Taco Bell fans got to see the future as the brand unveiled a first look (and taste) of the biggest year yet for flavor and innovation

By: Taco Bell Corp.
Inspired by: Taco Bell fans everywhere
Updated 6:07 PM EST, Tuesday, March 4, 2025

TLDR:

• Tonight, at Live Más LIVE 2025 in New York City, Taco Bell brought fans an unforgettable evening of the brand's bold future – double the innovation on and off the menu.
• Hosted by Grammy and Tony nominated singer and actress Ashley Park, the immersive experience unveiled 30 new menu items in development, limited-edition merch collaborations with Siegelman Stable and Bad Birdie, celebrated the brand's biggest fans during the 'Bell Awards' and more.
• Follow Taco Bell on TikTok, X and Instagram for late breaking updates. Rewatch the livestream on YouTube.
• For media usage: assets will continue to be added HERE.

NEW YORK, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Emcee Ashley Park Kicks Off Second Annual Live Más LIVE Innovation Keynote at 5:00 p.m. EST, March 4, 2025
Taco Bell's biggest fans filled the Brooklyn Paramount Theater and tuned in online to be the first to experience the future of Taco Bell. Ashley Park set the stage, energizing the crowd before they got a front-row seat to Taco Bell's biggest surprises for 2025 — including cutting-edge products, groundbreaking partnerships, unexpected collaborations and exclusive tasting opportunities.

5:05 p.m. EST, March 4, 2025
Taco Bell's Vision for 2025: Doubling Down on Innovation
Taco Bell CEO Sean Tresvant took the stage to set the tone for a groundbreaking year centered around giving the brand's biggest fans more ways to enjoy their favorites, more opportunities to try new innovations and more ways to stay connected.

Bonus take: Doubling down on innovation on the menu starts with bold ambitions for evolving Taco Bell's chicken and beverage lineup and extends beyond the menu with a reimagined customer experience, revolutionizing fan touchpoints through supreme service and fan experiences. The love for Taco Bell grows more than ever with over 340 stores opening in 25 countries alone in 2024. Read more HERE.

Before heading offstage, Tresvant surprised the in-person audience with an exclusive collab giveaway of custom hats in partnership with luxury fashion brand Siegelman Stable. For viewers at home, there was a Tuesday Drop, via the Taco Bell app, of the exclusive Live Más LIVE merch.

5:10 p.m. EST, March 4, 2025
A Look Inside the Test Kitchen and The Mind of Taco Bell's Most Innovative
Taco Bell's Chief Food Innovation Officer, Liz Matthews pulled back the purple curtain on the famous Test Kitchen and the brilliant minds of the Food Innovation Team whose number one job is to craft a reimagined dining experience. Known for pushing the envelope when others "stay in their lane" to curate some of the most talked about menu items around (chicken nuggets), Taco Bell shed a light onto menu items and flavors they're dreaming about.

