Del Taco Has A New $2 Value Menu

Based on its number of locations, Del Taco holds a strong ranking as the second-largest Mexican quick-service restaurant chain in the United States, trailing only the massive Taco Bell conglomerate. Well-loved in its home state of California after opening in 1964, the brand now operates almost 600 venues across the country. It's safe to say that Del Taco now sells far more than its opening-day 900 tacos. Competitive pricing likely plays a hand in that success, including the chain's newly released value menu featuring an impressive 15 items with a price tag of $2 and under.

Debuting as Del's Real Deal Menu, this curated collection of $2 Mexican-inspired foods includes the expected nachos, burritos, quesadillas, and three different taco renditions, but it also introduces at least one surprise menu item. It's the chips-and-guac combination featuring house-made tortilla chips and Del Taco's popular fresh guacamole, made in-house on a daily basis, using fresh pico de gallo and Hass avocados. Though available on the standard menu in a larger size, it's new to the value menu concept, albeit in a snack-size version.

Named with a nod to Del Taco's stated commitment of "real ingredients at a real deal," this new value menu holds a few more notable items, including two meat-less options. Both the Crunchtada Tostada and the three-layer queso nachos feature the company's from-scratch slow-cooked beans. The crispy chicken tacos veer from standard marinated chicken to a crispy chicken strip with three sauce options.

The Del's Real Deal menu is certainly not the only time the chain has offered a value meal menu. It's a comeback of sorts from a similar 2022 deal offering 20 items under $2. This newly released value menu appears to hold a permanent spot on the menu, at least for now, with no mention of limited-time status. Other temporary specials have come and gone recently at Del Taco, including one earlier this year featuring two separate deals for $3 each. That was preceded in 2023 by a four-option $5 Del's Deal Value Meal including fries and a drink.

Competitors in the quick-service restaurant market are plentiful, many offering comparable low-priced value menus. That includes Del Taco's primary competitor, Taco Bell, famous in the world of fast food tacos. The chain updated its existing Craving's Value Meal at the beginning of 2024, though the included items are priced at $3 and under, a good bit higher than the $2 Del Taco offerings. There's also a limited-time Taco Bell $7 Luxe Cravings Box and a separate permanent deal allowing Taco Bell customers to create their own vegetarian and flexitarian Cravings boxes for just under $6.

With value menu items such as Del Taco's fresh from-scratch guacamole and house-made tortilla chips, the chain inches toward a broader customer base. Those types of features more typically appear in Mexican restaurant chains with a fresh-Mex approach, including Chevy's Fresh Mex and Qdoba.