Taco Bell’s XXL Chalupa – Eden Prairie, MN

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this new menu item from Taco Bell. I do love to try their new creations, but I’ve been working on staying out of the XXL shirt size range as of late… hahahaha. Ah, screw it – it’s time to get one.

The XXL Chalupa is about double what a regular Chalupa would cost you, so I don’t have any problems there. This thing comes in its own special cardboard food container due to its size – it really is the size of two chalupas. Plus, the box says something borderline (get it? Border-line?) dirty on the side of it that I’m assuming was changed at the last minute when they realized they could put “Big Things Come in Bog Boxes” on a fast food package.
It has most of the same ingredients as the standard chalupa, but it does contain three different cheese (according to the website) and some crispy tortilla strips on it as well. I was half worried the tortilla strips would chop into my mouth, but they really ended up being a texture-enhancer and not a cap’m-crunch-level mouth destroyer.

The shell is an oversized chalupa shell – that delicious crispy but chewy shell that I’ve decided all foods need to be served in. Venison chalupa? Yes, please. Chicken Alfredo Chalupa? Yes, please. Caesar Salad Chalupa? Definitely. Caramello Chalupa? Sure, why not? The shell is delicious, but structurally, it had one major issue. It’s folded up at both ends, so you’ve got a sort of shell-boat. This may not seem like a big deal, but the first bite from either end is actually difficult. It’s too small to take just a corner off, but it’s too large to fit the entire end in your mouth. This was really my only major downside to this thing.

Overall, the XXL Chalupa is delicious and not unlike eating two standard chalupas. Clearly, I would get this again, without question – maybe today for lunch, in fact. As usual, the thing could have been improved with bacon, but it’s really good the way it is. No complaints, TB people.