Tuesday, May 5, is Cinco de Mayo, the day set aside to celebrate Mexican culture, food and drinks.
Despite the popular belief, Cinco de Mayo does not celebrate Mexican Independence Day. That’s in September. Instead, it marks the anniversary of Mexico’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Mexico’s forces, numbering between 2,000 and 5,000, lacked sufficient equipment to fight a French army of about 6,000. But despite the odds stacked against them, the Mexican army won the battle, History.com said.
They may have won the battle, but it was not enough to keep France from controlling the country for about four years.
By the next year, Mexican Americans in California started celebrating the battle as “a political and cultural moment tied to resistance and democracy,” Sehila Mota Casper, executive director and co-founder of Latinos in Heritage Conservation, told History.com. In Los Angeles and San Francisco, parades, speakers and music marked the first anniversary in 1863.
The holiday evolved in the 1960s into a celebration of Mexican American identity, but unlike the parties that spring up all across the U.S., in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is primarily celebrated in Puebla.
But in the U.S., the holiday brings with it discounts for food and drinks.
Here is a list of some of the deals you can find. Remember they are subject to participation, so you should check with your local spots to see if they’re offering the promotions.
Baja Fresh: Rewards members can save $5.55 off online orders of $20 or more using code CINCO.
Barberitos: Free small queso with in-restaurant orders.
Bubbakoo’s Burritos: $5 taco party and rewards members earn 5x points plus a free queso or guacamole reward.
California Tortilla: Free taco coupon with purchase for use on next order.
Chili’s: $5 Tequila Classic Marg, $6 Popping Boba Marg of the Month, $7 Patrón Frozen Marg.
Chipotle: Free chips and guac or chips and queso blanco with online entree purchase using code CINCO26
Chuy’s: $6 regular or $9 grande House ‘Ritas, $1 off Mexican beers, $5 queso bowl.
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: $5.50 off large drinks from noon to 6 p.m.
Condado Tacos: $27 house margarita pitcher, $6 1800 Tequila shot.
Del Taco: $5 Epic Burritos for rewards members ordering through the app or website. (Today)
El Pollo Loco: Two chicken tacos for $5 in stores and online. (Today)
Fuzzy’s Taco Shop: $10 Half Yard Margaritas and $2.50 and up Taco Tuesday specials.
Jack in the Box: Two tacos for 75-cents with $1 minimum purchase. (Today)
Margaritas Mexican Restaurant: Free T-shirt for the first 50 customers and a free taco coupon with any taco purchase, good for a future visit.
Moe’s Southwest Grill: Free side of queso with entree purchase in-store.
On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina: $2 tacos and $5 classic margaritas.
Pancheros: $5 burrito reward for loyalty members.
Red Robin: $8 regular margaritas, $6 small margaritas.
Ruby Tuesday: $5.99 burgers and sandwiches with fries, $6 Hornitos margaritas.
Taco John’s: $5.55 Beef Softshell Tacos.
The Greene Turtle: $8 Perfect Patrón margaritas, $6 People’s Margaritas and Spicy Cucumber Margaritas, $4 Classic Margaritas and Coronas.
Tijuana Flats: Free Watermelon Agua Punch for loyalty members, $5 2 Street Tacos & Chips, Uno Taco & Chips, Minijuana Burrito, Chips & Queso and 2 Beers.
Tocaya: $2.50 to $4.25 tacos, chips and salsa starting at $2.50, chips and guac or queso starting at $3.50, margaritas starting at $6, $3 beer, $6 wine. (Today)
Torchy’s Tacos: $2 off nachos for loyalty members in-house, snack-sized nachos for $2, half-priced beer and house margaritas from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Voodoo Doughnut: Two Churro Cheesecake Doughnuts for $5. Use code CINCO when ordering online.
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