Kate Taylor
Del Taco will soon serve fries and queso - two things Taco Bell doesn't have.
Instead, the West Coast Mexican fast-food chain will begin serving queso blanco on Thursday.
The queso will be available as a cheesy dip, as well as an ingredient in dishes such as the Queso Crunch Taco, Queso Loaded Nachos, Queso Bean Burrito, and Queso Fries.
Executives told Business Insider that they weren't too concerned that customers would get angry about the chain "dumping the cheese pump."
According to CEO John Cappasola, customers in tests much preferred the queso - which the chain spent 15 months developing - to the existing nacho cheese.
Having actually tried Del Taco's queso blanco, we have to agree. The white, cheesy dip is rich, with a slight bite from pickled jalapenos. It's perfect for both dipping chips and smothering fries.
Most importantly, Del Taco found a way to replicate queso's goopy consistency without using artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. That was a mission that Chipotle has so far failed to accomplish with its queso, which is rumored to be rolling out across the US in mid-September.
Hollis Johnson
Chipotle's queso is more grainy than Del Taco's smooth and gooey dip.
Del Taco is more focused on winning over customers from fast-food chains like Taco Bell than competing with Chipotle. Chipotle's own queso test aside, the cheesy dip is hot right now - and it's something that, starting Thursday, Del Taco serves and Taco Bell doesn't.