I went to Taco Bell for the first time. I thought it would be cheaper.

• Taco Bell reported a 5% rise in same-store sales in the most recent quarter.
• The taco chain's focus on value meals has attracted cost-conscious diners amid rising prices.
• I went to a Taco Bell in London to see how cheap and tasty the food is.

Taco Bell has been doubling down on value — and it's working.

As fast food restaurants try to lure cost-conscious diners back, the taco chain reported a 5% rise in same-store sales in the most recent quarter.

It surpassed its Yum! Brands sister brands — KFC and Pizza Hut — and industry competitors like McDonald's , which saw sales fall in the most recent quarter.

Taco Bell has homed in on offering value meals while fast food prices have soared elsewhere, winning over customers in the process.

I went to a Taco Bell restaurant in Bloomsbury, central London, for the first time to see just how cheap — and tasty — the food is.

The chain reopened in the UK in 2010 after its first four stores all closed by the mid-1990s. There are now over 135 Taco Bells across the country.

Fast food chains have been ramping up value meals recently to compete for customers.

The CEO of its parent company, Yum! Brands, said in its most recent earnings call that Taco Bell's sales growth during the quarter was partly due to its value meals, which keep it competitive.

It's clear from the moment you approach that it's trying to push its special offers.

There were posters on the storefront windows, and promotions were the first thing you saw on the menu.

You order from one of two self-service screens, which only accept card payments.

This wouldn't be new to British fast-food chains. What I did find was this screen was a little slow to react, and the other one was actually out of use.

Overall, it was a pretty seamless system of ordering and waiting for your number to be called before collecting your tray from a staff member.

I ordered a Veggie Deluxe Box along with a cheesy roll-up from its Cravings Value Menu.

Taco Bell overhauled its Cravings Value Menu earlier this year, adding six new "meal-sized" items for under $3.

The Veggie Deluxe Box consisted of a seven-layer burrito, a double cheesy black bean burrito, seasoned fries, churros with a caramel dip, and a Pepsi Max.

All in all, I paid £12.97 ($16.50). It wasn't cheap, but it was a lot of food — enough for two.

The Veggie Deluxe Box has a good range of options and is enough to fill you up.

If someone else were to try Taco Bell for the first time, I would recommend going for one of the deluxe boxes. My vegetarian box cost £9.99 ($12.80), so it's not the most affordable option out there, but you do get to eat a variation of popular dishes.

A Cheeseburger Saver Meal from McDonalds , which includes a cheeseburger, fries, and a soda, costs £3.99 ($5) in a nearby location. But this meal doesn't include a dessert or an extra side.

I had high hopes for the double cheesy black bean burrito, which is usually what I'd order in similar restaurants.

This didn't really meet my expectations. I found it too sweet and felt it could benefit from more cheese. The burrito was helped by the seasoned fries, which created a nice balance between the salty and the slight sugary aftertaste.

There is absolutely nothing I would change about those fries, I didn't even need to dip them in anything.

On its own from the Cravings menu, this item costs £1.99 ($2.55). It's not substantial enough to be a main meal but if you're just looking for a snack, this is a good bet.

The 7-layer burrito was the most filling part of the deluxe box. I enjoyed the combination of textures.

I ate the veggie 7-layer burrito. Its fillings were black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, seasoned rice, a 3-cheese blend, guacamole and sour cream. Between the softness of the wrap, the crunchiness of the lettuce, and the chewiness of the black beans, this burrito had a fun texture.

I thought it was a generous size and one would be enough for lunch. This was probably one of the best value for money dishes on the menu.

I was delighted to see that this box included churros. They smelled delicious.

I was excited to bite into one of these as soon as I collected my tray. I was worried they might be greasy or oily, but was pleasantly proved wrong.

For me, the churros didn't actually need a sauce, and the caramel dip they did come with was too sweet for me.

To buy alone, these cost £2.69 ($3.45). There were only two in a bag so I felt this price was a bit high.

The cheesy roll-up was fairly bland, but it did cost less than £1 ($1.22).

The cheesy roll-up from its Cravings menu was literally that — a wrap with melted cheese. I'm a big fan of cheese, so it wasn't bad.

If you find yourself feeling peckish but not ready for a full meal, I thought this was good value for a snack.

The popping colors and flying tacos printed on the wall were good fun.

My meal from Taco Bell was only okay. I felt the portions were more than fair, but the food didn't taste all that great to me. And it wasn't as cheap as I hoped.

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