12/14/22, 9:55 AM The Central California town where Taco Bell, MdDonald's, Carl's Jr.

MdDonald's, Carl's Jr. and more test their latest menu items

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Travel // Central Coast

The Central California town where McDonald's, Taco Bell and Carl's Jr. test market
their newest creations
Andrew Pridgen, SFGATE
Updated: Dec. 13, 2022 3:49 p.m.

The Taco Bell Cheez-It Tostada mada a splash as a test market sensation earlier this summer. 
Photo Courtesy Taco Bell

Ming Avenue in Bakersfield is an ordinary street. Bisecting the town’s southwest corridor, it becomes a multi-lane arterial road
that connects Bakersfield’s post-World War II exurban developments to its newer shopping and office complexes, as well as to
the freeways that act as the valley hub’s unofficial borders. 

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At its apex, the wide-laned, car-friendly strip swells with development

development,, where, starting in the late-1950s, it divided the city into
two.. The western part thrives, while the east stagnates. Ming Avenue also acts as the frontage road for the Valley Plaza,
two Plaza, Central
Valley’s historic single-story shopping mall. 

Over the last few decades, nearly every kind of fast food chain — local, regional and national — has set up in Ming’s epicenter.
I’ve driven up and down that miracle mile of mass-marketed goodies dozens of times, watching lines of cars form in drive-thru
lanes that appeared unique. Even so, I had a tough time identifying what was really happening. 

Neon sign welcomes visitors to Bakersfield. Country western star Buck Owens, built a $10Â?–million 'Buck
Owen's Crystal Palace' at Highway 99, right next to the Crystal Palace is the huge Yellow and black
BAKERSFIELD sign of Sillect street that we all see from the 99 freeway Bakersfield is a city increasingly
popular with Southern California families because its houses are affordable and its schools good and it still
has a smalltown feel. It's also got some of the nation's best-kept fast food secrets
Spencer Weiner/Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag

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A little more research uncovered that in recent years, Bakersfield — and Ming Avenue specifically — has become the proving
ground for some of your newest fast food faves and (more often) near misses. And I’d been absent for all of them. 

In the last few months alone, the residents of Bakersfield have had the opportunity to experience the Del Taco Takis-inspired
menu,, the Wienerschnitzel's Veggie Dog and the Long John Silver’s Lobster Bites. 
menu Bites. 

In 2018, Taco Bell offered fans the opportunity to book parties at its Bakersfield locations. “In what could be any fast food-loving
child’s (or adult’s) ultimate wish, you can now book a party at Taco Bell,” a November 2018 story in the Bakersfield Californian
said. “The fast-food chain just launched a pilot program for its PARTY by Taco Bell, allowing guests to book a party with nine of
their closest taco-loving pals with reserved seating and ‘breathtaking views of tacos.’ Guests who book the party will have a
reserved table with themed party decor including a festive table runner, plates and fun photo props.”

The concept, one I’ll refer to from now on as the only plausible future wedding venue for me (virtual
(virtual or IRL),
IRL), was available at the
Ming Avenue location in Bakersfield and a handful of other spots across the country that represented a “diverse set of urban,
suburban and rural markets,” spokesperson Anastasia Lukiman, one of the event’s marketers, told the publication.

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(Photos courtesy of Taco Bell)

Ultimately, the all-caps Taco Bell PARTY, which included the option to celebrate amongst coveted ‘90s-themed Taco Bell decor
and ephemera like sauce packet balloons and taco shades, came out just prior to the launch of the restaurant’s party packs:
packs:
three or more of the same item in a carryout box, still featured on the main menu today. 

The fact that a velvet rope Taco Bell PARTY had gone on not far from my own doorstep and I had completely missed out became
a burden. Not that I have a ton of occasions or any milestones worthy of a mylar “Fire” sauce packet balloon, but for only $25 an
hour, I could have had the Taco Bell meal of my dreams. 

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Soon, I came down with what can only be described as a terminal case of trial-run fast food FOMO. At first, I reached out to the
fast food chains themselves. From emails and voicemails to nowhere to sliding into the DMs of McDonald’s, Del Taco, Taco Bell
and Carl’s Jr. like the thirsty patron that I am, nothing seemed to elicit a response. While there is some information out there —
Del Taco’s news page and Taco Bell’s test market roll-out releases lead the way with specifics on where and when new items
drop — fast food bloggers are quick to point out there’s no real way to predict what item will actually be there or for how long. 

The only way to find it out is to actually go. And so I went.

Wienerschnitzel was my first stop in large part because I was parched. I stepped into a rush of AC and did a quick scan of the
menu. Besides a fresh array of Veggie Dogs that weren’t featured on Weinerschnitzel’s websites’ basic menu,
menu, it seemed that this
outpost of the hot dog stand that first opened in Wilmington, Calif. in 1961 was only serving up the classics that day. I quickly
grabbed a drink and moved on. 

