddit’s r/Showerthoughts declared, “Taco Bell’s menu items are basically the same ingredients rearranged differently.” The idea spread fast, with commenters comparing it to DNA or quarks, and comedians like Jim Gaffigan and Dane Cook adding their spins in stand-up specials. Even The Onion ran a parody about the chain mixing its five ingredients in “totally new ways.”

Realizing the Bell’s Magic

Image via Wikimedia Commons/Donald Trung Quoc Don

So how does Taco Bell manage this menu trick? It’s all about presentation. Change the shape of the tortilla (roll it, fold it, fry it, or flatten it) and you’ve got a new dish. From a business standpoint, it’s genius. The kitchen only needs to keep a small set of ingredients on hand, which saves time, money, and storage space. Meanwhile, customers feel like they have a mountain of options, and the marketing practically writes itself.

On a serious note, Taco Bell menus include many more ingredients than tortillas, beans, beef, and cheese. They use multiple proteins (such as seasoned chicken, grilled steak), various sauces, vegetables, and desserts. Even so, it’s easy to see how most people are picking how they want the same four trusty ingredients stacked, folded, or melted together.