• Weak Knees Fire: Taco Bell is working with Brooklyn-born condiment brand Bushwick Kitchen on a new sauce—Weak Knees Fire—that combines the iconic Fire sauce with Bushwick Kitchen's Weak Knees Gochujang Sriracha. The sauce is smokey, spicy and has a pop of citrus.
• Zab's Hot Ranch: Zab's Hot Sauce specializes in craft hot sauces using the Datil Pepper that is known for a lingering slow burn. Taco Bell is working with Zab's to create a new sauce—Zab's Hot Ranch—that takes the flavors that Zab's is known for and adding Taco Bell's Spicy Ranch sauce.
• Purple Chile Sauce: A rich purple sauce featuring three unique chiles: Ají Panca, Habanero and Ghost Pepper. At the tasting experience, this sauce required
• Crispy Fajitas: Tempura battered crispy bell pepper, onions and jalapeños paired with white habanero ranch for dipping.
• Queso Fundido Rolled Chicken Taquitos: Crispy taquitos stuffed with chicken with a green chili queso fundido for dipping.
• Short Rib Chile Relleno Burrito: Anaheim green chile stuffed with melted cheese and short rib beef.
• Brisket Taco: A taco featuring slow-roasted brisket, shredded cheese and purple cabbage.
• Poutine Fries: A bed of seasoned fries topped with slow-roasted pork, savory gravy and cheese curds.
• Ube Strawberry Cookie: A crisp and chewy sugar cookie stuffed with rich vanilla ube cream featuring strawberry pieces in the cookie and filling plus a flurry of sprinkles.
• Mexican Pizza Empanada: Everything fans love about the cult classic Mexican Pizza inside of a flakey crispy empanada.
• Mini Taco Salad: A bite-sized version of the taco salad that was on Taco Bell menus from 1984 to 2017 with added salsa verde and lime.
• Tacodilla: An oversized taco shell made with a corn flour tortilla filled with carne asada, melted cheese, guajillo pepper sauce and grilled to perfection, inspired by traditional Mexican street food.
• Salted Caramel & Toffee Cream Empanada Bite: A twist on the beloved Caramel Apple Empanada featuring salted caramel and toffee cream.

"For more than 60 years, Taco Bell has been crafting bold, beautiful flavors that ignite cravings and redefine what's possible. Our fans inspire us to push boundaries, break the rules, and explore the limitless potential of flavor. We're not just making food—we're creating experiences that surprise, delight, and keep people coming back for more," remarked Matthews.

5:20 p.m. EST, March 4, 2025
TBX Season 2: Carne Asada Steals the Show
Last year's Live Más LIVE introduced TBX, a culinary collaboration program designed to support emerging chefs and offer fans entirely new ways to experience their favorite Taco Bell menu items. Last year's debut had fans in a frenzy for one-of-a-kind Crunchwrap Supremes and Taco Bell confirmed that the Southwest Hot CHX Crunchwrap Supreme in partnership with TBX Chef Lawrence "LT" Smith is currently testing in Cincinatti, OH.

The second season of TBX is all about bringing a new type of carne asada to the masses. Who else better to partner with than the woman who literally wrote the book on it. Taco Bell announced a partnership with LA-based Bricia Lopez, author, creator of "I Love Micheladas," co-owner of the award-winning restaurant Guelaguetza and widely regarded leading expert of Oaxacan cuisine.

Matthews wrapped her appearance announcing an exclusive in-app Tuesday Drop inviting five Taco Bell Fire! Tier rewards members and lucky plus ones to join her and the team at the Taco Bell Test Kitchen in Irvine, California to experience part of the magic.

5:30 p.m. EST, March 4, 2025
The 2025 Bell Awards: Taylor Frankie Paul Takes Home "Menu Hack of The Year" Award, Among Five Winners
Host Ashley Park recognized Taco Bell superfans during the second annual Bell Awards for their unparalleled dedication to the brand, honoring Taco Bell's passionate and loyal community of taco enthusiasts:

• Drive Thru Ride of the Year: It's not about the destination but rather the journey, this year's award for Drive Thru Experience of the Year was given to Patrick Adair for turning his car into a rolling love letter to Taco Bell.
• Breakthrough Feed The Beat Artist: Taco Bell feeds the beat like no other and honors those musicians who break boundaries and push the envelope. Tanner Adell took home the award for Breakthrough Feed the Beat Artist.
  • Taco Bell also announced submissions to join the Feed The Beat roster are now open. For more details visit FeedTheBeat.com*.
• Menu Hack of The Year: Taking innovation into her own hands, Taylor Frankie Paul was awarded Menu Hack of the Year for her masterpiece that we are calling: "Dirty Mountain Dew Baja Blast Dream Soda"
• Best Taco Tuesday: Nothing brings people together like Taco Tuesday; it's a bonding experience unmatched that cultivates a communal experience and the Minnesota Golden Gophers know what it takes to celebrate, taking home Best Taco Tuesday. All-Pro wide receiver and Taco Bell superfan Davante Adams presented this award virtually.
• Best Live Más Moment: More than just a slogan but a way of life, Hannah Sturm and Megan Przepierski trekked through a snowstorm to take the award for Best Live Más Moment.

