I ate at both Taco Bell and Del Taco to see how the chains compared, and Taco Bell was better in every way except 2

• Tex-Mex food has a special place in America's stomach.
• When it comes to Tex-Mex fast food, Taco Bell and Del Taco are the two giants duking it out for the top spot.
• I ate massive meals at both chains in order to get a sense of their menus, and I found that Taco Bell beats out Del Taco in taste in every way but one: Del Taco's chips and guac are much, much better.
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Tex-Mex food occupies a special place in America's stomach.

It's not Mexican, but it comes from the Southwest region of the US that used to be part of Mexico and New Spain. Like burritos? You can thank Tejanos. Tacos? They're as American as apple pie, spaghetti and meatballs, and fortune cookies.

Today, there are two major American fast-food chains that sell Tex-Mex food: Taco Bell and Del Taco. Both were founded in California by men with no Mexican heritage. The concept at the core of both brands is the same: cheap, tasty food made from tortillas, beef, beans, and cheese.

I sampled as much as I could stomach from both chains' menus. I attempted to order a representative spread of food from each chain for a total cost of about $60 per meal.

Here's how my meals compared: