The Taco Bell Item That Used To Be Free (And How Much It Costs Today)

Send not for whom the Taco Bell tolls, for it tolls for thee. There's trouble at the cantina and dismay in the drive-through, because Taco Bell is now charging for an item that used to be free. "Live Más"? Try "pay más," at least when it comes to certain Taco Bell sauce packets.

In the good old days, all Taco Bell sauce packets were free. People could load up their tacos, kitchen cabinets, and glove compartments with as many sauce packets as possible, with nary a thought spared for the cost. In fact, even diners who didn't want a ton of sauce might snag a few extra packets just to check out the variety of sayings printed on each one.

But times have changed. Those free-wheeling, fully-free sauce days are gone. As of 2024, Taco Bell is charging 20 cents per packet for two of its newer premium sauce options: the green packet of Avocado Verde Salsa, and the yellow packet of Disha Hot sauce. Mild, Hot, Fire, and even Diablo sauce packets are safe from extra charges, for now.

While Americans spend a certain amount on fast food per year, it remains to be seen how willing they'll be to be nickle-and-dimed for items that used to be thought of as complimentary. In a way, Taco Bell's new premium sauces can be free, but only if purchased with certain qualifying menu items. Let's take a look at what customers are paying for, and when. 

Taco Bell's Avocado Verde Salsa debuted in March 2024, as part of the Cantina Chicken menu offering. Per a Taco Bell press release for the product, it's made with "tomatillos, green chili peppers, and real avocado pulp." While a single packet of this sauce is paired with a Cantina Chicken item at no charge, any additional packets — or packets ordered with non-Cantina Chicken items — are subject to the surcharge.

Taco Bell's second premium sauce, Disha Hot sauce, made its debut in late September 2024, via a collaboration with Grammy-nominated musician, Omar Apollo. Inspired by the singer's long-held family recipe, a press release for the product details the sauce components as "roasted tomatillos, white vinegar, peppers, onions, tomatoes, lime juice, and a family-secret spice blend." Three complimentary Disha Hot sauce packets come with the Disha Hot Discovery box (priced starting at $8.99 per box), and are otherwise priced at 20 cents per packet.

There are some clear factors playing into the price of these premium Taco Bell sauces, like with plenty of things that used to be free but now cost money. For example, the produce involved in creating these new sauces is significant. In a press release, Taco Bell announced it would use an additional 2.5 million pounds of produce to meet the needs of Cantina Chicken menu items.

The cost of produce seems to steadily rise, and accounting for this may be the move Taco Bell is making. Additionally, these premium sauce packets have a presumably shorter shelf life and pricier storage needs than their standard packet counterparts. Both sauces bear packaging that says they should be refrigerated. Accounting for the cost of cold storage in-store may contribute to the cost of the sauce.

While 20 cents seems like a small charge for a small premium packet, the psychic cost of yet another additional charge for what used to be considered complimentary may be too much for some customers. In a world where consumers are constantly feeling the pressures of inflation, shrinkflation, and now have to worry about how tariffs will affect their budget, it may seem shortsighted to charge for sauce packets, no matter how much financial sense it could make to large corporations attempting to protect their bottom line. Customers may crave these new sauces, but it may be hard for novelty to outweigh a craving for true savings.