Taco Bell — Restaurant in Louisiana

First off, life is too short to get all twisted up over some half-baked taco joint, but I'd like to share my latest 2 experiences just to let you know what you are in for if you go to the N. Range bean burrito zone these days.

Lady working the register was nice. They rang up my order, got the food out pretty quick and everything that made it into the bag, was done correctly and was good by Taco Bell standards for how slammed they were.

They forgot the damn Mexican Pizza, so add 10 miles to the odometer to go back to get that. Way back when I used to work at Taco Bell, if we screwed up an order, we'd hook the customer up with some cinnamon twists, probably an extra drink or anything else they wanted, and call it a wash. The night shift manager looked at me flatly and yelled back to the line, "Get me a pizza!" So, no receipt, no offer of any compensation for the waste of time and gas, but they were on the ball with the food if it made it into the bag.

The lady working the register apologized. I offered to drive around again to not screw up their timers. The manager ignored me, and the lady at the register shrugged apologetically. That's fine, it's your drive through timer, not mine.

I'll say this. The Mexican Pizza is pretty much the biggest gamble you can take when you go to Taco Bell. There are about 10 things that can go wrong, if the fryer has old grease, the pizza shell tastes like burning tires. If you aren't a ninja when slicing the pizza, it becomes nachos with red sauce. If you close the box too hard or handle the box too roughly, all the cheese sticks to the top of the lid. I knew what kind of gamble I had made ordering the Mexican Pizza, so when I got home and realized I didn't end up with one, I was half relieved, half annoyed. It was worth taking the trip back and dealing with the world weary manager, waiting in line a second time around, and all the breach in customer service policies because the crew working the line tonight were taco bell ninjas when it came to making the food correctly. The pizza was perfect, just like back in the day when I made my own. 4 slices, cheese intact, fairly clean oil in the shells, and proper weight of ingredients. Probably a little light on the beans, but I'd give the pizza a 4 star rating all by itself.

I wish I could give this crew 5 stars, but I got the D-list treatment when it came to order accuracy and protocol. And this isn't an isolated incident unfortunately. Don't ever use their app to order your food. I popped in an order about 6 months ago, and the system sent me all the way to Taco Bell at O'neal to pick up my order in rush hour traffic. It could have been an honest mistake on my part, but the crew at N. Range said they couldn't do anything about it and I had to drive all the way to Baton Rouge to pick up my by-then cold food and melted frozen drink. You'd think they would have just made the damn order, instead of sending me out on a 45 minute car ride to pick up cold fast food.

Perhaps this is all blown out of proportion on my part, it's just crappy fast food after all, but I don't really order drive through food that much, it's supposed to be a once or twice a year treat that is at the very least consistent and convenient, so when I get the D-lister treatment, or get told "oh well, your problem not mine" It really makes me wonder why I don't just pick up fresh ingredients from Rouse's on the way home and cook better food for less...

To Whom It May Concern at Taco Bell,

As a self-proclaimed Taco Bell connoisseur, I’ve held your establishment in the highest regard. My wife and I are dedicated patrons—we’ve spent upwards of $50 on a single visit and enjoyed every bite. Your food has been a staple in our lives, a reliable source of comfort and flavor. But let me tell you, the last couple of visits to your location have been nothing short of a culinary catastrophe.

On the night of January 23rd, at approximately 11:00 PM, we visited your drive-thru. Our order totaled $60, which we gladly paid because we were ready to indulge in the Taco Bell experience we’ve come to love. However, what we received left much to be desired—both in food quality and service.

Let me lay it out for you, bite by bite. The new Steak Cheesy Wrap Burritos? Bellissimo! Absolutely perfect. But that’s where the goodness ended. We ordered four Cheesy Gordita Crunches, two of them supreme, and instead received regular ones. Worse, we were charged for five, not four. The quesadilla? It was as if someone whispered “steak” over the cheese. Three lonely pieces of steak? That’s insulting. And the garlic fries—don’t even get me started. We asked for extra sauce, and guess what? Nada.

When we returned the incorrectly made items, what we got in return was no better. The Gordita Crunches we received were practically a crime against Mexican-inspired cuisine. Look at the photos I’ve attached—what am I supposed to do with that? I paid $60 for this mess. SIXTY DOLLARS!

Here’s the real kicker: your employees didn’t seem to care. Their lackadaisical attitudes and absence of pride in their work showed in every aspect of our visit, from the service to the food. Where’s the passion? Where’s the pride? Your staff is wrapping tacos like they’ve got somewhere better to be.

Taco Bell, you’re breaking my heart here. Who’s going to keep spending $60 to $100 on food when there’s no quality, no care, and no accountability? At this rate, I might as well take my money to a real restaurant where the service is stellar, and the food is worthy of the price.

You need to step up your game. Take some notes from “Off the Hook” or any establishment that takes pride in its offerings. Because right now, you’re delivering disappointment wrapped in a tortilla.

From one loyal customer to what’s starting to feel like a sinking Bell—get it together.

P.S. You’ve got the makings of greatness. Don’t let these taco...

I ordered through the Taco Bell app and asked to pick up the food at 7:30 pm inside the restaurant. At 7:11, I got a text saying the order was ready. I arrived at the store right about 7:30 and there was nobody in line. An employee was at the counter removing cups and lids from their packaging. The kitchen and drive-thru were packed with other employees in plain sight. I saw everybody was busy, so I figured I'd have to wait a few moments. I was promptly ignored for about 5 minutes by all those people in there without so much as a "we'll be with you shortly." Eventually the cup employee accidentally looked at me and had to acknowledge my presence at the counter. I told her I was picking up a mobile order. There was no sign of it. Another employee finally came to see what was going on. I pulled up the confirmation number and my order on the Taco Bell app so I could show them. One of the employees said she remembered filling that order and that a lady had come to pick it up earlier. So wait a minute...somebody else had my EXACT order at that exact store, down to a Nachos BellGrande and Taco Supreme with no tomatoes or sour cream, a Baja Blast, and a Power Menu Bowl? Seems like I'd be more likely to be struck by lightning twice after winning the lottery. To their credit, the employees apologized and one of them started making my order right away. The employees were friendly enough once they decided to notice that I was there, but I won't be ordering anything from this particular location anymore.

Edit on 8/25/24: My stepson wanted a Baja Blast. Easy enough, so I figured I’d make a quick run here to get one. WRONG. After sitting at the window for about 3 minutes unattended after my order was taken at the speaker, I was informed that the machine was broken. I then had to drive a good ten miles or so out of my way to go to another Taco Bell location. Yes, I know I’m too nice. It’s a fault. Anyway, this place being reviewed just needs to do the public a favor and close down. Just completely close. This place is...