5:40 p.m. EST, March 4, 2025
Refreshing the Game: Live Más Café is Here with Vibrant Beverage Innovations
Taco Bell is redefining refreshment with the launch of Live Más Café, its first-ever beverage-focused restaurant, which opened in November 2024 in San Diego, California. Inspired by Gen Z's love for specialty drinks, this concept offers a diverse range of 30 unique beverages handmade by Bellristas including Churro Chillers, Agua Refrescas, specialty coffees, Dirty MTN DEW® BAJA BLAST® Dream Soda and more.

5:50 p.m. PST, March 4, 2025
Taco Bell's 2025 Off Menu Collabs: Must-Have Merch and More
While known for its craveable food, Taco Bell is no stranger to crushing the clothing game. Limited-edition merch partnerships and more are on the horizon giving fans more ways than ever to interreact with their favorite brand.

• Bad Birdie Taco Bell is partnering with golf apparel brand Bad Birdie on a collection and a tournament for high school golfers. Fans will be able to submit their story this Spring and have the opportunity to place in the Taco Bell x Bad Birdie Invitational later this year.
• Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 & 4: The Tony Hawk Pro Skater game is turning 25 years old this year and for the first time ever, Taco Bell restaurants and exclusive branded merch will be featured in the game.

5:55 p.m. EST, March 4, 2025
2025 Menu Releases: Bold Flavors Ahead
Taco Bell CMO, Taylor Montgomery highlighted the flavor-packed lineup of every menu item rolling out in the 2025 calendar year**:

