National Cheese Day. Corn on the Cob Day. International Waffle Day. If it seems like there’s a food-related holiday happening almost every day of the year, you aren’t wrong.
While many of these niche “holidays” are neither well-known nor widely celebrated, food and beverage brands, particularly those within the foodservice sector, have leveraged them in recent years as opportunities to launch limited-time offers, reward members of their loyalty programs, and connect with their customers.
National Burrito Day on April 3 is no exception – especially for Mexican restaurant chains – and Americans can’t get enough of their Mexican food all 365 days of the year.
In fact, Mexican food is the third most popular U.S. cuisine, according to Datassential, with roughly 10% of American restaurants serving at least one Mexican item on their menus, according to Pew Research Center.
So, what qualifies as a burrito – and is it a traditional Mexican dish?
The History of the Burrito
While there are many different types of burritos, there are two requirements that set them apart from other types of wraps.
Burritos must be:
- Made with a flour tortilla
- Folded with closed ends
As for their beginnings, burritos most likely originated in Northern Mexico; however, they didn’t truly take off until the 1950s, when Southern California taquerias started serving them to migrant workers (AKA braceros) due to their simple assembly and unparalleled portability.
And in 1956, burritos became even more convenient, thanks to the invention of the frozen burrito by Duane R. Roberts, who also happened to conceptualize the first frozen hamburger patty used by McDonald’s.
With that tidbit of history in mind, here’s where to score the best National Burrito Day deals this year.
A Gamified Burrito Vault
For the second year in a row, Chipotle is slinging its burritos with a side of gamification – AKA the Burrito Vault, an interactive competition inspired by popular digital word games like Wordle. Starting this week, customers who can solve the puzzle will get the chance to unlock a buy-one-get-one-free offer to enjoy on National Burrito Day.
The brand plans to give away up to 157,500 BOGO codes this year, which amounts to more than $1 million in free burritos.
$5 Burritos (and $5 off Burritos)
For those seeking a more traditional discount, 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes stores are partnering with Laredo Taco Company to offer $5 burritos on April 3, including the choice of a:
- Chicken Fajita Burrito
- Shrimp Fajita Burrito
- Creamy Chipotle Shrimp Burrito
On the casual-dining side, participating On the Border locations are offering $5 discounts on burritos and chimichangas on National Burrito Day to guests with promo codes.
Loyalty by the Layer
Other restaurant brands are capitalizing on National Burrito Day as an opportunity to beef up their loyalty program memberships and engagement, including Del Taco, which will give out a free burrito with any purchase to Del Yeah! Rewards members on April 3.
El Pollo Loco and Moe’s Southwest Grill, on the other hand, are offering BOGO free burrito deals to their loyalty program members, while Taco Bell is hooking up members who spend $15 or more with $2 burritos.
The Food Institute Podcast
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