Volcano Tacos Discontinued: Facing Life Without Lava Sauce
The rumors are true. Taco Bell’s Volcano Taco—the fast-food industry’s spiciest legal-taco—has officially been discontinued.
Why, Taco Bell, why?
This is especially devastating news for me. Not only did I develop a hard addiction to these things, but I was just about to make the Volcano Taco the official taco of Dead Rooster dot com.
Sure, the first few times you eat one it’s possible to experience a “bad trip” involving some mild hallucinations and unwanted side effects, but once you’ve built up a healthy tolerance, they seem relatively harmless.
So what if a few people complain of emergency-room-style cramps in their lower intestines and refuse to buy them anymore; is that any reason to ruin it for the rest of us?
There have been no reports of permanent brain damage either…right?
And, even though I warned in a previous post that it might not be safe to mix Volcano Tacos with other chemically incompatible foods such as chocolate chip cookies, you would have to admit that even an imbecile would learn after only one or two restroom-related episodes that such a mixture is not a good idea.
Please, Taco Bell, bring them back!
A Final Plea to keep Lava Sauce on the Menu
If nothing else, please consider keeping Lava Sauce on the menu. I have a suspicion that the only real difference between a “volcano” taco and a “regular” taco is the fancy red corn shell and the incredibly spicy, cheesy yellow sauce. If you don’t agree to at least keep the sauce on the menu, I’ll be tempted to try and duplicate it in my own kitchen which—unintentionally and without warning—could threaten my entire neighborhood with periodic explosions featuring stinky cheese gas.
A small portion of humanity rests in your hands.
Comments
Comment from ettarose
Time: October 28, 2008, 12:56 am
You know why they do this kind of crap don’t you? It’s called a loss leader. Advertise something really good, get you hooked and then slowly reel you in. You won’t be able to duplicate it at home, so you will go back over and over again hoping they will come up with something just as good. I am afraid for you my friend
Comment from Annie
Time: October 28, 2008, 1:02 am
Lol… I love Taco Bell. I bet you can make it at home: regular tacos, nacho cheese mixed with hot sauce, no problem. :]
William McCamment reply on October 28th, 2008 4:49 am:
I think you’re on the right track. Tostitos makes a Salsa Con Queso that might be the base Nacho Cheese ingredient in the Lava Sauce. 
Comment from AngieSS
Time: October 28, 2008, 7:43 am
ARRRGGG! I hate when restaurants do this. Why must they toy with our emotional well-being?!! You know, it is kind of like a drug dealer. Reel you in and get you hooked, then take the drug away, only to replace it with something less effective! Fast food restaurants = drug dealers
Sorry for your loss, William. Hey, maybe they will give you the secret since they won’t be needing it anymore? 
William McCamment reply on October 28th, 2008 8:13 am:
It’s probably for the best–these things CANNOT be good for you. I’m not really much of a fast-food type person (anymore) but I got it bad for the Lava Sauce.
Comment from Tiggy
Time: October 28, 2008, 8:51 am
Lava sauce - with a name like that it’s begging to be made illegal!
William McCamment reply on October 28th, 2008 10:14 am:
I don’t know if they’ll outlaw it or not, but it tastes good enough to be illegal.
Comment from The Hussy Housewife
Time: October 28, 2008, 10:49 am
I am afraid this may be for your own good. Any taco shell with that much food coloring in it has to make red poop. Having red poop may cause other major side effects..like WTF is wrong with my bowel..or Am I bleeding. May also cause toliet bowl staining.
William McCamment reply on October 28th, 2008 2:20 pm:
If I’m brave enough to Flowbee my own hair, I’m brave enough to deal with red doo-doo. LOL
steph tha boss reply on January 3rd, 2009 12:22 am:
i eat these things once a week at least. two at a time and have NEVER had red poop. you are sillacious.
Comment from VE
Time: October 28, 2008, 11:11 am
I think you can buy that spicy yellow sauce in the caulking section of Home Depot…
William McCamment reply on October 28th, 2008 2:21 pm:
I think the stuff you’re talking about is a little TOO spicy!
