Taco Bell’s mission to redefine the taco shell is showing up for breakfast. Starting August 31, the Naked Egg Taco will hit stores nationwide. Made with a shell sculpted from a fried egg, the menu item wraps crispy potatoes, bacon or sausage, and cheese inside.
“The Naked Egg Taco strips down the traditional breakfast taco, allowing us to deliver a new flavor experience in every single bite,” says Liz Matthews, chief food innovation officer at Taco Bell Corp, in a statement. “Shell innovation is at the core of where we experiment—and whether it’s crispy chicken, biscuits or waffles that wrap up menu item classics—we bring our fans craveable and unexpected food experiences that leave them wanting more.”
Earlier in the year, Taco Bell released its Naked Chicken Chalupa, which featured a shell of fried chicken. But the innovative item, despite garnering widespread buzz, turned out to be a true limited time offer, although in May the brand brought naked chicken back in the form of chips, complete with nacho cheese sauce on the side.
Taco Bell is breaking the mold even further with its Naked Egg Taco. For the first time, guests in select cities can reserve a table to taste the item ahead of its debut. Brunch-esque “Bell & Breakfast” events will kick off in New York on August 17, with Laguna Beach, California; Austin, Texas; and Chicago hosting tastings on consecutive days beginning August 25.
The reservations are available through OpenTable.
When the Naked Egg Taco joins the menu, it will run $1.99. It can also be joined in a breakfast combo with coffee or a medium drink and two Cinnabon Delights or a hash brown for $3.99.
The item, first piloted in Flint, Michigan, is also available “dressed” in a Gordita Flatbread.
Taco Bell is also testing a Firecracker Burrito at four stores, with plans to expand in Ohio. The burrito adds cayenne “popping crystals” for 20 cents. Meant to mirror eating the fizzing Pop Rocks candy, it can be ordered cheesy or spicy.
