Get one, two or three on National Taco Day. On October 4th, the day recognizes the savory tortilla stuffed with fillings. It doesn’t have to be Tuesday, so get out and enjoy your favorite.
- The history of tacos predates the arrival of Europeans in Mexico. Anthropological evidence shows the native people living in the lake region of the Valley of Mexico traditionally ate tacos filled with small fish.
- 1520 – At the time of the Spanish conquistadors, Bernal Diaz del Castillo documented the first taco feast enjoyed by Europeans. Hernán Cortés arranged this meal for his captains in Coyoacan in 1520
- The Word Taco Means “Light Lunch”
- 1900s – Tacos started appearing in the United States. In San Antonio, a group of women called the Chili Queens sold tacos out of carts.
- 1914 – the first recipes for tacos appeared in an English cookbook.
- 1929 – The popular cookbook “Ramona’s Spanish-Mexican Cookery” is published and contains six taco-related recipes, including one for pork tacos and one for gorditas from Santa Nita.
- 1962 – Taco Bell was founded, leading to the availability of tacos and other Mexican-American meals in American regions that otherwise may have had to wait much longer.
- 1964 – Roberto L. Gomez established The National Taco Council.
- 1967 – The National Taco Council sent a 55-pound taco to President Johnson.
- 1983 – Ralph Rubio of San Diego, CA, opens Rubio’s, specializing in fish tacos made from a recipe he borrowed from a Baja native named Carlos, and California falls in love with “Ensenada.”
- 2019 – NBA star LeBron James attempts to trademark the use of the term “Taco Tuesday,” which is a tradition in his family, as used in electronic communications like podcasts and social media, but his application is denied by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, who call “Taco Tuesday” a “commonplace term.
- Taco Bell has tried to enter the Mexican market twice, failing both times, even after branding their food “American” food.
- The word taco started in the 18th-century silver mines in Mexico. Back then, a taco was just some paper wrapped around gunpowder.
- Ensenada, Mexico is said to be the birthplace of the fish taco.
- Americans eat over 4.5 billion tacos a year!
- That’s 490,000 miles of tacos, which could take you to the moon and back.
- In terms of tortilla consumption, the typical Mexican family of four eats more than two pounds of tortillas per day (imagine holding a single tortilla in one hand, and eight sticks [two pounds] of butter or margarine in the other, and compare).
- A popular use of the earlier gas-powered engines and electric motors was to grind grain for “masa,” the dough or paste that was then flattened into tortillas.
- The first taco truck in the U.S. is believed to have been opened by Raul Martinez, a Mexican immigrant who converted an old ice cream truck into a mobile taco restaurant in 1974. He parked the truck outside an East Los Angeles bar and was so successful, he was able to open a restaurant (King Taco) just six months later. King Taco now has 22 locations in California.
- There are over 20,000 different taco recipes, according to the Mexican Department of Agriculture.
- As of August 2019, the tortilla-production industry employed over 21,000 people in the United States alone.
- Find National Taco Day Discounts and Deals. Depending on your location, some Mexican-themed restaurants may have deals in honor of National Taco Day.
- Taco John’s. This American chain with more than 400 restaurants in 23 states, has been known to give away one free beef taco (crispy or soft shell) to those who have a coupon–which has been sent out on Twitter in previous years.
- Del Taco. With more than 600 locations in the southern and western United States, this chain has been known to offer BOGO (Buy One, Get One Free) on various taco platters in celebration of the day.
- On the Border. Sick of fast food? This chain offers sit-down service but still has been known to sponsor 50-cent tacos for National Taco Day.
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