Taco Bell Launches Its Veggie Meal for 2 Deal. But There’s a Catch.

Whether it’s late at night or lunchtime, Taco Bell is always a savior when craving a quick meat-free meal that won’t break the bank. Lucky for you, the Mexican-inspired chain is exploring new ways to make its meatless options even more appealing. 

This month, Taco Bell has launched its “Veggie Meal for 2,” a value offering of some of its most popular meatless items, available exclusively through Taco Bell’s website or app. 

Taco Bell

The Veggie Meal for 2 includes two Cheese Quesadillas, two Bean Burritos, two Spicy Potato Soft Tacos, and two sides of Chips with Nacho Cheese Sauce, priced at $12.50.

Taco Bell previously offered meal deals for two and four but this one focuses squarely on vegetarian fare. The price for the Veggie Meal for 2 varies by location and the deal is only available for a limited time. 

Is Taco Bell’s Veggie Meal Deal vegan?

While the Veggie Meal deal is a score for vegetarians who can eat well for less than $7 for a full meal per person. However, ordering it vegan cuts out several options. For one, cheese quesadillas cannot be made vegan as dairy cheese is the primary ingredient. 

Taco Bell

On the bright side, the bean burritos can be made vegan by requesting to remove the cheese, and the spicy potato soft tacos can also be ordered fully plant-based without cheese and chipotle sauce. 

The chips are vegan, but the nacho cheese sauce is not. While Taco Bell did offer a vegan nacho cheese sauce last year, the item was only available for a limited time. 

Taco Bell leans into meatless options

The new veggie meal deal is the latest move by Taco Bell to focus on its budget-friendly vegetarian options. At the start of 2024, the chain released its Cravings Value Menu, featuring a Veggie Build-Your-Own Cravings Box.

Taco Bell

The Cravings Value Menu includes 10 items priced at $3 or less. Among these, several vegetarian options can be easily customized to be vegan. The Cheesy Roll Up, Spicy Potato Soft Taco, Cheesy Bean & Rice Burrito, and Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes can all be made vegan by removing dairy components. 

“Value has always been at the cornerstone of what we offer at Taco Bell, but we knew heading into this new year we wanted to take it to the next level,” Taylor Montgomery, Chief Marketing Officer, said in a statement. 

“As our consumers are looking for more ways to save, we’re committed to expanding on our value offerings through new menu items and digital offerings that deliver quality and abundance,” Montgomery said. 

Moreover, the Veggie Build-Your-Own-Cravings-Box, exclusively available through Taco Bell’s website and app for $5.99, offers a more personalized dining experience. Customers can choose a specialty and classic item, complemented by a side and a drink, with ample vegan customization options. 

The box includes specialty items (made vegan by ditching dairy) such as the Black Bean Crunchwrap Supreme and Black Bean Chalupa; classic items such as the Bean Burrito, Spicy Potato Soft Taco, and Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito; and side items including chips (minus the cheese sauce) and Cinnamon Twists, which are vegan as-is. 

“We’re rolling out entirely new ways to save across our menu and doubling down with exclusive digital offerings so expect more from us this year,” Montgomery said. “We’re walking the talk when it comes to value and we’re just getting started.”

Taco Bell’s own plant-based meat and cheese

In addition to offering value combinations with its veggie deals and boxes, Taco Bell has been working to give plant eaters more options to crave by developing its own plant-based meats and dairy-free cheeses. 

Taco Bell

In 2021, Taco Bell unveiled its proprietary “real seasoned plant-based protein,” a blend predominantly made from soy and pea proteins. This vegan meat alternative was first tested in Tustin, CA, and subsequently expanded to select locations in Detroit, MI and Birmingham, AL for a limited run. 

Simultaneously, Taco Bell partnered with Beyond Meat to create Beyond Carne Asada, a plant-based steak offering tested in Dayton, OH in 2022. These plant-based meat options, designed to emulate Taco Bell’s classic flavors, allow customers to enjoy their favorite dishes with a meat-free twist. Neither of these has hit Taco Bell’s permanent menu yet. 

Last year, Taco Bell also ventured into dairy-free products with its Vegan Nacho Sauce, marking the chain’s first vegan cheese. Launched for a limited time nationwide alongside its popular Nacho Fries, the sauce was crafted from a base of chickpeas and soy.

 Taco Bell

The vegan nacho sauce was first introduced after a highly successful test of the Vegan Crunchwrap—which included a “blanco sauce” as its first foray into dairy-free cheese—last June in select markets. 

“Taco Bell has always been about pushing culinary boundaries and providing craveable options, and the Vegan Nacho Sauce embodies our commitment to innovation while catering to a wide range of lifestyles,” Missy Schaaphok, Director of Global Nutrition and Sustainability at Taco Bell, told VegNews at the time. 

Now if Taco Bell makes the vegan nacho sauce a permanent fixture on its menu, everyone could actually get a good value from its new Veggie Meal for 2 deal.