Comment from Joe
Time: October 28, 2008, 1:38 pm
The Mrs. still longs for the McRib. Artery clogging crap should be available all the time. We deserve to choose the foods that kill us.
William McCamment reply on October 28th, 2008 2:22 pm:
I agree with you 100%. BRING ON THE BACON-WRAPPED BUTTER STICK!
Comment from Nessa
Time: October 28, 2008, 6:21 pm
My 12 year old was standing behind me as i read this and i think he’s crying lol. This is the ONLY thing he’ll eat from Taco Bell, He said ” Great now i’ll freakin starve when ya’ll refuse to take me to get something else!” and stomped off.
If he weren’t a boy i’d call him a drama queen
William McCamment reply on October 28th, 2008 7:34 pm:
Oh, no! Tell him I’m working on figuring out the sauce! It’s the SAUCE!
I went to Taco Bell today and asked if they put Lava Sauce on anything besides Volcano Tacos and they said “no.”
So, I went to a friend that works in a REALLY fancy sauce-intensive restaurant and he said that he’s pretty sure he knows what it is, but he’ll try to find out for sure from some of his top-secret restaurant buddies. If he comes through, I’ll post it on my blog.
steph tha boss reply on January 3rd, 2009 12:24 am:
please do i will love you forever.
Comment from LOBO
Time: October 28, 2008, 10:07 pm
Make my wings and nachos hot enough to melt holes through submarine hulls!
I LOVE spicy food.
I had no idea a fast food chain like Taco Bell would dare issue anything that might’ve been on my radar … now I wish I had tried them!
William McCamment reply on October 29th, 2008 5:51 am:
If you hurry, you might get to try one–they told me they will keep selling them until supplies run out (which, at my local TB “should be until the middle of the week”).
Comment from Daisy the Curly Cat
Time: October 29, 2008, 8:37 am
I just wish they would bring back the taco bell Chihuahua. “Here lizard, lizard, lizard…”
William McCamment reply on October 29th, 2008 4:02 pm:
Haha! I used to have a T-shirt with that on it.
Comment from Milena
Time: October 29, 2008, 6:16 pm
William: I have no clue how good this taco is because I have never eaten at Taco Bell. This seems to be my week for confessing to the things I have never eaten. Tootsie roll pops were the other missed experience. But I digress… if you say they are good then I believe you and would add my silent prayer that for your sake, they do not disappear forever into taco oblivion.
William McCamment reply on October 30th, 2008 1:54 pm:
Thanks, Milena. I could probably live without them, but they sure are good!
Comment from tyler durden
Time: November 2, 2008, 7:21 pm
allright 1st of all i myself have consumed several of those fantastic tocos and thats a bummer. so since there no more, hows bout a receipt for the shell?
William McCamment reply on November 3rd, 2008 1:50 pm:
I wonder if you can buy red taco shells? I’ll have to look into that. Right now, I’m focused on duplicating that wonderful Lava Sauce.
Comment from tyler durden
Time: November 2, 2008, 7:25 pm
wow!! what would tyler durden do?
William McCamment reply on November 3rd, 2008 1:51 pm:
I don’t know–what WOULD you do?
Comment from Rhyk
Time: November 28, 2008, 12:11 pm
I just had one today…..! Maybe the cancellation has been canceled.
William McCamment reply on November 29th, 2008 6:33 pm:
I called my local Taco Bell before I wrote the article and they told me they were going to sell them until they run out. My Taco Bell ran out weeks ago–maybe if I go back they will have them again–I’ll have to investigate.
Kara reply on December 7th, 2008 3:54 am:
I think they’re continuing to sell them! They even have the Volcano big bell box meal…
William McCamment reply on December 7th, 2008 6:55 am:
I was able to order them when I was in Hawaii last week as well. They are no longer on the menu, but they will serve them until they run out.
TacoBell.com has no mention of them anymore either…
Comment from Taco King
Time: November 28, 2008, 5:51 pm
Are these coming back? I saw the commercial for them on MTV tonight.
William McCamment reply on November 29th, 2008 6:34 pm:
As far as I know, they’ve continued to run the commercial. However, I was told that they were only going to sell them until they run out–then, adios!
