Anne Albertine

Huevos rancheros has been making big menu moves, answering the growing demand for bold, authentic flavors at breakfast. This knife-and-fork dish boasts a craveable flavor system worth exploring—and that’s just what Del Taco did. The fresh Mexican quick-serve made the profile a to-go item in its new Huevos Rancheros Epic Burrito.

“Since huevos rancheros is typically a sit-down, brunch-style menu item, our unique challenge was making this favorite dish a portable experience for our QSR guests,” says Anne Albertine, Director of R&D. “We had all the traditional ingredients to create the classic flavor profile, but we had to determine how to deliver that signature corn tortilla flavor while also making it easy to eat for guests on the go. The breakthrough came when we learned that the best way to accomplish this was to start by heat-pressing two corn tortillas into an oversized flour tortilla on our grills. Layering in the authentic corn taste brought it all together.”

Launched this spring, the burrito stars freshly scrambled eggs, Mexican chorizo, slow-cooked pinto beans, avocado, roasted chile salsa, cheddar and sour cream. “No other quick-service restaurant is serving 1-lb. burritos filled with fresh ingredients and all the flavors of the traditional huevos rancheros at a drive-thru window,” she says. “It’s truly one of our best burritos yet, and because it’s priced at only $4.99, we’re able to deliver on our unique quality and value proposition, which gives guests the best of both worlds. They’re loving it. What brought the Huevos Ranchero Burrito to life was that consumers are hungry for the elevated flavor experiences served in sit-down restaurants.”