Business
Top 10 Best Mexican Fast Food Joints In America
When it comes to fast food, there are many choices out there. Whatever your craving is, there is a restaurant for you. While burgers and pizza are possibly the most popular choices on the fast-food market, what about if you are seriously craving Mexican? We are all well aware of the big Mexican-inspired restaurants, but are there others? With that in mind here are the Top 10 Best Mexican Fast Food Joints In America.
10. Del Taco
Del Taco recently launched its products on Postmates, which tripled delivery sales, and it’s going to link with DoorDash in the future. This Mexican-style fast food joint is modernizing its approach to doing business, with a mind to attracting more customers. Del Taco is the US’s second-biggest Mexican-American fast-food chain. It’s been around for decades and has been a real crowd-pleaser when it comes to Mexican inspired foods such as tacos, tostada, and burritos, as well as American-style hamburgers and french fries for children. Menu highlights at Del Taco include the Del Taco Plato, which comes with a couple of hard-shell tacos, in addition to beans, rice, chips and salsa, and the Hamburger Kid Loco Meal, which is Del Taco’s version of the Happy Meal. The hamburger kid’s meal includes a child-size burger, fries, drink, and a sticker sheet. The regular menu is pretty extensive, with a lot of fun dessert choices, including Donut Bites, Mini Churros, and Caramel Cheesecake Bites. Premium shakes in Chocolate, Strawberry and Vanilla are also available, and they come with decadent whipped cream toppings. Del Taco fans can get fun rewards when they sign up for the Raving Fan EClub. The fan club offers exclusive perks to members, such as one free taco per member, a free premium shake on a member’s birthday and the chance to try new products before the rest of the public can. Del Taco is known for having a lot of die-hard fans on the West Coast, and with a great menu like this, we can see why.
9. El Pollo Loco
El Pollo Loco means “the crazy chicken,” which is already a fun place to start. As well as having a great Mexican inspired menu, El Pollo Loco is offering customers a brand-new menu item, which is Mexican Hot Chocolate. This chocolate drink is a delicious concoction made from Abuelita chocolate that is seasoned with vanilla and cinnamon and then topped with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon sugar. While this special drink sounds amazing, what El Pollo Loco is most renowned for is its Fire-Grilled Chicken. El Pollo Loco is also entering the tech age with its official app, which includes an optional Loco Rewards program. When “Crazy Chicken” fans download the app and join the rewards program, they will be primed for some fun rewards, including a free Original Pollo Bowl. Now, back to the menu at El Pollo Loco. There are plenty of impressive menu items, including the Original Pollo Bowl that we just mentioned. Many menu items feature the fire-grilled chicken, which is citrus-marinated and cooked “low and slow” above an open flame. The recipe comes from Sinaloa, Mexico, and it’s a time-honored favorite. If you order an Original Pollo Bowl, you’ll receive a bowl that includes a fire-grilled chicken breast which is chopped up. The chicken is added to rice, fresh cilantro, pinto beans that have been simmered slowly, diced onions and pico de gallo salsa. If you’re calorie-conscious, you’ll find that this menu item is a lighter choice. Another menu highlight from El Pollo Loco is the Chicken Avocado Burrito, which includes fire-grilled chicken, jack cheese, creamy cilantro dressing, cabbage, fresh avocado, pico de gallo salsa and pinto beans. All of these tasty fillings are served in a grilled tortilla. Overall, there are tons of burritos, tostada, and other Mexican-inspired menu items to choose from, including Churros for dessert. This fast-food chain has authentic Mexican roots and it’s proud of it.
8. Baja Fresh
This fast-casual restaurant chain is known for its delicious Tex Mex cuisine. The chain was created in Newbury Park, California and its HQ is in Scottsdale, Arizona. Since 1990, the fast-casual chain has been offering fare that’s ultra-fresh. Every restaurant has its own self-serve salsa bar. Some favorite menu items from Baja Fresh include Baja Bowls, Quesadilla, Fajitas, and Nachos. Tacos, taquitos, salads, and burritos. This restaurant is family-friendly, so there are also four kid’s meals to choose from. Kids may enjoy Quesadilla, or the Kid’s Platter, or the Bean and Burrito option, or Chicken Taquitos. Kids will be able to enjoy fun sides with their meals, including pinto or black beans, Baja rice, roasted corn, and fresh apple slices. Baja Fresh appeals to customers who want food that hasn’t been prepared in microwaves or stored in freezers or food from cans. This fast-food chain doesn’t use any of those. In addition, Baja Fresh ingredients are unprocessed and farm-fresh. Everything offered to customers is prepared daily, handmade-style.While many people love the food that this chain provides, there are fewer Baja Fresh locations than there used to be. Some locations have been closing, including a restaurant in Arlington, Virginia. Hopefully, this chain has the popularity to make it in the competitive fast-casual food game over the long term. This chain isn’t as big as some fast-casual chains, but it is well-known and with an increased social media presence and nationwide promotions, we’re hoping Baja Fresh can bounce back into the big time.
