Taco lovers can enjoy an extra special Taco Tuesday this week with National Taco Day kicking off the month on Oct. 1.National Taco Day was previously celebrated on Oct. 4 every year, but starting this year the celebration will be held on the first Tuesday in October, according to a September announcement from National Day Calendar and Taco Bell.
The announcement follows Taco Bell's ongoing efforts to remove the "Taco Tuesday" trademark, which previously belonged to Taco John's, and subsequently move National Taco Day's date.
“For years, we’ve celebrated National Taco Day on October 4th, but it’s always felt like there was a bigger opportunity to align it with something even more special – Taco Tuesday,” National Day Calendar founder Marlo Anderson said at the time. This combination creates "the Taco Tuesday of all Taco Tuesdays," he said.
Tacos hold a special place in Phoenix's food culture, with multiple shops and trucks across the Valley earning the love of Arizona residents through all manners to serve the popular dish, from birria to carne asada to calabacitas.
To make the celebration of this iconic food even more special, the finalists for the Arizona Republic's Top Taco 2024, a readers-choice competition that asks readers who makes the best tacos in Phoenix, will be announced on National Taco Day.
Estero Beach Tacos, a food cart that serves fish and shrimp tacos at Uptown Farmers Market in Phoenix, was crowned the winner of Top Taco 2023.
This year, there are taco deals to be found on both Oct. 1 and Oct. 4, and even all month long. Here's where and how to score the deals.
Taco Bell's National Taco Day deals
Taco Bell has cooked up a daylong celebration Tuesday with hourly drops of $1 tacos, starting at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT whenTaco Bell Rewardsmembers can redeem a deal for a crunchy taco for $1. There are 10,000 deals available for redemption between 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT and 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT. Another 10,000 deals for a different dish will start at the top of every hour until 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.Here's the lineup of deals (10,000 available for redemption each hour):
- 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET– Crunchy Taco
- 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET – Double Stacked Taco
- 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET – Chalupa Supreme
- 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET – Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Taco
- 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET – Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco
- 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET – Cantina Chicken Soft Taco
- 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET– Soft Taco Supreme
- 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET – Cheesy Gordita Crunch
- 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET – Crunchy Taco Supreme
- 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET – Soft Taco
Taco Bell will also have special Taco Tuesday drops all month long in theTaco Bell app:
- Oct. 8– Five Rewards Members will win a VIP visit to the Taco Bell Test Kitchen.
- Oct. 15– 500 Rewards Members will win a free taco every Taco Tuesday for a year.
- Oct. 22– 50,000 Rewards Members can pick one of eight Taco Bell classics for just $1
- Oct. 29– Get a chance to win one of 500 limited edition Taco Bell hoodie and cup bundles.
“Once the National Day Calendar gave us their official blessing to move the National Taco Day holiday to its rightful home – Tuesdays – we knew our celebration had to be equally as big,” said Taco Bell chief marketing officer Taylor Montgomery in a statement. “We’re excited to unite taco lovers nationwide over the shared love of tacos on Taco Tuesday, October 1, and give our fans more than one way to celebrate during every Taco Tuesday in the month of October.”
More:These Arizona restaurants landed in the 'American Tacos' guidebook. Here's why
Baja Fresh
Order online Tuesday-Friday (Oct. 4) to get buy-one-get-one-free tacos and taco combos – just buy one and get a taco or taco combo of equal or lesser value for free. To get the deal, go tobajafresh.comand create or log into your freeClub Baja Rewardsaccount, then use the code TACO2024 at checkout. (Coupon not reusable; one coupon per person, per visit.)
Broken Yolk Cafe
The Southern California-based chain is sticking with the Oct. 4 observance of National Taco Day and offering buy-one-get-one-50% off Baja Breakfast Tacos at participating locations on Friday.
El Pollo Loco
Members of the Mexican-style chicken restaurant chain'sLoco Rewardsloyalty program can get any three fire-grilled chicken tacos for $5 in restaurants, on the app or website starting Tuesday and through Friday, Oct. 4. Also, on Tuesday, there's a $0 delivery fee on all orders for those who want to celebrate at home.
Fuzzy's Taco Shop
Get $1.50 OG Tacos all day on Tuesday for dine-in and to-go at participating locations.
On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina
Get Endless Tacos made with pulled chicken tinga and seasoned ground beef tacos for $10 through Sunday, Oct. 13. For an extra $3, you can upgrade to endless brisket or Southwest chicken tacos. Offer good for dining in at participating On The Border restaurants.
Rubio's Coastal Grill
Celebrate National Taco Day twice at the California-based restaurant chain – on Tuesday with a Rubio’s Original Fish Taco for just $2.50, and on Friday, Oct. 4, with a free á la carte taco with any purchase. Also on Friday, Rubio’s Rewards members who check in on the app could be one of 10 randomly selected winners who get a free taco every day for a year.
WaBa Grill
On Tuesday, get 50% off any Boom Boom Taco Trio.