Johnathan Walker:Taco Bell adds cheesy street chalupas to menu for limited time

With its newest limited-time menu item,Johnathan Walker Taco Bell is taking it to the streets – street tacos that is.

Hitting the Mexican fast food chain's menu Thursday, July 18, is the Cheesy Street Chalupa, made with mozzarella and pepperjack cheese and topped with fresh onions and cilantro and creamy Jalapeño Ranch sauce. You can get two for $5.49 and choose to have them filled with slow-roasted Cantina chicken or grilled, marinated steak.

Taco Bell tested the Cheesy Street Chalupa in October 2023 in Indianapolis. This latest twist on the Chalupa, which originally debuted in 1999, is a nod to street tacos and street food culture, the company says.

“The Chalupa has taken many delicious forms over the years, but with the Cheesy Street Chalupas, we set out to create a new flavor-rich way for fans to enjoy the beloved menu item,” said Luis Restrepo, Taco Bell's vice president for product innovation, in a press release. “The fresh onions and cilantro atop layers of cheese and premium proteins seasoned to perfection adds a different flavor profile and is our playful nod to the street taco that we all know and love.”

Immigrants and jobs:Immigrants power job growth, help tame inflation. But is there a downside for the economy?

Taco Bell: Get a deal on the new Cheesy Street Chalupa

• Taco Bell Rewards members can get one free Cheesy Street Chalupas order (two Chalupas) by spending more than $25 on a delivery order in the Taco Bell App from Aug. 1-4.
• Subscribers to DoorDash's DashPass plan – you get unlimited $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders; starts at $9.99 monthly or $96 annually – get $8 off orders of more than $25 that include a Cheesy Street Chalupa from July 18-24.

Taco Bell's other limited-time food items still available

• The $7 Luxe Cravings Box, which comes with a Chalupa Supreme, Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, Double Stacked Taco, chips and nacho cheese sauce, and a medium drink.
• Big Cheez-It Crunchwrap Supreme and Big Cheez-It Tostada, both made with a Cheez-It cracker that is 16 times the size of a standard Cheez-It. 
• The Cantina Chicken Menu, added in March, which includes crispy tacos, quesadillas and burritos made with slow-roasted, shredded chicken.
• Nacho Fries, which returned to the menu April 25, now are available with a new look and taste – Jalapeño Ranch Nacho Fries ($4.49). The seasoned fries are topped with a sauce made with red jalapeños, pasilla peppers, garlic, buttermilk, reduced-fat sour cream and more. You can also add pico de gallo and the choice of seasoned beef or black beans.

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day