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Over 20,000 local Mexican restaurants will participate in Taco Bell’s Taco Tuesday celebrationOver 20,000 local Mexican restaurants will participate in Taco Bell’s Taco Tuesday celebration

Taco Bell hinted at more celebrations to come, including in-app rewards and merch.

Alicia Kelso, Executive Editor

September 5, 2023

2 Min Read
Taco Tab Lockup (1)
Taco Bell is offering $5 off of qualifying orders made through a special "TacoTab" on DoorDash.Photo courtesy of Taco Bell

Last month, Taco Bell announced it was going to celebrate the “liberation” of Taco Tuesday by picking up a $5 million taco tab on Sept. 12. Now we have a clearer idea of just what that celebration will look like. The chain today announced that more than 20,000 local Mexican restaurants will participate, providing $5 off of $15-plus qualifying orders made exclusively on DoorDash for customers who use the code “TacoTab.”

The full list of participants is available online here.

“Since the day we filed the legal petitions, our goal has always been to create a world where everyone can freely celebrate and promote Taco Tuesday, because when tacos win, we all win. It's been remarkable to see local restaurants already begin to celebrate Taco Tuesday their way, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with DoorDash to help elevate those small businesses even further,” Taco Bell CMO Taylor Montgomery said in a statement. “While Tuesdays hold a special place in our heart and will continue to do so, this celebration isn’t just about opening up a taco tab. It’s about championing every individual who makes, sells, eats and celebrates tacos. This Taco Tuesday is for them.”

The crusade to cancel the federal trademark registrations for Taco Tuesday via the USPTO Trademark Trial and Appeal Board began in May when Taco Bell filed legal petitions stating it believed the phrase should belong to “all who make, sell, eat and celebrate tacos.” The petitions were directed mostly toward Taco John’s, which owned the registration in 49 states.

Related:Here's how Taco Bell is celebrating the 'liberation' of Taco Tuesday

Taco John’s agreed to drop the trademark last month, as CEO Jim Creel said, “paying millions of dollars to defend our mark just doesn’t feel like the right thing to do.” Notably, Gregory’s Restaurant and Bar in New Jersey continues to own the trademark in that state and has vowed to continue to defend it there.

In the meantime, Taco Bell notes its partnership with DoorDash to pick up a $5 million tab is the first of more Taco Tuesday-themed celebrations, hinting at forthcoming in-app rewards, experiences and merch.

Contact Alicia Kelso at [email protected]

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About the Author

Alicia Kelso

Executive Editor, Nation's Restaurant News

Alicia Kelso is the executive editor of Nation's Restaurant News. She began covering the restaurant industry in 2010 for QSRweb.com, FastCasual.com and PizzaMarketplace.com. When her son was born, she left the industry to pursue a role in higher education, but swiftly returned after realizing how much she missed the space. In filling that void, Alicia added a contributor role at Restaurant Dive and a senior contributor role at Forbes.
Her work has appeared in publications around the world, including Forbes Asia, NPR, Bloomberg, The Seattle Times, Crain's Chicago, Good Morning America and Franchise Asia Magazine.
Alicia holds a degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University, where she competed on the women's swim team. In addition to cheering for the BGSU Falcons, Alicia is a rabid Michigan fan and will talk about college football with anyone willing to engage. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her wife and son.

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