Look out Taco Bell ... here comes Taco Bueno

[Robin Garr]

This won't matter much to foodies, but it's interesting local fast-food business news in <I>Business First</i> this week, as the Taco Bueno chain moves into metro Louisville to take on local Yum Brands' Taco Bell. Taco Bueno looks like a cut above the Bell - freshly prepared food and a range of dishes that appears to fit between the Bell and Qdoba/Moe's/Salsarita. But it's not likely to lure most of this group away from Perla, Luna, Rosita or the taquerias.

Battling the Bell: Taco Bueno developer takes on Taco Bell in its own backyard
Business First of Louisville - by Terry Boyd Business First Staff Writer

Taco Bell is about to get a challenge in its own corporate backyard -- from a former Taco Bell operations executive.

Bueno Development Group LLC has the Louisville market development rights for Taco Bueno, a 40-year-old Mexican-style casual-food concept, said Kelly Kuhlmann, Bueno Development CEO.

Bueno Development has the rights to build nine Taco Bueno stores in the Louisville/Southern Indiana market during the next five years.

The first is scheduled to open early next year on 10th Street in Jeffersonville, near a Meijer store and the new Orchard Hills retail/apartment complex.

Kuhlmann said he also considered developments at Interstate 65 and Veterans Parkway in Clarksville but couldn't find adequate space.

Full story in Business First

I used to like Taco Bell for bad fast food, but as it has tried to grow market share it, like so many other mega corporate chains, has dumbed down its product so much that it is truly bad now.

[Robin Garr]

I used to like Taco Bell for bad fast food, but as it has tried to grow market share it, like so many other mega corporate chains, has dumbed down its product so much that it is truly bad now.

I hate to say it, but the degradation in quality of the entire chain since it moved from KFC to PepsiCo to Yum has been obvious. It's good to be aware of the bottom line, but Yum strikes me as a textbook case of what happens when the short-term bottom line comes to dominate all other concerns. I'm not just talking Taco Bell here but Kentucky Fried, Pizza Hut, the whole megillah.

I only go to Taco Bell to get their chicken or steak fiesta burriots and the chicken or steak soft tacos. If eaten fresca style, they're pretty healthy (as fast food goes) and convenient. Aside from those few items, everything else is greasy, deep fried crap.

I think we should get a Taco Time! They are mainly out west with several in the east. I have only tried the crisp meat burritos and mexi-fries, but they are very good for fast food, as if the salsa.

I want TACO JOHNS!

I am pretty sure there is a taco johns in Frankfort.

I'm sorry...but those crunchwraps are pretty rad...and I totally got my free taco after the world series

dude, I tried a crunchwrap. I thought it was more like a crapwrap. A flour tortilla over a corn taco shell is just too much flavorlessness.

but there's cheese in between the layers!!! I would not be surprised however, if you've had a poorly constructed one...it seems Taco Bell spends most of their monies on R&D for "innovative" new things to do with the same 6 or so ingredients they have instead of training the employes properly

Yes there is a Taco Johns in Frankfort and is much better than Taco Bell. I to used to go to Taco Bell but over the past years the food has gone down hill. Same goes for KFC. Now Pizza Hut....I still get a graving for a thin crust with bacon bits...

Much like everything at Taco Bell, the crunch wrap depends entirely on who makes it. I love TB when it's done right, but most of the time it isn't. Number one complaint of mine is when you order a Meximelt, and it's a big lump of meat and practically no cheese. Meximelt should clue the workers in on the important part of that item...

Meximelts used to rock. You are right, it's all about the proper ratio of meat to melted cheese. less meat is actually better.

The last few I had should've been called greasimelts. Yuck.

The last time we had a late night trip to TB the nacho bellgrande was horrible! So bad wee threw it out after one chip! The chips tasted like there was some sort of chemical on it. YUK-O!

The chips tasted like there was some sort of chemical on it. YUK-O!

That would've been the "cheese"

Scary eh?