Tuesday – it’s not quite the start of the week and way too far from Friday. It’s probably not anyone’s favorite day of the week, but there is one thing that happens on Tuesdays that everyone can get behind… TACO TUESDAY! The day of the week when society collectively enjoys our favorite handheld, versatile Mexican dish.
Once held as a trademark by a fast food restaurant, the term “Taco Tuesday” is now available for all to enjoy after the chain relinquished its ownership of the popular phrase thanks to a petition with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Now that everyone is free and clear to use “Taco Tuesday” across their menus, how can you make your taco offerings exciting? And why stop at just Tuesday? Let’s dive into ways we can make delicious Mexican flavors a feature every day of the week.
Have Diners Craving Your Taco Options All Week Long
We all know the basic taco structure: shell or tortilla, protein, veggies, cheese and a sauce. But rinsing and repeating the same formula can get old to diners often looking to add excitement to their day by dining out. Here are just a few ways old taco executions can be made new again.
Crisp It Up
Rethink your taco shell. Try melting cheese on the outside of your tortillas during prep. This adds a cheesy layer of flavor to every taco bite.
Bake up the whole taco. Fully assemble a classic beef or chicken taco with cheese, veggies and beans, then bake in the oven until crisp. A fun new texture experience.
Fusion Flavors
Excite customers with something outside of traditional taco takes and look to other global cuisines to fuse the iconic taco structure with bold, exciting flavors.
Try a Ruben taco filled with corned beef and sauerkraut or a Korean beef taco with caramelized kimchi.
Dip Dip Dip
In addition to the beloved chips and dip, give your diners an opportunity to upgrade. DON MIGUEL® Mini Tacos are a delicious and easy upcharge option and pair perfectly with your customers’ favorite dips.
Bring out the birria taco. Everyone will be excited about this trendy dippable dish. With an enthusiastic fan base on social media, birria has been dubbed one of the Top 20 Fastest-Growing Food Trends.1
Mexican Flavors Go Way Beyond Tuesday:
Now that you’ve got Taco Tuesday in the bag let’s spice up the rest of the week.
Mole Monday – A beloved Mexican sauce with incredible versatility, mole menu mentions have increased by 10.3% over the past year.2 Use it across your menu, from a wing sauce to a mole mocha dipping sauce for churros.
Taco Tuesday – It’s a staple for a reason; see all the excitement above.
Wrapped Wednesday – Burritos, taquitos, enchiladas – there are so many ways to wrap delicious flavors in a tortilla.
Torta Thursday – Sandwiches are a versatile vehicle for so many proteins and flavors. Try marinating chicken in pepper paste for a deep, exciting flavor or smother a cut of beef in a mole rojo sauce for a rich, saucy take.
Fish Friday – Grilled fish tacos, tuna ceviche, shrimp tostadas – raw, battered, fried. There is so much you can do to mix up your menu and pack in the flavor.
Street Food Saturdays – Celebrate Mexico’s vibrant street food culture and get diners excited; 49% of U.S. consumers are interested in global street foods.3 Offer diners a variety of street food favorites like elotes, tamales, and churros.
Salsa Showdown Sunday– Serve various salsas ranging in ingredients, texture and spice level, and have diners sample and vote on their favorites. This interactive experience engages customers and entices return visits when you serve up the winner.
Looking for more innovation and menu inspiration? Partner with us, and we will help make it a little easier. All MegaMex Foods ingredients are authentically and thoughtfully crafted to save you time and labor without sacrificing quality.
1 Technomic 2024 Consumer Menu Trends Shaping Foodservice
2 National Restaurant News 2024 Increasing Menu Mentions of Mole Point Toward Surging Popularity
3 Global Street Foods April 21 Datassential
