The Fast Food Chain That Serves A Discontinued Taco Bell Copycat

Taco Bell is no stranger to hijinx, from a publicity stunt in the '90s in which the company allegedly bought the Liberty Bell to the contemporary release of a funky-sounding Baja Blast pie that has divided internet opinions. And, yet, sometimes the Taco Bell memories that stay with us longest are those of menu items that were neither outrageous or audacious, just delicious. Take, for example, the Loaded Griller menu that TBell launched in 2013. These hefty roll-ups were available in three flavors: Loaded Potato, Beefy Nacho, and Chipotle Chicken. Best of all, they were budget-friendly, with internet anecdotes placing prices between one dollar and $1.69. Comments on social media sites like Reddit speak glowingly of the Loaded Grillers, which offered a full belly at a price that wouldn't hurt your wallet. If you didn't mind the surprising ingredient Taco Bell adds to guacamole, you could even dip a Loaded Griller in your favorite sauce. Alas, Loaded Grillers got the ax in mid-2020.

Don't get teary-eyed thinking of Grillers gone by, however. A little less than half of U.S. states have at least one Taco John's location. This chain, which claims to have invented the idea of Taco Tuesday, was founded in 1969 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Its claim to fame are its Potato Olés, which are seasoned tater tots. Perusing Taco John's menu will reveal something fascinating: The chain sells something called a Griller, which bears a striking resemblance to Taco Bell's Loaded Grillers!

As of this writing, Taco John's offers two Griller varieties: Spicy Chicken & Potato, and Spicy Steak & Potato. The former contains grilled chicken, Potato Olés, nacho cheese, chipotle lime sauce, and "super hot sauce." As for the steak griller, it offers the same list of ingredients, except that the protein is sirloin steak. Both Grillers are wrapped in a tortilla and grilled in a manner that appears darn similar to Taco Bell's Loaded Grillers. Visually, the Grillers fall somewhere between the Loaded Potato Griller and the Chipotle Chicken, maybe with slightly more fillings. Currently, the chicken Griller costs $3, and the steak version will set you back $4. Taco John's offers a bevy of sides to round out your Griller meal, including not just the tots, but also refried beans, red rice, chips and queso, churros, and Mexican Donut Bites.

If you are holding out for an exact clone of Taco Bell's discontinued (but never forgotten) Loaded Grillers, you might be disappointed by the soundalike offerings at Taco John's. However, if you can expand your mind to a fresh spin on the concept of a wrapped and grilled burrito, you just might find what you've been missing. The bards say that there's nothing new beneath the sun, and that usually holds true for fast food. Your beloved menu items might get 86'd, but, sometimes, a copycat will come along and sweep you back off your feet.