Comment from Michael Thorn
Time: November 30, 2008, 10:18 pm
I just got 3 volcano taco’s tonight at Taco bell, they didn’t have them listed but they still made me 3 of them with the red shell and lava sauace. Damn its sad to see there ditching them, I must have ate at Taco bell more times in the last 3 months then I have in all my 26 years alive lol. Now I will go back to other food until Taco Bell brings back something with the lava sauce
William McCamment reply on December 1st, 2008 10:47 am:
I’m with you on that! Let’s protest until they get the Lava Sauce going! I need that stuff!
Comment from James
Time: December 10, 2008, 10:13 am
Its funny, i came to this site looking for the recipe for lava sauce and im SOL like everyone else…lol…bummer. I will work on the recipe and if i get it figured out i will passd it on. however, i just had a #6 at TB and had em put lava on everything and they did it without question. they also said that they were NOT discontinued. hmmm
William McCamment reply on December 10th, 2008 10:24 am:
Volcano Tacos ARE IN FACT BEING DISCONTINUED! They are no longer on the menu and once they run out of the red taco shells that will be it. Check tacobell.com then click OUR FOOD>>MENU>>TACOS and you will see they are no longer displayed there either. I called Taco Bell myself and verified.
Sorry, but their days are numbered.
Comment from Chris
Time: December 22, 2008, 7:52 pm
I heared from a friend that has a friend that works at Taco Bell that the lava sauce is just the nacho cheese mixed with fire sauce.
William McCamment reply on December 24th, 2008 12:55 pm:
Lava sauce comes in prepackaged containers. It MIGHT be nacho cheese mixed with fire sauce, but I think you’d have to work at the factory to know that for sure.
Comment from lisa
Time: December 25, 2008, 11:04 am
this is heartbreaking ive fallen in love with all the flavors and now this?
William McCamment reply on December 25th, 2008 11:19 am:
I know, me too! I was in Hawaii a couple of weeks ago and was able to order them there. Probably my last moment alone with a Volcano Taco. 
Comment from V Taco Man
Time: December 27, 2008, 11:50 am
As of today Volcano Tacos were still for sale at my local Denver, CO taco bell. Maybe they have 2 or 3 years worth of red shells so it’ll take awhile to run out.
Comment from lizz
Time: January 1, 2009, 5:06 pm
i just had three last night for dinner, there still at my taco bell.
im basically addicted though, they better not stop selling them.
William McCamment reply on January 3rd, 2009 5:33 am:
Hopefully, it will be a while.
Comment from Josh
Time: January 2, 2009, 1:31 pm
I’m glad someone else feels this way! If I could get the sauce still somehow, I’d be happy. Almost every episode of my podcast, we bring up Volcano Tacos at some point. That’s sad, I know, but I’m addicted to them.
Comment from Foss
Time: January 2, 2009, 5:12 pm
If anyone does happen to figure out how to replicate the lava sauce…email me…I need my lava sauce T_T
William McCamment reply on January 3rd, 2009 5:34 am:
If someone comes up with the answer, I’ll post it on my blog.
Comment from hotsause22
Time: January 3, 2009, 1:44 am
ya im going to go to my local tacobell tomorrow and im going to tell them to sell me a volcano taco. i aint going to be nice person about it ill do my best to bring them back
hotsause22 reply on January 3rd, 2009 1:45 am:
im not leaving untill they sell me 1 to
William McCamment reply on January 3rd, 2009 5:35 am:
They are still available in may places. Maybe you can still get one at your local TB.
Comment from spAnser
Time: January 3, 2009, 7:34 pm
I don’t personally like hard shelled tacos so i would order the 3 soft taco meal and get a side of lava sauce (30 cents for a side or 30 cents to add on each) the side had plenty of sauce for all 3 tacos and still some for dipping the last taco in to get all the flavor i could out of it. I was denied today saying they no longer had any lava sauce but i still have a side sitting in my fridge I really hope its still good.
William McCamment reply on October 28th, 2008 4:44 am:
I called my local Taco Bell; they said they will continue selling Volcano Tacos until supplies run out and that will most-likely be the middle of this week. I am planning a visit today to get my last VT. After that, adios!
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