Taco Bell's Dorito Taco Has "Been Huge" During Testing Phase

Taco Bell's Dorito Taco, which is similar to a Taco Supreme with ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar cheese and reduced-fat sour cream, but in a shell made from Nacho Cheese Doritos Chips, will be rolled out nationwide on March 8 and with a lot riding on it for the Mexican chain founded 50 years ago in 1962.  Since taco sales have been sliding for a few years and same store sales fell 2% last year, much of which is thought to be related to the junk lawsuit regarding Taco Bell's beef, the Dorito Taco is said to have a lot riding on its cheesy shell:

Wounded brands such as Taco Bell can take years to recover. What the 5,600-unit fast-food behemoth is about to try is almost unprecedented. It's making so many major changes at the same time that next to the wildly successful McDonald's turnaround of the past decade, this could rank as one of fast food's most complex turnaround attempts in decades. Its likelihood of success — or failure — rests on the head of a Doritos chip.

Two commonly ridiculed "junk" foods — the Doritos chip and the Taco Bell taco — are being rolled into one. In this case, one plus one might not equal two. For Taco Bell, it may equal millions of dollars in incremental sales. The year has hardly begun, but there's already industry chatter about the Doritos-laced taco emerging as one of the nation's top new products this year.

Continuing, the USA Today article points out just how successful the Dorito Taco has been during the testing phase:

Test-market results around Toledo, Ohio, San Bernardino and Bakersfield have been outside the bun. About three in 10 consumers are ordering the new tacos — an enormous number for a new product. In northwest Ohio, where 14 stores are selling the new tacos, sales of Doritos Locos Tacos outnumber conventional tacos, says franchisee Don Unruh. "It's been huge," he says. 

In more good news for those that like other types of Doritos, Taco Bell plans to "extend the line to Cool Ranch and, ultimately, even more of the current 123 Doritos flavors worldwide."

While some analysts say it will be difficult for Taco Bell to make a real comeback while their target demographic is some of the hardest hit by high unemployment, between the breakfast roll out, the Dorito Taco and upscale, Chipotle-like menu items that are currently being tested in Louisville, KY and Bakersfield, CA, it would be fair to say Taco Bell is trying to make their 50th year, the year they turned it around.

UPDATE (3-7-12): Taco Bell is inviting people to a midnight launch of the new Doritos Locos Tacos tonight.  Also of note, originally Taco Bell only promoted a supreme version of the taco but according the the latest press release, a slightly cheaper version similar to a regular taco with just ground beef, lettuce and cheese will also be available.