If you love Taco Bell. You just might love their take on something new to “The Bell.” Taco Bell is testing a new menu item. The chain is trying out brand-new crispy chicken nuggets in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The nuggets are made from all-white meat chicken breast that’s marinated in spiced jalapeño buttermilk then breaded and fried. They also have two new sauce options: a sweet Jalapeño Honey Mustard and a signature Bell sauce made with tomatoes, red chiles, onion, and garlic.
The nuggets are available in five-piece and 10-piece orders. They are not the only new item. Eat This says there are 5 new tasty treats. Plus something else is new.
Alongside the release of these new items, Taco Bell also just launched a special new promotion perfect for customers who need to feed a small crowd. The new Build Your Own Meal for 4 deal allows fans to choose from a list of tacos, burritos, and sides to create a feast for around $24.99, though exact prices may vary.
Diehard fans should also keep close tabs on the Taco Bell app in the near future since the chain has a series of exciting in-app deals lined up for the coming weeks.
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) recently shared a study that details the top fast-food chains in the country based on customer satisfaction. While I agree with the top choice, the others are questionable. And hey, taste is subjective. I’m something of a fast-food restaurant connoisseur. So, here I will re-rank the country’s top five fast-food restaurant chains based on personal experience. (Hence, “Definitive” in quotes in the headline.)
First, let’s examine the numbers in this report, as there are certainly some valuable points to consider. It appears as if their customer satisfaction entails 11 important factors. These include areas such as the accuracy of food orders, staff courtesy, and cleanliness. Another important measurement these days is the efficiency of the chain’s app.
The ACSI report is based on 16,250 customers who were surveyed. Their top five looked like this:
- #1 Chick-fil-A
- #2 Jimmy Johns
- #3 KFC
- #4 Papa John
- #5 Domino’s
Technically “other” landed at number three, but for the sake of top brands, that is the top of the list.
Re-Ranking Methodology
While I do like the variety in cuisine displayed in ACSI’s list, I am surprised at many of the names I see there. To create this ranking, I did follow and considered the customer satisfaction criteria previously laid out in the survey. Though I am a drive-thru-first type of person, I will quickly peel out of the parking lot if I detect the joint doesn’t look like it takes cleanliness seriously. Regardless of how much I am craving that chicken sandwich. In other words, those scored questions are legit measurements.
It’s worth mentioning that I travel quite a bit as well. Whether taking my kids to a weekend lacrosse tournament or heading south to visit family, a fast-food meal is often all I have time for. Nonetheless, I don’t just stop for anything, and I do aim for the healthiest option possible (most of the time).
So, imagine I just pulled off a magical interstate exit where all of these fast food restaurants had an open establishment. I’m considering the criteria points ACSI has laid out, and looking for a quality meal. Here is my official re-ranking of the top five fast-food restaurant chains in the country.
*Side-note, the ACSI also includes statistic results on full-service chain restaurants. That is not applicable to my ranking, but Chili’s is the clear number one, with all the rest being second.