A sneak peek at Del Taco's Epic Torta at its Ming Avenue store in the heart of Bakersfield. 
Photo By Andrew Pridgen

Del Taco, which opened in Yermo, Calif. in 1964, was next. As I approached, banners for a new item caught my eye: the Epic
™
Torta(( ). 
Torta

At the counter, the cashier confirmed that the torta was nearing the end of its “roll-out” phase. It was not quite at every Del
Taco, but a majority of locations had one at this point, a week before its launch. I wouldn’t be the first to step onto the red
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carpet for the premiere of Del Taco’s take on the traditional grilled meat sandwich served on a soft roll, but I was still getting a
sneak preview.

You could tell what phase an item was in, the cashier said, by the wrapper. Test items usually didn’t come with the finished
branding on it, and from the polish of the packaging, it looked like the Del Taco torta was ready to make its prime-time debut.
All 600 locations would have it on the torta’s official launch on Sept. 1.

I ordered the Crispy Chicken and Guac. The sandwich was mammoth, about twice the size of one from a Mexican eatery. Served
on a grilled hoagie roll and handled more like a Quiznos sub, it came, as advertised, overflowing with toppings, including real
chunks of avocado in the guacamole. Add in the lettuce, cheese, Pico de Gallo and some faintly spicy ranch-type drizzle, and it
was an impeccable combination. I gobbled up the item and took note of the bold lettering on the torta’s oversized box, which
could have fit one of my shoes. This was an item destined for greatness, or at least a prominent spot on the menu — for now. 

A couple of diners next to me, who self-identified as Ming Avenue Del Taco regulars, asked me what I thought. I told them the
item was more than enough food for two and presented more like a sandwich than a traditional torta.

I asked if they had seen a lot of unusual items come and go over the years. Brandon Lincoln, a Chicago-born Bakersfield resident
for the last 21 years, nodded. “Oh, all the time,” he said, “all the time, man, there’s something new. You try not to get involved
with all of it.”

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A Taco Bell and Milk Bar collaboration was tested earlier this summer. 
Photo Courtesy Taco Bell

Lincoln’s current menu favorite actually had its test origins in Bakersfield, he claimed. “The cheesecake bites,
bites, they started at
this store a while back, then they took them away then they came back,” he said. “...Used to be different flavors, now just
caramel. Still my favorite.” (SFGATE was unable to independently verify if the cheesecake bite had had its launch at the Ming
Avenue Del Taco location.)

This wouldn’t be the last time I heard a patron refer to a fast-food location as a “store” — insider lingo for those who are
accustomed to being guinea pigs under the watchful eye of fast-food conglomerates. 

“In Bakersfield [there are] a lot of people who come from a lot of places, whether to live or to stop over,” Lincoln said. “There’s
just so many different kinds, with different kinds of opinions here. It makes sense to me that we set the tone.”

Lincoln’s dining partner, Julian Garcia, agreed. Though he was enjoying his favorite, the classic Del Combo Burrito, he said he’d
tried the torta recently. “It’s good,” he said, “almost as good as the real thing.”

As pleasant and filling as Del Taco’s take on the torta was, it was all just a warm-up to the main event as Taco Bell beckoned. 

The current location of the megachain, founded in Downey, Calif. in 1962, is just a block and a half from the old-school California
mission-style original Bakersfield location. The building now houses a local favorite called Tacos La Villa — a 24-hour-a-day
Central Valley stand-out for tacos and burritos. (Continuing the trend of re-imagining fast food spaces of yore, Tacos La Villa
also has a converted Winchell’s Donut House location on Union Avenue a little farther east.) 

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Did anyone ask for a Taco Bell Cheez-It Crunchwrap Supreme?

Photo Courtesy Taco Bell

The current Ming Avenue Taco Bell is housed in one of those flat-fronted early 21st century cubes, clean and sterile, with a
conference hotel vibe. I went in searching for new menu items, but aside from the addition of green (verde) sauce by request on
any menu item, I didn’t spy anything unique about the offerings of this Taco Bell. 

Disappointed, I admitted defeat and moved on.

My final stop on the Ming Avenue fast food test strip run was Carl’s Jr. The chain first opened as Carl’s Drive-in Barbecue in
Anaheim in 1945. I’d gotten a tip the week prior to my visit that Carl's may have something special cooking in Bakersfield. 

As I parked, it immediately called to me from window-sized banners: the new Spicy Cowboy menu.
menu. Through a quick reference
check on my phone, I discovered there were only three places where you could find this menu: at this store in Bakersfield, as
well as Hardee’s locations in Terre Haute, Indiana, and Little Rock, Arkansas — and that was it.

Don't recognize these Carl's Jr. menu items? You're not alone. Bakersfield is currently the only place you'll
find the burger chain's Spicy Cowboy menu and is just one of the items currently being test marketed in the
Central Valley city. 
Photo By Andrew Pridgen

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At last, I’d stumbled upon what appeared to be a true fast food test kitchen experience. 

