National Taco Day Will Now Always Fall on Taco Tuesday Thanks to Taco Bell

The latest development in Taco Bell’s Taco Tuesday campaign shifts this year’s National Taco Day from its usual Oct. 4 date to Oct. 1. And this is just the beginning — the chain has also ensured that the celebration will always fall on the first Tuesday of October.

According to a Taco Bell press release, National Taco Day was annually celebrated on Oct. 4, making the odds of a combined National Taco Day and Taco Tuesday rare. Therefore, Taco Bell has worked alongside the National Day Calendar to move National Taco Day to fall solely on Tuesdays. The change will officially occur starting this year, moving National Taco Day from Friday, Oct. 4, to Tuesday, Oct. 1.

Marlo Anderson, founder of National Day Calendar, explains, “For years, we’ve celebrated National Taco Day on October 4th, but it’s always felt like there was a bigger opportunity to align it with something even more special — Taco Tuesday. Thanks to Taco Bell’s efforts, we’re excited to officially move National Taco Day to the first Tuesday in October, creating the Taco Tuesday of all Taco Tuesdays. National Day Calendar has always thrived on the grassroots support of people who love celebrating these moments, and this change is a perfect example of that. It’s more than just moving a date — it’s about bringing taco lovers together in a bigger way, and we couldn’t be more excited!”

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“When we liberated Taco Tuesday last year, we did it for all who make, sell, eat and celebrate tacos; but we couldn’t just stop there,” said Taco Bell’s chief marketing officer, Taylor Montgomery. “With National Taco Day coming up, it felt unnatural for it to not fall on a Tuesday, and as some of the biggest advocates of Taco Tuesday out there, we knew we had to help shift the holiday permanently to give taco makers and lovers the opportunity to celebrate bigger and better every year.”

According to Gustavo Arellano, author of the 2012 book “Tacos USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America,” the origin of tacos can be dated back to the 1960s in San Antonio, Texas. The celebration eventually grew from a day to a week to a month.

Following that, National Taco Day was observed locally on May 3, just before Cinco de Mayo. It wasn’t until 2009 that a new date was established for the celebration: Oct. 4. With the growth of internet culture, its popularity surged, and by 2013, National Taco Day was officially recognized on the National Day Calendar for Oct. 4.