When KFC launched the Nacho Box last year, the entire world recoiled in disgusted horror. There were multiple reports of the Nacho cheese containing mould and the company’s Facebook page amassed more than 7000 comments about the new menu item, most of which were scathingly negative. Undeterred, the Colonel has returned with another Mexican-themed snack box which will be available for one month only. Read on for our taste verdict.
Last year, KFC tested the viability of the Double Shell Zinger Taco in a handful of outlets. Apparently, customer feedback was strong, because today the company is launching the same product nationwide. For four weeks only, you will be able to snap up the KFC Double Shell Zinger Taco for $3.95. It will then disappear from the menu — either periodically or forever, depending on its popularity. In other words, it could be the next Double burger — but it might only be the next Nacho Box.
As its name implies, the KFC Double Shell Zinger Taco chiefly consists of a Zinger chicken patty nestled inside two taco shells. In a decision that is sure to delight that wee Mexican sprog from the Old El Paso ads, one of the taco shells is soft and the other is hard. It also comes with lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese and a squirt of Super Charged sauce.
A standalone snack box packs in 1322kJ of energy — naturally, adding hot chips and a soft drink will up the kilojoule count considerably. Indeed, the combo meal, which comes with two tacos, a piece of original recipe chicken, chips, potato and gravy and a soft drink, comes in at a hefty 4972kJ. Blimey.
In terms of taste, the KFC Double Shell Zinger Taco is an interesting proposition. The inclusion of a hard and soft taco isn’t just a gimmick: the hard shell provides some crunch while the soft shell turns the snack into a meal and also helps to hold the fillings together. It’s an excellent solution for one-handed eating. I’m actually surprised no Mexican fast food outlets have thought of it before.
On the downside, the hard taco has a semi-crunchy texture which makes it taste vaguely stale. With that said, I find this vastly preferable to a super crunchy taco that explodes into pieces on your first bite. If you happen to be adverse to spicy food, be aware that this thing has quite a kick. Personally, I can’t get enough spice but milder palates may want to request BBQ sauce in place of the Super Charged variety.
All in all, I quite liked the KFC Double Shell Zinger Taco: the combination of shells is truly innovative and makes a potentially messy meal much easier to scoff. We’re still not entirely convinced that KFC chicken and Mexican are a good mix, but this is certainly one of the company’s best efforts to date. If you’ve got a hankering for something fast ‘n’ spicy, it’s definitely worth giving a go.
Comments
27 responses to “Taste Test: KFC Double Shell Zinger Taco”
I really can’t believe people eat this crap.
Damn those individual subjective preferences! How do they work? I don’t understand the biological processes. It’s like ghosts to me! Differing tastes are fairies in the garden I tell you! It’s all make believe!
Lol chill you smart ass.
He is saying you are an uneducated twat along the same vein as the muppets who used to mock me for eating salami in a sandwich at primary school whilst they had spam in a can, meat pies and dip its.
He is saying he cant believe shit cans like you feed into the consumerism that food as such has become. 15 years ago mate there wasnt even a deli in any safeway or coles and Woomba just cant believe the lack of education around how to eat in Australia.
Nice ploy though mate (Y)
Loved the logical groundings.
Uneducated twat? I have a University degree in Nutrition mate. I know all about food and what it is composed of and the physiological effects on the body. That hasn’t turned me into some nutter who can’t appreciate that food is fuel and also can be for fun.
Also, if you want to play the ‘only eat healthy all the time and eating for taste is a moral crime’ game then salami probably isn’t the best example to use.
I’m sorry you got bullied in school from the meat pie brigade though. That must have been really tough for you and clearly you have ongoing scars.
Ultimately though I think I’ll just bask in the irony of you using (consume)rism as a pejorative when it comes to food.
Boiled cabbage and self-flaggelation for all!
OooH damn somebody get that guy 100 poke dollars for a burn heal stat!
This post brought tears to my eyes….
@adamor – Looks like you need to borrow some of my burn aid
holy shit #getrekt
Speaking of logic – just want to point out that your point regarding no deli in coles or safeway 15 years ago is false. There were delis, at least in the Woolworths I frequented, since at least the mid 90s. Probably longer than that.
Carry on.
Yeah oh noes the fried chicken and taco shell and some lettuce the world is doomed.
Pull your head out you goober.
neither can I. I’ll take two thanks.
Yeah its a bit gross isnt it… But then again anything you dont like must be gross huh?
it got an 8/10! And you call it crap?! Get it together Woomba
Damn I really loved the Nacho Box and didn’t know it was unpopular.
I likes the ones i had then couldnt eat it again after reports of mouldy cheese etc…
I saw a report online somewhere that the Manager told him to stop complaining his food was only a little bit mouldy. I think the whole thing became a PR nightmare due to a unnoticed mould on the supply of cheese they used.
We really need Taco Bell. They introduced Dorito shell taco’s and it did insane things to their profits.
It used to be here. When I first moved to sydney about 11 or 12 years ago I marched my ass down to George St and got me some taco bell. I loved and hated every minute of it. Actually thats a lie, I loved eating it but about 10 mins later had some serious gut sounds which were not too good.
I’ve been told Taco Bell can’t classify their food as food in this country.
There are a ton of Mexican options now days but.
I highly doubt that. Sounds right up there with the McDonalds burgers are confectionery without the pickle (hello, they have meat in them) and the ice cream being made from pig fat.
I think this idea was born from the ice cream containing gelatin at one point; the same way that kit kats/mars bars previously weren’t kosher.
As part of my Nutrition degree I studied commercial food operation regulations, FSANZ etc and that just doesn’t make any sense. It sounds like one of those weird urban legends.
I used to work in one in Sydney back in high school, around 99′ or 2000, and the food was fucking disgusting… The mince we would get in frozen orange slabs (I’m assuming the orange colour was the same as the “taco seasoning” packs you get at Woolies) and the chicken was only marginally better.
One mans trash is another mans treasure.
Zambrero have a soft/hard shell option available called the Dos Capas. I thought it was genius, because I love hard shell tacos but they usually disintegrate after the first bite. The soft shell keeps everything together nicely.
That IS genius. Tempted to seek that out at lunch time.
Well I just had two. Have to say, they are delicious.
Best way to eat Tacos! I always get the Soft and hard kit from Old el paso – keeps it all together!
Ima try this tonight methinks… Looks like my kinda crap!!!
lol my GF is a manager at KFC and i got to try this early (been eating them for about a week lol) 🙂 tastes great especially for a regular fast food place.
… per taco. The KFC website (https://kfc.com.au/menu/burgers/zinger-taco/) shows a pair of these in the standalone offering for 2645kJ. The boxed meal with a piece of chicken is stated correctly in this article, but misses the piece of original recipe on KFC own website’s calculation, coming in low at 3892kJ.
I’m keen to give them a try. They look tasty.
The two tacos in the box actually cost $6.95 and have no cheese: https://kfc.com.au/menu/burgers/zinger-taco/
I bought one yesterday – was quite alright
Its good eat, but the chicken needs to be cut a little smaller
I won’t be returning to KFC until they seriously lift their game. Their product is crap and their customer service is non existent in WA. We have complained twice regarding missing items and both times our complaints have been ignored. Judging from a quick Google search, our experience is not isolated. Until people start voting with their feet, they are unlikely to change their practices.