The '90s Taco Bell Breakfast Sandwich That Failed To Compete With The Egg McMuffin

Since it first opened its doors in 1962, Taco Bell has served up something other than the typical burgers and fries that populate most fast food chain menus (though, to be fair, it did initially sell a "bell burger" to its early customers). In a food landscape dominated by sandwiches, Taco Bell does things differently, with Mexican-influenced menu items like burritos, gorditas, and of course, tacos, all for prices that have remained affordable. The chain has carved a niche for itself, and it would do well to remember that when it has strayed from its proven path, the results were less-than-stellar. One example? In 1991, Taco Bell launched its first breakfast menu, including an English muffin breakfast sandwich called the Sun Up Sandwich, that looked an awful lot like the McDonald's Egg McMuffin.

The Sun Up Sandwich followed a well-established formula: A scrambled egg patty was paired with a protein (in this case, either sausage or bacon), and a slice of melty cheese, and then piled onto a toasted English muffin. However, its closeness in appearance to the McMuffin apparently did not move the masses, as Taco Bell mostly scrapped its breakfast menu by the early 2000s, and it would not resurrect the morning meal idea for at least another decade.

Apparently Taco Bell learned from its past mistakes (there is just no competing with the McDonald's Egg McMuffin, especially after it took this breakfast item from good to great in 2025) when it relaunched a morning menu nationwide in 2014. The chain instead leaned into its Mexican influence, with an A.M. Crunchwrap, Breakfast Burrito, and a Waffle Taco, which featured a soft, fluffy waffle folded and stuffed with eggs, cheese, and a choice of protein; unfortunately, it proved unpopular and was discontinued just a year after the country-wide roll-out.

It wasn't until 2023 that Taco Bell gave the people what they'd been asking for all along: Breakfast tacos. However, they were part of a limited release, so the excitement was short-lived, with some customers not even getting an opportunity to try them before they were unceremoniously whisked off the menus.

As ever, the Taco Bell continues to change up its breakfast menu, and these days, the Internet's consensus is that the Breakfast Crunchwrap, a variation on what was an invention of the chain, is the best item. However, before you head out to your local Taco Bell in the A.M., you'll want to check that your location serves breakfast. Franchisees were given the option to stop serving it, and some have indeed opted out.