I ordered the Spicy Cowboy Breakfast Sandwich — which is eggs, sausage and pepper jack on a toasted jalapeno cornmeal bun —
and the Spicy Cowboy Cheeseburger: a beef patty, pepper jack, jalapeños, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and BBQ sauce, again, served
over a toasted jalapeño cornmeal bun. I was on my way to test market glory.

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Unfortunately, I arrived well beyond the breakfast cut-off, but the cashier put in for the cheeseburger. When I asked her if the
Spicy Cowboy offerings had been popular thus far, she shrugged. She said that thought the burgers were selling pretty well, but
she couldn’t speak for the breakfast item. “Too much kick too early in the day,” I joked. 

The meal was brought to me — it’d been a while since I dined in at a Carl’s and had forgotten they had table service (a feature
which was also tested in 2015 in 18 Kern County McDonald’s franchises.) It felt luxurious. From first sight, the item was exactly
what I’d been looking for: a generic, “Special Promo” branded wrapper with a yellow sticker affixed to the top that also read
“Promo.” 

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Fast food test kitchen experts say you can tell an item is still in its test marketing phase by the generic
packaging. This is an item from the Spicy Cowboy menu at Carl's Jr. currently being tested at a Bakersfield,
CA location. 
Photo By Andrew Pridgen

I unpeeled my treat like Charlie Bucket would his last Wonka Bar — with caution that quickly gave way to outsized anticipation
and abandon. What greeted me on the other side was a beef, cheese and jalapeño extravaganza. 

The cheeseburger rewarded me on the first bite: the meat was tender, the veggies crisp, the barbecue sauce tangy and the
jalapeños juicy and prominent. The sandwich did, in fact, have a kick, delivering on the lurid-sounding Spicy Cowboy promise —
making the whole trip worth it. 

The patrons next to me introduced themselves as husband-and-wife duo Michelle and Eric Brummett, steeped in the test
kitchen culture of that specific strip of road. The Brummetts referred to this particular Carl’s Jr. location as the “Ming store,” and
regaled me with tales of items that have come and gone from the strip. Some became legends, while others were never seen
again. 

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“We know we have lots of choices here,” Michelle said, “along with that you put up with lots of menu changes in the area. It’s
worth it overall though.”

Michelle said she, like me, has always been “big on Taco Bell.” Right now though, she’s slightly disappointed with her favorite
restaurant’s recent endeavors. “Taco Bell has a lot rotating through,” she said. “Sometimes they bring in something here and it
only lasts a few weeks. Sometimes you see [it] again.

Inside the Ming Avenue Carl's Junior in Bakersfield, featuring murals with hometown icons. Bakersfield is
the only place you'll find the burger chain's Spicy Cowboy menu which they are currently test marketing. 
Photo By Andrew Pridgen

“Like the Mexican Pizza.

Pizza. I was glad to see that come back. Then it went away. Then available everywhere, only now it’s sold out.
It’s sold out everywhere. That’s the way it goes.”

Speaking of the classics, she’s waiting, she said, for the permanent return of the fabled Enchirito. “That’s, you know, the burrito
with enchilada sauce. I ...that was a favorite growing up. I haven’t seen it come back. I’m waiting.”

Eric chimed in with his own experience in a fast food test kitchen. When he worked at McDonald’s as a teen, he saw first-hand
how testing fast food items — and what takes hold and what doesn’t — has an effect on a national market. 

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“Nobody would come in on Fridays,” he said. “We weren’t selling. So they came up with — someone invented the Filet-O-Fish
you could sell on a Friday. And it started at one and went through the whole corporation. So, I guess the point is these things
have to start somewhere.”

Lou Groen, owner of the Stop Tech Co., in Harrison, Ohio, stands next to a photo of the McDonalds
restaurant in Dent, Ohio, that he use to own in 1962, in his office Feb. 6, 2007, in Harrison. The restaurant
was where the first Fish sandwich was made by Groen. Groen has since sold the restaurant but still lives in
the area. (AP Photo/The Enquirer, Ernest Coleman)
Ernest Coleman/AP

His recollection was accurate. The Filet-O-Fish was created in 1962 by Lou Groen, a Cincinnati-based McDonald’s franchise
owner who needed an item to sell to Roman Catholics and Methodists who abstained from meat on Fridays. Thus began a 60-
year tradition of adding items to menus that catered to consumers’ changing tastes — with many fabled items that have made it
to the big time. Some were even poached from local drive-ins here. 
here. 

My fast food test kitchen run wasn’t a complete success, but it was also far from a failure. As I drove away from Ming Avenue, I
swore I’d soon be back to be Big Fast Foods’ crash test tummy once more. Now, if I could only make it home — before the
jalapeños kicked in. 

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Written By
Andrew Pridgen

Reach Andrew on

Andrew Pridgen is a contributing editor at SFGATE. He covers Central California. A Bay Area native, Pridgen lived in Lake Tahoe before moving to the Central Coast
a decade ago.

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