Recipes

America's Favorite Mexican Restaurant Is Not What You'd Expect

Joanna Fantozzi|

If you had to name the best Mexican chain in America, Taco Bell, Qdoba, and Chipotle (despite the latter's health issues) probably come to mind first. But according to quick service restaurant survey data from Market Force Information, America's favorite chain Mexican food is actually Taco Bueno, a Texas-based fast casual eatery known for its super-sized items and house-made tortilla chips and salsa.

Taco Bueno is a fairly small chain, with 175 locations in seven, mostly Southern states.

"We make our Tex-Mex fresh daily using real ingredients prepared by real cooks in real kitchens. Today's customers are demanding food that is authentic, that uses real ingredients and is cooked fresh," the restaurant's website reads. "We position the brand as a QSR [quick-service-restaurants] Plus concept – great food, prepared fresh in the restaurant yet still available through the drive-thru. Approximately two-thirds of our business is drive-thru."

Some of the more appealing menu items at Taco Bueno include a Muchaco — a pita tortilla stuffed with taco fillings — and a "Big Freakin' Taco" (that is, an oversized taco), and a chicken and potato burrito. They've also been serving breakfast long before Taco Bell's came onto the scene.

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