Fans of mouthwateringly spicy food won’t have to travel far to get their fix this summer, thanks to a popular fast-food chain.
On March 16, Taco Bell announced the return of a few popular spicy items that have been absent from its menu for over two decades: the Volcano Burrito, Volcano Taco and Lava Sauce will be re-introduced on menus starting June 29. Moreover, Taco Bell Rewards members can experience the spicy treats a couple of days early on June 27.
In addition to sharing the news on the official Taco Bell twitter account on March 15, the fast food chain also released the announcement on its website letting people know that “the rumblings were true” and asked folks to save the date for one of the brand’s “hottest comebacks.”
“A menu so hot we can’t keep our cool,” Taco Bell writes in the announcement. “Established all the way back in 1995, Taco Bell is returning up the heat, for the third time, with the perfect encore to satisfy your spice cravings through the return of the fan favorite Volcano Menu.”
The release goes on to say that this launch will reintroduce the Volcano Burrito, Volcano Taco and the option to add Lava Sauce on any item, meaning you can build your own (unofficial) Volcano Quesadilla or Volcano Mexican Pizza, if desired. Still, the brand says the items will only be available on menus for a limited time.
For those unfamiliar, the Volcano Taco was a taco that was initially available in a limited-time release back in 2008, according to Taco Bell Wiki, a fan led source of all Taco Bell news. The fiery red taco shells were filled with ground beef, lettuce and Lava Sauce (a spicy nacho cheese sauce).
The elder statesman of the bunch, the Volcano Burrito, was introduced all the way back when “Gangsta’s Paradise” was the #1 song of the year and the movie “Congo” was in theaters. In fact, the menu item, which was billed at the time as “the spiciest burrito ever,” was served as a promotional tie-in for the 1995 sci-fi film.
Although spice-lovers will have to wait to order the items, they should start building a burrito budget. A Taco Bell representative tells TODAY.com via email that the Volcano Burrito will retail for $3.99, while the Volcano Taco for $2.49 and a Volcano Combo will go for $7.49. Finally, the Lava Sauce can be added to any item on the menu for an additional $1.
Taco Bell notes that its famously fiery menu developed a cult-like following over the years. In fact, a Change.org petition titled “Bring Back Volcano Menu” has been collecting signatures since 2018, garnering more than 1,800.
This isn't the first time that Taco Bell lovers have resorted to drastic measures to convince the chain to bring their faves back. For one, there’s a grassroots campaign called the Beefy Crunch Movement, which rallies its 66,000-member-strong Facebook community in demanding the return of Taco Bell’s discontinued Beefy Crunch Burrito — and it has been since 2011. In 2022, pop star Doja Cat took to TikTok to freestyle a song about the Mexican Pizza, which some credit for helping bring back the item to menus for good.
