Taco Bell was struggling and needed an idea so bold⊠so over-the-top⊠so WEIRD⊠that it would capture Americaâs taste buds and Instagram feeds. So when it unveiled the Doritos Locos Tacos (or ""DLT"") in 2012, jaws droppedâŠthen immediately started chomping. The hard-shell taco coated with cheesy Dorito dusting became the biggest fast food hit of the decade, selling over a billion tacos. Even tastier for Taco Bell: the red-hot fan hype turned the DLT into the first viral fast food hit of the social media age. But creating the DLT wasnât a simple matter of sprinkling on some cheese dust. It took two years, 40 (!) prototypes, and some of the smartest minds in food science working in a secret lab to crack the deliciously elusive code. Discover the mom-and-pop restaurant that inspired Taco Bell's founder, how being more like Bridget Jones can up your idea hit rate, and why the Doritos Locos Taco is the best idea yet.
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