# Has there ever been a less appetizing food item than Taco Bell's new black taco? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 12, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482 "2009-10-12T02:48:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/41 "2009-10-12T19:25:56Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > I don’t understand the revulsion. I think it looks tasty, and I’ll go try it soon. Yeah, it’s a total gimmick, but why, precisely, does the black color make you think it will taste bad? Black is the color of moldy, gross food (other than olives and licorice). Even besides that, it’s generally not the color of a taco. It’s like the failed [purple ketchup](http://www.x-entertainment.com/updates/pics/am2007/am38/6.jpg). What’s the point? Black is just not a very appetizing food color. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/42 "2009-10-12T19:37:23Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > The corn is there to let you know it made it through OK. And for all these years I’ve been adding flourescene dye and using a black light to make sure :smack: ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/43 "2009-10-12T19:37:49Z")
Huh? Mold comes in many colors, as does food. I much prefer black beans to red beans. Gourmands gobble up black caviar and black truffles. Poppy seeds, black sesame seeds, and black pepper can add flavor to many dishes (although usually not all three at once). ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/44 "2009-10-12T20:03:30Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > And for all these years I’ve been adding flourescene dye and using a black light to make sure :smack: I guess you can take some comfort in the fact that you haven’t been using barium pellets and an X-Ray machine. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/45 "2009-10-12T20:28:02Z")
I went out and bought one of the damn things, just to see. (Damn you, SDMB! 89 cents down the drain!) The color seems to change depending on what light you view it in, but it definitely has a purple tinge to it. That is definitely more appetizing than black. You can see my photos of it [here](http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt218/Erdosain/blackjacktaco1.jpg). As for taste, it tastes like every other taco on the Taco Bell menu, but definitely a bit more peppery. I still finished it, though. There are starving kids in China, don’t you know? I will now accept any accusations of astro-turfing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/46 "2009-10-13T02:37:10Z")
If it’s just food coloring, can they make it so it’s black some in some parts and light in others? And make the contrast to represent things? Like Jesus? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/47 "2009-10-13T03:25:28Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > This is the most grotesque food item ever proposed: > > [http://www.hulu.com/watch/1447/saturday-night-live-taco-town](http://www.hulu.com/watch/1447/saturday-night-live-taco-town) You just know it’s only a matter of time before someone comes up with something like this.\* For now, though, we’ll have to make do with the [donut burger](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/6279217/The-Craz-E-Burger-heart-stopping-but-delicious.html). \*[sub]I DO, however, like the double decker Taco Bell tacos. So sue me – I like the contrast between the soft outer shell and the crunchy one.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/48 "2009-10-13T04:34:00Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > I sort of make a version of the KFC bowl at home that is actually really good. On the bottom is a layer of mashed potatoes. In the middle is a layer of cubed, baked chicken covered in country gravy. On the top is a layer of biscuits. I make it about once a year as a comfort food kind of thing and I don’t care what anyone says it is delicious. Of course that might be because it isn’t covered in corn and cheese. As I said, parts of the KFC bowl would probably be pretty good together. And your concoction actually sounds pretty good, though you probably need some grilled onions or roasted garlic in it, somewhere. Of course, I think that chicken just isn’t complete without some onion or garlic in it. When I roast a chicken, I put chunks of onion in the vent and neck cavities. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/49 "2009-10-13T04:37:27Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > The odd thing about that SNL ad is that it’s not so outrageous that you can’t imagine an eating establishment actually having an item like that on their menu someday. Incidentally, if you Google “Taco Town taco”, you’ll find a number of people have tried to duplicate the “recipe” for those tacos. So where can I direct people who want the Pizza Crepe Taco Pancake Chili Bag? ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/50 "2009-10-13T04:45:07Z")
> [@troub](#): > > People make enough jokes about the effects of Taco Bell on their excretory system, and now they introduce this blue thing. I bet this is just a marketing ploy aimed at getting teenagers to buy these things for green poop joke fodder. I ate two of them today. I’ll let you know how they come out. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/51 "2009-10-13T04:50:55Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > I sort of make a version of the KFC bowl at home that is actually really good. On the bottom is a layer of mashed potatoes. In the middle is a layer of cubed, baked chicken covered in country gravy. On the top is a layer of biscuits. I make it about once a year as a comfort food kind of thing and I don’t care what anyone says it is delicious. Of course that might be because it isn’t covered in corn and cheese. That sounds almost like a chicken pot pie, in a way. ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/52 "2009-10-13T05:07:31Z")
Meh. It should taste like everything else they make. [http://www.theonion.com/content/node/31955](http://www.theonion.com/content/node/31955) ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/53 "2009-10-13T05:52:28Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > So where can I direct people who want the Pizza Crepe Taco Pancake Chili Bag? Try [this guy](http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=95037&blogID=110345567&MyToken=0aa5e6ce-94fd-4bec-a80d-eaadec7fab87). He duplicated the Taco Town Taco and posted the results on his MySpace page. He forgot about the bag though. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/54 "2009-10-13T19:59:48Z")
There are many, many less appetizing foods than black tacos. Case in point: [Casu marzu](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casu_marzu). ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/55 "2009-10-14T14:37:06Z")
I had one yesterday. Nothing exceptional to write home (or the SDMB) about. A regular TB taco with a white-ish jack cheese sauce. Was as tasty as any other TB item. MeanJoe ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/56 "2009-10-14T14:50:38Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Try [this guy](http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=95037&blogID=110345567&MyToken=0aa5e6ce-94fd-4bec-a80d-eaadec7fab87). He duplicated the Taco Town Taco and posted the results on his MySpace page. He forgot about the bag though. That link just sends you to the taco town “ad” You have the link to the guy who made one? I’d like to see/read that. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/57 "2009-10-14T18:20:36Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > That link just sends you to the taco town “ad” > > You have the link to the guy who made one? I’d like to see/read that. > > Thanks. You have to scroll down past the embedded video link for the Taco Town ad to see the photos of the preparation and consumption of the tacos along with the comments. (Apparently blueberry and pepperoni don’t go together. Who knew?) ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/58 "2009-10-14T18:52:08Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > You have to scroll down past the embedded video link for the Taco Town ad to see the photos of the preparation and consumption of the tacos along with the comments. (Apparently blueberry and pepperoni don’t go together. Who knew?) thanks ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482/59 "2009-10-14T18:58:08Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > There are many, many less appetizing foods than black tacos. Case in point: [Casu marzu](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casu_marzu). I’m convinced that casu marzu is an elaborate Internet hoax. It’s the only way I can sleep at night. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-there-ever-been-a-less-appetizing-food-item-than-taco-bells-new-black-taco/513482.md?page=2)