I went to Taco Bell for the first time. The food was cheap but mediocre, and I don't feel like going back.

I went to a Taco Bell in Newcastle, northern England, to try out the chain's famous foods.Grace Dean/Insider

• I went to Taco Bell for the first time and tried out a range of tacos, burritos, and desserts.
• I loved the churros and the Volcano Burrito but was disappointed by the Crunchwrap Supreme.

It's only in the last couple of years that I discovered I love burritos and tacos. The pandemic made it hard for me to satisfy my cravings, although I tried burritos from a few local restaurants. I decided to finally go to Taco Bell for the first time to see how it stacks up against other Tex-Mex food I'd sampled.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

The Taco Bell I went to is in Newcastle, north England. The chain came to the UK in 2010 after failed launches in the 1980s and 1990s and now has nearly 90 restaurants across the region. The Newcastle restaurant opened in 2018.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

Sources: BigHospitality, Taco Bell, The Chronicle

The restaurant is popular with students. With two large universities nearby, it wasn't a surprise to see an ad for a 15% student discount.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

The restaurant seemed quiet, but I wasn't surprised given it was a Monday lunchtime.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

There's a row of digital ordering kiosks in the center. More and more restaurants have been rolling them out during the pandemic to encourage contactless ordering and help ease staff shortages.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

Source: Insider

I was encouraged to download the Taco Bell loyalty app.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

Of course, you can also order from a cashier, but I decided to use a kiosk.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

Most of the tacos and burritos have a choice of three fillings – beef, grilled chicken, or black beans.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

It's very easy to customize dishes using the kiosk – which also makes it very easy to add to your order total. It wasn't quite the same as going to the other burrito bars in Newcastle, where you can watch your order being made and choose from a range of rice flavors, salsas, and salad fillings.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

While I waited for my order I looked at the decor. The store had some wall art and decorations that made it seem somewhat like a bar, like this neon lettering...

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

...and these pictures (can you guess what they spell out?).

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

Some of the decor paid tribute to Taco Bell's California origins.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

The fact it sold beer made it seem more like a bar. So I was surprised to hear Christmas songs being blasted out when I visited in late November. The music made it feel more like a family restaurant than the edgy eatery I'd thought Taco Bell was.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

These was a small waiting area for delivery drivers with a chair, table, and bucket.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

I'm not sure what the bucket was for. During my time at the restaurant, I noticed lots of Uber Eats and Deliveroo drivers collecting orders.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

My order arrived in just under 10 minutes. This is slower than I've found with Burger King and McDonald's but I'd ordered lots of different items, so I wasn't surprised. I shared everything with a friend and saved some to eat the next day.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

Most of the items were wrapped up, which would make it easier to eat on the go, but the Cinnamon Twists were packed in a box.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

Some dishes, like the Quesadilla and the Crunchwrap Supreme, had their own special packaging.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

A lot of the wrappers had pictures on them with check boxes. I wasn't sure what they were for because none were marked.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

I started off by trying the Cheesy Roll-up, one of the cheapest things on Taco Bell's menu at just £1 ($1.32).

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

It's a soft tortilla wrap containing Taco Bell's three-cheese blend. But the cheese hadn't melted, and I was disappointed.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

It wasn't just in the roll-up that the cheese hadn't melted. Most of the items I ordered had grated cheese in them that hadn't melted, which messed with the texture of the dishes.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

I was intrigued by the Crunchwrap Supreme, which I'd ordered with grilled chicken. It had been heavily recommended by one of my friends and is known as one of Taco Bell's flagship items.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

There wasn't much chicken compared to the other ingredients. A lot of it seemed to be lettuce and sour cream. Pictures on Taco Bell's website show it bursting with protein filling and melted cheese, separated from the salad by a wall of nachos, but it didn't look as impressive in real life.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

I was surprised that they had nachos for the Crunchwraps...

