‘I Like This Guy’: Florida Man Claims Taco Bell Is ‘Ripping You Off’ After Checking App Menu Item, Then Calls Representative for Answers
FLORIDA – A Florida man’s TikTok video is gaining traction after he accused Taco Bell of “ripping you off” when he noticed a pricing discrepancy on the app for a popular side item.
Customer Spots Taco Bell Pricing Issue
Actor and infrequent Taco Bell customer Jerry Ascione (@jerryascione) shared that ordering chips and nacho cheese together as a combo on the app cost $2.99. But buying them separately came out cheaper: $1 for chips and $1 for cheese, totaling $2.
“If you just order the chips by themselves, which is not on the app, you have to go in and ask for it inside or in the drive-thru, it’s a dollar, just chips. If you order the cheese by itself, it’s a dollar. So that’s $2. But if you order them together, it’s $2.99,” Ascione explained.
To test it, he even called a Taco Bell location. An employee confirmed chips alone cost $1.07, making the separate purchase still cheaper than the combo price listed.
Price Comparisons and Fact Check
On Taco Bell’s own site for a New York City location, the chips and nacho cheese combo is priced at $2.59. A side of nacho cheese alone costs 99 cents, while there’s no listed option for chips by themselves. If the $1.07 chip price is accurate, buying chips and cheese separately would total $2.06 — saving customers more than 50 cents compared to the combo.
Do Fast-Food Combos Actually Save Money?
Fast-food chains market combos as value deals, bundling entrées, sides, and drinks together. But studies show the savings are often slim. For example, a combo meal priced at $8.99 might only save about 68 cents compared to buying items individually, according to Money Digest.
For customers who don’t want every item in the bundle, à la carte ordering can actually be cheaper. Still, combos remain popular for their convenience and larger portions.
Online Reactions
Viewers of Ascione’s video chimed in with similar observations.
“I be obsessed with numbers too and noticing things like this all the time. Glad I’m not alone,” one commenter wrote.
Another added, “This happens at a lot of places. I’ve seen several occasions where ordering à la carte was cheaper than the same food in a value meal.”
Some were even surprised Taco Bell picked up the phone: “I’m just impressed that a Taco Bell (or any fast food place) would answer the phone,” one person joked.
Do you check fast-food prices closely before ordering? Share your thoughts and experiences with us at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.
