If We Had One Wish, It Would Be For Taco Bell To Bring Back The XXL Chalupa

As time passes, details can fade from a person's memory. However, some pieces of history are too big to forget. Taco Bell's XXL Chalupa made a permanent impression on the tastebuds of consumers everywhere. In the summer of 2010, the XXL Chalupa graced the Taco Bell menu board with its presence, and like many wonderful things, it didn't last. The XXL Chalupa was removed from the menu in 2011 much to the dismay of its fan base.

What made this chalupa so great? While it was comparable to a regular chalupa as far as the ingredients go, it was so much more than just a chalupa. The XXL Chalupa was a beast of an item. The giant was over 50% larger than the regular chalupa with even more beef, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, and tomatoes all stuffed in a trough-shaped shell twice as large as the regular chalupa. This larger version of the chalupa also contained up to 650 calories.  For a little perspective, a Beef Chalupa Supreme is around 360 calories. The XXL Chalupa was everything people loved about Taco Bell served up in its own edible dish.

The XXL Chalupa may be gone, but it is not forgotten, as an entire 2023 Reddit thread proved, with loving fans recalling its messy yet delicious reign. If the XXL Chalupa sounds too good to be true, to top it off, the regular beef version of this feast would only run a person $2.99. It's impossible not to miss such a fast-food gem.

The XXL Chalupa was a shining gold star in the long history of Taco Bell specialty items. Regulars had found a delicious way to fill their bellies and save money at Taco Bell. They loved it so much that at one point a Change.org petition — with the intent of convincing the fast-food giant to bring the item back — was garnering a modest amount of traction. The XXL Chalupa's exit from the Bell's lineup is a disappointing, but not surprising move on Taco Bell's part.

There's no clear statement on the reason behind the XXL Chalupa's disappearance. However, Taco Bell updates its menu regularly to maintain consumer interest and simplify its products without losing quality. In 2020, Taco Bell did a mass menu revamp that left a lot of beloved items, like the 7-Layer Burrito and the Mini Skillet Bowl, in the past. The XXL Chalupa's time on the menu was short-lived, but it appears to have made an impact on Taco Bell fans that was as big as its name.

Taco Bell said goodbye to the XXL Chalupa over a decade ago, and it's yet to make a comeback, but that doesn't mean one isn't possible. Taco Bell has been known to revisit old favorites for a limited time. Items that make the cut for a limited return aren't random. In 2022, Taco Bell hosted an in-app vote to bring back a discontinued menu item, opening the doors for the return of the Enchirito. Avid fans of the Bell will also recall in 2023, the beloved Double Decker Taco was brought back for a limited time after being discontinued in 2019. 

Taco Bell's 2024 menu so far focuses on new items like a new Cravings Value Menu with 10 items for $3 or less and a Veggie-Build-Your-Own-Cravings-Box that customers can order through the Taco Bell app. These changes keep Taco Bell as a viable option for those looking to save money, as well as for those with a plant-focused diet. Even with Taco Bell's focus on novelty, could classic menu items like the XXL Chalupa return, even for a short time? For now, we can only wish.