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

...given that signs stuck to the kiosks said the restaurant was out of nachos. Perhaps they only had a few left and wanted to prioritize the Crunchwraps.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

The Chalupa I had was overflowing with fillings, though there was much more lettuce, cheese, and tomato than black beans.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

The Chalupa tasted good. I liked the flavor of the black beans, and wished there had been more. It was quite small, and was basically a taco with a chewier shell, but at only £1.99 ($2.64) it's hard to complain.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

I also tried Taco Bell's Quesadilla, which cost £3.99 ($5.28). It came cut into four slices and was a good size for the price.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

I ordered mine with beef, and it was one of the few items where the cheese was gooey and melted. It didn't look good on the inside, but tasted great.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

Unlike some of the other dishes I ordered, it wasn't bulked out with salad. It was supposed to contain creamy jalapeño sauce but I couldn't taste this at all.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

I also tried two burritos. They weren't as big as burritos I'd got elsewhere, but were considerably cheaper.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

The Seven-Layer Burrito is still on the menu in the UK, even though it disappeared from US restaurants during the pandemic. The layers were hard to distinguish by eye, but it tasted good. At some burrito bars I've been to I've had to pay extra for guacamole, so I'm glad it came included with this one.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

Source: Insider

The main thing the burrito was lacking was a bit of a kick, such as using salsa rather than diced tomatoes. At Taco Bell in the US some burritos are available in two versions, with one described as "spicy," but this wasn't the case in the Newcastle restaurant.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

The Volcano Burrito had plenty of kick, though. It's still available in the UK despite being axed from the US menu back in 2013, to the disappointment of fans of the chain's spiciest dish.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

Source: Reddit

The Volcano Burrito cost £3.99 ($5.28), slightly more than the Seven-Layer Burrito (£3.29; $4.36). I ordered mine with chicken. It was delicious and had a lovely squidgy texture. Of everything I ordered, it definitely had the most flavor, and quite a strong aftertaste. I can't handle spice very well, but I smeared some guacamole on mine and was just about able to handle it.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

I tried Taco Bell's fries, too. The chain isn't known for its fries and I was expecting them to be bad.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

But I was pleasantly surprised. The fries were really good. Taco Bell makes it clear that its Mexican Fries aren't meant to be like French fries, and to me they tasted like cheese and onion potato chips.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

The fries were only £1 ($1.32) for a portion similar in size to what you'd expect at McDonald's – and they came with a small pot of Nacho Cheese Sauce, too.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      I went to Taco Bell for the first time.

I love cheese but the Nacho Cheese Sauce didn't hit the spot for me.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

It tasted artificial and though it was melted it was wet, thick, and gooey rather than stringy when I dipped my fries in. The guacamole was good but nothing exceptional.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

We tried some desserts, too. Taco Bell sells churros in the UK, which aren't currently available in the US. These are available in either two- or six-packs. I ordered a six-pack to share with friends, and was surprised that they still came individually packaged in pairs, and in a nacho bag.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

The churros were delicious. They were beautifully soft and sprinkled with the perfect amount of sugar and cinnamon. And at £1 ($1.32) for a two-pack, they were really well-priced. I wouldn't be surprised if people popped into Taco Bell while out and about just to pick up some churros.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

Each two-pack came with a small pot of dulce de leche, though these were less than half full. It tasted really good but I was surprised they didn't just give us one pot filled a bit higher.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

We ordered a large pack of Cinnamon Twists, which came in at £3.99 ($5.28). The portion was huge.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

The Cinnamon Twists had a similar flavor to the churros – both were sugary and cinnamony – but an airy, crunchy texture that reminded me of a brand of potato chips I used to eat as a child.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

I also took home a Crunchy Taco Supreme, which cost £1.99 ($2.64). Most other tacos I've bought were sold in threes. On its own, Taco Bell's taco was quite small and definitely not filling, but I liked how you could order the tacos separately and mix and match between fillings.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

Inside, the taco was very similar to the Chalupa, and was the same price, too. Compared to a regular Taco Bell Crunchy Taco, the Supreme version cost £0.50 ($0.66) more but the only difference was that it came with sour cream and tomatoes.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

Taco Bell was ultimately a mixed bag – some of the food like the Quesadilla, Volcano Burrito, and the desserts were delicious, while others didn't have much flavor. I'd expected more zest and spice from most of the dishes.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

I'd been very excited to try the Crunchwrap Supreme but it disappointed. Clearly some diners do love it, though, and the dish has become one of the brand's flagship foods.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

As for the cost, Taco Bell wasn't bad, with quite a few items available for £1 ($1.32) or £1.99 ($2.64).

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

The restaurant offered 20% off your next visit if you gave feedback online.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider

Bottom line: I'd rather pay a little more elsewhere for food that has more flavor.

I went to Taco Bell for the first time.      Grace Dean/Insider