Dive Brief:
- Taco Bell is bringing back the nuggets portion of its Crispy Chicken platform for a limited time starting on Jan. 22, according to an emailed press release.
- Accompanying the re-release of the nuggets, Taco Bell partnered with Hidden Valley Ranch to develop a dipping sauce that combines ranch dressing with Taco Bell’s Diablo Sauce.
- The revival of Taco Bell’s nuggets indicates that Yum Brands remains convinced of continued consumer interest in new chicken platforms. 2025 saw many brands — like McDonald’s and Wendy’s — add crispy chicken options to their menus. So far, it seems 2026 will be another hot year for fried poultry.
Dive Insight:
Taco Bell’s practice of using LTOs to launch menu platforms, then cyclically reviving them to drive consumer excitement, has helped the chain post segment-leading sales growth in recent years. Crispy Chicken also insulates Taco Bell from some of the competitive threat posed by emerging chicken brands, which have grown rapidly in the last half-decade.
Taco Bell’s nuggets were the vanguard for its Crispy Chicken platform, which includes tacos, strips and burritos. Taco Bell said in the press release that it has seen “70 million crispy chicken menu items sold since launch.”
During the third quarter, Taco Bell’s restaurant margins saw topline growth that was helped by category entry points like Crispy Chicken and Refescas, CFO Ranjith Roy said during the company’s Q3 2025 earnings call.
“[In 2026], the U.S. team will add more weeks of Crispy Chicken, fries and beverages to expand everyday occasions, balanced with a refreshed Cravings Value Menu and elevated guest experience,” Yum CEO Christopher Turner said during the call. Earlier this month, the chain released a Luxe Value Menu that included five new items and five items from the aforementioned Cravings Value Menu.
Adding a custom-designed sauce with the nuggets also gives the Crispy Chicken LTO a novelty factor. Tacking sauces on to chicken additions is a good way to vary flavors without adding an undue number of SKUs.
