Taco Bell goes naked for breakfast; item hits menu Aug. 31

You’ve heard of breakfast burritos and even breakfast tacos, but how about one without a shell?

Taco Bell is launching the Naked Egg Taco, which replaces the shell with a fried egg. The taco has a filling of fried potatoes, bacon or sausage and cheese. It will be available nationwide Aug. 31 for a limited a la carte for $1.99 or in a breakfast combo with Cinnabon Delights or hash browns for $3.99.

The Naked Egg Taco strips down the traditional breakfast taco, allowing us to deliver a new flavor experience in every single bite,” said Liz Matthews, Chief Food Innovation Officer at Taco Bell Corp.

“Shell innovation is at the core of where we experiment — and whether it’s crispy chicken, biscuits or waffles that wrap up menu item classics — we bring our fans crave-able and unexpected food experiences that leave them wanting more.”

Taco Bell is owned by Louisville-base Yum! Brands, along with KFC and Pizza Hut.

Fans in a few cities will be able to taste it as early as Thursday, when the item debuts at special “Bell & Breakfast” brunch in New York; later events will be held in Laguna Beach, Calif.; Austin, Texas; and Chicago. The events are reservation-only — that’s right, you’ll need reservations to eat at a Taco Bell — with seating available through OpenTable.

And if naked isn’t your thing, you can also get the breakfast taco in a flatbread.

This story was originally published August 15, 2017 at 12:08 PM with the headline "Taco Bell goes naked for breakfast; item hits menu Aug. 31."