You’re sitting on your couch, half-watching a game or scrolling through your phone, when a Taco Bell commercial comes on. It starts normally. Then, the narrator speaks. You freeze. That raspy, slightly frantic, deeply earnest voice sounds exactly like Nick Miller from New Girl.
It’s unmistakable.
For a few months now, people have been scouring Reddit and Twitter, asking the same question: Is that actually Jake Johnson voicing the Taco Bell ads? Honestly, it felt like one of those weird internet mysteries that would just go unsolved. But it turns out, the "Nick Miller voice" in the Jake Johnson Taco Bell connection isn't just a figment of our collective imagination.
The Mystery of the Taco Bell Voiceover
The rumors started bubbling up in early 2025. Taco Bell dropped a series of spots, including the "Also a Chicken Place" ad for their Crispy Chicken Nuggets and Nacho Fries. The narrator in these spots doesn't sound like a typical "announcer guy." He sounds like a guy who is maybe two minutes away from a mild emotional breakdown—which is essentially Jake Johnson's entire brand.
Fans of his podcast, We’re Here to Help, were the first to get the confirmation. On a late April 2025 episode, Johnson actually apologized for being a few minutes late to the recording. Why? Because he had just come from a voiceover session for Taco Bell.
He didn't just mention it in passing; he was still in character. He was fired up. He even quoted the taglines.
It’s a weirdly perfect match. Taco Bell has always leaned into a self-aware, slightly chaotic marketing strategy. They don't want a polished voice telling you about the quality of their lettuce. They want someone who sounds like they genuinely care about a Cheesy Gordita Crunch at 1:00 AM. Johnson, who built a career playing the most relatable, disheveled man on television, fits that vibe better than almost anyone else in Hollywood.
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Why Everyone Thought it was Nick Miller
There is a specific cadence to how Jake Johnson talks. It’s a mix of Chicago grit and a sort of breathless enthusiasm. When he’s doing the Jake Johnson Taco Bell spots, he isn't using a "commercial voice." He’s using the same voice he used to argue with Schmidt about the "utility" of a turtle in New Girl.
- The Frustration Factor: The longer the commercial goes, the more stressed the narrator sounds.
- The Authenticity: It doesn't sound like he's reading a script. It sounds like he's trying to convince his friend to go to the drive-thru.
- The "Everyman" Appeal: Johnson has always felt like the guy you actually know.
Taco Bell has a history of using celebrities in ways that feel "un-celebrity." Think back to Pete Davidson (or "Peter" Davidson) doing the breakfast ads. They like people who are polarizing or quirky. Hiring Johnson to voice ads about how they are "also a chicken place" targets that exact demographic of people who grew up watching him and feel a strange sense of comfort hearing his voice while looking at a taco.
Beyond the Commercials: Jake Johnson's Fast Food Vibe
Johnson has always been pretty vocal about his lifestyle. He’s not the guy posting about kale smoothies and 4:00 AM Pilates. He’s a guy who likes a drink, likes a joke, and presumably, likes a late-night snack.
This isn't his first rodeo with big brands, either. He previously did a series of Dodge Dart commercials with Craig Robinson where they basically just played versions of themselves. He knows how to sell something without making it feel like a sales pitch.
What’s interesting about the Jake Johnson Taco Bell partnership is how it bridges the gap between his indie-darling status and mainstream commercialism. In 2024, he released his directorial debut, Self Reliance, a high-concept comedy-thriller. You’d think a guy making "serious" creative moves might shy away from fast food ads. But Johnson has always been a "work is work" kind of guy, often talking about his early days as a waiter and PA in Los Angeles.
He seems to find the humor in the hustle.
What Most People Get Wrong About Celebrity Voiceovers
A lot of people think these ads are just easy money. "Oh, he just stepped into a booth for twenty minutes."
While it’s true he isn't doing manual labor, voice acting—especially for a brand like Taco Bell—requires a specific type of energy. You have to be "on." For Johnson, that means tapping into that high-strung Nick Miller energy that people love. If he sounded bored, the ad wouldn't work. It works because he sounds like he is defending the existence of chicken nuggets at a taco shop.
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The Impact on the Brand
Does hearing Jake Johnson make you want a taco? Maybe not directly. But it does something more valuable for the brand: it makes you stop fast-forwarding.
In the world of 2026 advertising, "stopping the scroll" is everything. When you hear a voice you recognize from seven seasons of a comfort show, your brain sends a little hit of dopamine. You listen. You realize it’s him. You tell a friend. Suddenly, a 15-second spot for chicken nuggets has more organic reach than a $10 million Super Bowl ad.
Moving Forward: What to Expect
Don't expect this to be the last you hear of him. The partnership seems to be working. Taco Bell is leaning hard into nostalgia and "realness" right now, and Johnson is the king of that space.
If you want to dive deeper into the world of Jake Johnson (beyond his love for crispy poultry), here is what you should actually do:
- Listen to "We're Here to Help": If you like the voiceover, his podcast is essentially three hours a week of that exact energy.
- Watch "Self Reliance": It shows his range as a creator, not just a guy who yells at tacos.
- Check the Credits: Next time you see a Taco Bell ad, listen for the "crack" in the voice. That's the signature.
The Jake Johnson Taco Bell era is a masterclass in casting. It’s weird, it’s loud, and it’s surprisingly effective. It reminds us that even as actors become big-time directors and Spider-Man voice stars, they still need to pay the bills—and they might as well do it by talking about Nacho Fries.
Keep an eye out for the "Decades" menu spots or the new Cantina Chicken ads. While Davante Adams is the face of some recent campaigns, that raspy voice in the background is often the real star of the show. It’s a bit of Nick Miller in every bite. Basically, it's exactly what we needed.
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