Few food holidays make it as easy to eat well on a budget as National Taco Day.
Today, October 6, chains across the country are rolling out freebies, buy-one-get-one offers, and dollar-store-level prices on one of the most customizable handheld meals around. Here's a rundown of where to look.
Free and BOGO Tacos
If free is the goal, several chains have you covered. Del Taco's Del Yeah! Rewards members can get a free taco with any purchase, excluding the All-American BurgerTaco. Jack in the Box is giving Jack Pack members two free tacos with a $1 or more order, and Torchy's Tacos is offering Rewards members a buy-one-get-one-free taco deal all day.
Over at 7-Eleven, Laredo Taco Company locations are running BOGO deals on both the Potato & Egg Tacos and the Chicken Fajita Tacos. Chuy's is taking a more playful approach: guests who show up in a taco-inspired costume and post with #ChuysTacoDay get a free entrée during the same visit.
Low-Price Deals
For a budget-friendly meal, Moe's Southwest Grill is selling up to three tacos at $2 each, while Fuzzy's Taco Shop has $2 Original Tacos all day, plus limited-edition scratch-off cards with a grand prize of free tacos for a year. El Pollo Loco rewards members can claim three tacos for $5 through an app offer, usable once per day through October 6.
Chuy's is also offering a Crispy or Soft Ground Beef Taco for $1 with any entrée purchase, and 7-Eleven's Laredo Taco Company has a few $5 options: two El Gran Tocino Tacos or one El Gran Tocino Burrito for $5, plus a $5 Taco Meal Deal that includes a chicken taco, a bean and cheese taco, a small side, and a Big Gulp drink.
A Deal for Your Next Visit
Taco John's is playing the long game. Rewards members who make any purchase today will receive an offer for a free Beef Crispy Taco, redeemable on their next visit within the following 14 days.
Taco Bell Takes a Different Approach
Instead of a discounted taco, Taco Bell is celebrating with a new limited-time Duo Habanero Sauce, created in collaboration with Duolingo and described as bright and tangy with fruity notes and a kick of habanero heat. It launches today in the U.S., as well as in Canada, Australia, China, India, Spain, and the UK. Guests can get a free packet with the purchase of a Doritos Locos Taco, and otherwise the sauce costs 20 cents.
Taco Bell is also running a Tuesday Drop at 2 p.m. PT, where participants get a chance at a plushie of the Duolingo mascot dressed in a custom Taco Bell uniform and headset.
The Takeaway
Most of today's offers are tied to a rewards account or app, so it's worth signing up before you head out. Availability can vary by location, so confirm with your local spot, and keep in mind that many of these deals only last through the end of the day.
