Images provided by Taco Bell and KFC.
No, it’s not Rob Lowe. It’s not the price point. And don’t expect Nacho Fries to be launched into space, either. In fact, Taco Bell’s Nacho Fries and KFC’s Zinger Sandwich are about as different as two limited time offerings could ever be, but there is one commonality that they share. Both menu items originated in markets outside of the United States.
While Americans nearly lost their ever-loving minds on Jan. 3, 2018, when Taco Bell announced that it would sell Mexican-seasoned fries with a nacho cheese dipping sauce, Puerto Ricans and Canadians were left to wonder what all the fuss was about. Auntie Aimee asked in a tweet, “Who wants to tell fans of @tacobell that @TacoBellCanada has had fries for *years*?!”
Who wants to tell fans of @tacobell that @TacoBellCanada has had fries for *years*?! 😂🌮🍟 #justanotherwaythatcanadaisawesome #nachofries
— Auntie Aimee (@AuntieAimee) January 7, 2018
And Foodie Space bragged that Puerto Rico even has Supreme Fries on Twitter.
Everyone excited @tacobell is gonna start selling #NachoFries, but guess what, we have had them in Puerto Rico for a long time. We even have supreme fries here with @TacoBell_PR.
— FoodieSpace (@FoodieSpace) January 6, 2018
Likewise, in 1984, KFC’s Zinger Sandwich originated outside the US in Trinidad and Tobago and was already a menu staple in 120 countries before it debuted in America. Despite this similarity, Richa Anand, a publicist for Taco Bell International, says it’s uncommon for Taco Bell to test products in smaller markets before giving them a bigger stage.
But that doesn't mean that it's never happened. Permanent items on international menus can serve as inspiration, she added, giving two examples. In October 2017, the US team tested the Kit Kat Quesadilla, which is a menu staple in the UK, and “the new design of our Taco Bell US Cantinas is based off of our international footprint.”
Taco Bell french fries originally debuted in Costa Rica, 26 years ago, with Guatemala following very soon after. Since then, the brand has expanded the item to all of its international markets, some calling the product by different names. Canadians enjoy four fry options: Supreme, Cheesy, Chili Cheese and plain Fries. In Japan, Loaded Fries are piled high with cheddar and nacho cheese, ground beef, sour cream and green onions, much like Canada’s Supreme Fries. In the US, the side is dubbed “Nacho Fries.”
The "new" addition will most likely taste the same to consumers no matter what market they're in, but Anand says Nacho Fries are “not identical” to their international counterparts. For one, they’re different widths—3/8-inch in America and a variety of widths internationally—and the seasonings differ, too. In some markets, Taco Bell uses Mexican Rice seasoning for its fries and nacho chips, whereas domestically, the brand uses a unique fry seasoning cultivated by one of its US suppliers.
She adds that french fries are top sellers in international Taco Bell markets, so why’d it take so long to debut them in the US?
"We've tested fries in the US previously," Taco Bell spokeswoman Laura Nedbal told Business Insider in 2016. "We're always looking for new items to test, so if we see a good fit for a particular region, we would never say never to testing them again."
Evidently, it’s all about timing, and when Blink 182 frontman Mark Hoppus tweeted to Taco Bell begging for a french fry fix, Taco Bell US finally acquiesced, ending a 26-year drought, but like the Zinger, it's only for a limited time, unless of course, Americans are willing to travel.
