"The quesarito feels like the glaringly modern invention of view-farming TikTok food scientists, but it's actually been around for more than a decade-and before it ever hit Taco Bell's official menu, it started as a humble secret menu item at Chipotle. In honor of the quesarito's fleeting return, here's a look back at the history of one of the weirdest-and most forward-thinking-fast-food creations to ever grace our palates."
"It was December 2013, and Fast Company editor Mark Wilson was going to get his hands on a quesarito, come hell or high water. That year, the concept of a "secret menu" was already popular at joints like In-N-Out and Starbucks, but company executives weren't exactly embracing the idea. There was a bit of a "wink-wink" culture surrounding these off-menu creations, led by intrepid fast-food lovers: the internet could create a name for them, determined customers could order them, but CEOs would steadfastly deny their existence."
The quesarito is a burrito wrapped inside a quesadilla, combining a fully loaded burrito with a sealed quesadilla exterior. Taco Bell reintroduced the quesarito to its official menu for a limited time on December 18 at $6.70, with a stated 570 calories. The item originated as a secret-menu hack at Chipotle and gained online traction well before corporate menus adopted it. Secret-menu culture grew through fan creativity and viral sharing on Reddit and social platforms. The quesarito exemplifies fast-food experimentation and the blending of indulgent flavors and formats that fuel internet food trends.
Read at Fast Company
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