• Luxe Cravings Boxes: Stepping up its unmatched value offers, Taco bell introduced the $5, $7 and $9 Luxe Cravings Boxes earlier this year aligning with Taco Bell's mission to deliver more flavor, more choices and more value for every fan.
• Caliente Cantina Chicken Menu: Taco Bell is turning up the heat with the Caliente Cantina Chicken Menu, a bold new twist on its fan-favorite slow-roasted Cantina Chicken. Featuring the all-new Caliente Sauce, made with red jalapeños for the prefect balance of spice and flavor, this limited-time menu brings fiery excitement to fan favorite items. The Caliente Cantina Chicken Menu is also coming to menus in Canada locations.
  • Rewards Members were able to score a Caliente Cantina Chicken taco for $1 in the app through Tuesday Drops for a limited time after the Caliente Cantina Chicken menu was announced.
• Decades Menu: After bringing back nostalgic fan favorites last year, the brand is going to do it again with products that were on menus in the early 2000s and 2010s, including the Cool Ranch Doritos® Locos Tacos and Double Decker Taco.
• Fan Style: Whether it's adding guacamole and fiesta strips to a Cantina Chicken Burrito or swapping tomatoes for pico de gallo in a Crunchwrap Supreme, Taco Bell fans will have the opportunity to influence Taco Bell's menu with "Fan Style," an in-app functionality that allows fans to customize, name and share their unique Taco Bell customization with friends, family and other fans. The brand is looking at ways to give fans rewards points when someone orders their customized order, more details to come later this year.
• Grilled Cheese Burrito with Shredded Beef: Everything fans love about the Grilled Cheese Burrito now featuring shredded beef.
• Toasted Cheddar Street Chalupa: The Toasted Cheddar Street Chalupa is a bold twist on the fan-favorite Cheesy Street Chalupa, continuing Taco Bell's ode to the street with game-changing upgrades from the outside-in: cheddar baked into the shell, a layer of crispy cheese toasted on the outside for the perfect crunch, and a brand-new Chile Lime Crema Sauce that brings a punch of flavor. It's packed with street-inspired flavors fans love, with their choice of slow-roasted chicken or marinated grilled steak, topped with diced onions and cilantro, and served in pairs of two.
• Crispy Chicken: Crispy Chicken Nuggets are coming back after making a splash on menus in late 2024. In addition to a la carte options, there will also be Crispy Chicken Burritos and Tacos hitting menus in U.S. and Canada locations this year alongside Avocado Ranch and Spicy Ranchero Sauce.
• Mike's Hot Honey® Diablo Sauce: Taco Bell teams up with Mike's Hot Honey® to create the bold and spicy Mike's Hot Honey® Diablo sauce, heading to menus later this year with Crispy Chicken Nuggets.
• Flamin' Hot® Burrito: An all-new burrito featuring nacho cheese sauce, Flamin' Hot® Fritos®, reduced-fat sour cream, seasoned beef and NEW Flamin' Hot® Rice wrapped in a warm tortilla.
• Steak and Queso Cruchwrap Sliders: While the Crunchwrap Supreme has seen many innovations over the years, its signature balance of crunch, cheese, and flavor is fully realized in the newest Crunchwrap innovation. The perfectly portable sliders elevate the iconic menu item with grilled marinated steak, creamy chipotle sauce, pico de gallo, cheddar cheese and a mini tostada wrapped up in a grilled flour tortillas and are served as a fun-sized pair of 2 alongside the perfect dipping component: Green Chile Queso. Steak and Queso Crunchwrap Sliders are also hitting menus in Canada locations.
• Rolled Poblano Quesadilla: Marinated steak or slow-roasted chicken plus poblano peppers rolled into one amazing quesadilla.
• Milk Bar Birthday Cake Churros: Taco Bell and Milk Bar reunited at the end of February to bring fans a new limited-time, while supplies last dessert packed with big birthday energy; Milk Bar Birthday Cake Churros! For this second culinary collab, fans received the ultimate treat experience with every bite of the warm and crispy churros filled with Milk Bar's iconic birthday cake frosting and topped with festive sprinkles and sugar. Available now in the U.S. in addition to Canada locations, while supplies last.
• MOUNTAIN DEW BAJA MIDNIGHT™: A sweet and refreshing blast of passionfruit flavor combined with the familiar tropical lime flavor of Baja Blast to perfectly complement any Taco Bell meal. This beverage is only available at Taco Bell restaurants.
• Quesocrisp Taco: An all-new taco with a shell made out of crispy cheese.

6:07 p.m. PST, March 4, 2025
Harmony at The First Bite
Following the show, Live Más Live attendees got access to an exclusive tasting event indulging in more than 14 new innovation that the Taco Bell Food Innovation Team have in the works. The menu items served during the tasting experience include: the Quesocrisp Taco, Flamin' Hot® Burrito, MOUNTAIN DEW BAJA MIDNIGHT™, Purple Chile sauce (requiring a waiver to try) and more.

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* NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open only to artists/bands performing in the United States of America in 2025 who are at least age 18 (or the age of majority within their jurisdiction, if older than 18). Begins on 03/04/2025 at 2PM PST and ends on 03/17/25 at 8:59 PM PST ("Contest Period"). To enter the Contest, visit feedthebeat.com/subs/register during the Contest Period and submit a completed entry form, including responses to all required questions. Total 100 winners during Contest Period. Entries must comply with all requirements in Official Rules. Limit: 1 entry per artist/band. Prize: one $500 Taco Bell gift card and a welcome package. Winner must comply with all prize acceptance requirements. For full Official Rules, see https://feedthebeat.com/officialrules. Sponsor: Taco Bell Corp., 1 Glen Bell Way, Irvine, CA 92618.
** At participating U.S. locations for a limited time only (where applicable), while supplies last.  Contact restaurant for prices, hours and participation, which vary. Taxes extra. Prices higher with delivery. In combos and boxes, drinks exclude freezes.

Jacqueline Cisneros – Taco Bell Corp.
Jacqueline.Cisneros@yum.com

Elizabeth Burmeister – Edelman
Elizabeth.Burmeister@edelman.com

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SOURCE Taco Bell Corp.