7. Chuy’s Tex-Mex
While this fast-food chain isn’t a giant like Taco Bell, it does have its loyal fan base, and more than a few Elvis fans may patronize Chuy’s Tex-Mex. That’s because this chain holds an Elvis Birthday Bash every year, on Elvis’ birthday obviously. During the bash, an Elvis impersonator comes into the restaurant and performs, and a special dessert called the “Hung Like Elvis” is served. It’s a fried banana that’s covered in powdered sugar and a couple of strawberries. In addition to the whole quirky and charming Elvis thing, the chain holds a yearly Green Chile Festival, which honors the Hatch, New Mexico green chile harvest. So, what’s on the menu at Chuy’s Tex-Mex? Well, there are awesome appetizers, including guacamole, nachos, and queso, plus Panchos, which are nachos that come with fajita beef or chicken, or ground beef with seasoning. Panchos toppings include pico de gallo and guacamole. There is also an appetizer plate that includes nachos, queso, chicken flautas, chicken quesadilla, sour cream, and guacamole. In terms of appetizers, quesadillas are also on the menu, and they are flour tortillas filled with onion, green chiles, and cheese and topped with pico de gallo and sour cream. For heartier appetites, there are main items from the regular menu, such as burritos, tacos, and enchiladas, plus fajitas, specialty soups and salads. There is a diverse menu, so you’ll be spoiled for choice. Kid’s menu items are also available. Every day, the team at Chuy’s Tex-Mex creates fresh sauces that give their menu items kick, including Ranchero, which is a big hit with children, Deluxe Tomatillo and smoky, rich Green Chile sauce. There are plenty of sauces to choose from, so customers will be able to personalize their menu choices to suit their specific tastes.
6. Moe’s Southwest Grill
People usually call this restaurant chain, “Moe’s”. The chain has been around since it was launched in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000. One fun aspect of this restaurant chain is the wild names of its menu items, including the Homewrecker Mexican Burrito with Guacamole and the Earmuffs bowl, which is filled with a preferred protein, such as steak or organic tofu, plus pico de gallo, beans, shredded cheese, and seasoned rice. If steak or tofu don’t suit your preferences, you can get your Earmuffs bowl with chicken, carnitas or ground beef. Another fun option is the Three Amigos menu item, which includes three tacos with your preferred protein, cabbage, avocado lime crema, pickled red onions, a squeeze of lime and cilantro. At Moe’s Southwest Grill, steak is grass-fed, one hundred percent ground beef is used, organic tofu is offered and all-natural adobo chicken is available. Proteins are of superb quality. Toppings are fresh and tasty. Moe’s fans who download the restaurant’s app will be rewarded with a free cup of queso, plus access to other valuable and fun rewards, including a free birthday burrito each year. Chains like Moe’s are using their apps to appeal to budget-conscious customers who want perks from their fave fast-food chains. Moe’s Southwest Grill is a chain that has a similar setup to Chipotle, including the whole assembly-line thing. It’s a Chipotle competitor, for sure. Moe’s has been growing, so it’s safe to say that Chipotle’s upper management is keeping close tabs on the competition. There are several hundred of Moe’s locations in the USA.
5. Qdoba Mexican Eats
Another amazing Mexican fast-food chain is Qdoba Mexican Eats. For 15 years, it was owned by Jack in the Box. However, the chain was recently sold to a big conglomerate. Qdoba was founded in Denver, Colorado but today you’ll find the chain’s headquarters in San Diego, California. At Qdoba, customers are encouraged to experiment and to go big with flavor. To encourage customers to try new tastes, the chain offers a guarantee that gives customers the power to get menu items remade if they don’t measure up, taste-wise. Keep in mind that there may be some conditions on this guarantee. Also, at Qdoba, customers get free and fresh, hand-smashed guacamole and three-cheese queso if they want it. Which is great because there are Mexican fast-food joints that do make people pay extra for queso and guacamole. Now, let’s talk about the Qdoba menu. It’s an enticing menu, with plenty of tasty options, including knockout tacos, taco salads and burritos. Nachos, burrito bowls and tortilla soup are also available. They also have a yummy breakfast menu, which includes breakfast burritos. At this Mexican food chain, steak is fire-grilled and so is chicken and the food is prepared right in front of customers. Pulled pork is slow-roasted daily and salsa is handmade for the freshest flavor. At Qdoba, entrees may be personalized to suit all tastes. Whether you love mild food or the ultimate in spicy-hot flavor, or anything in between, you’ll find that it’s easy to get the right level of heat, as well as toppings that really suit your cravings. Qdoba seems to have big plans for expansion and is already popping up across New York, with plans for more in the future.
4. Taco Cabana
The Mexican-style fast-food chain will be offering a fun Frozen Tito’s Green Apple beverage this season, and will also be running nacho specials during the National Nachos Month. This fast-casual chain is all about food and drinks with true Mexican flair, what could be better? There are many Taco Cabana restaurants in Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. The chain’s HQ is situated in San Antonio, Texas. Unfortunately, people outside of Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma may have a hard time getting their hands on food and drink from this chain. It’s not a nationwide or international chain, yet. But who knows what the future holds? At Taco Cabana, customers may gorge on an assortment of quesadilla, loaded tacos, enchiladas, burritos, fajitas, bowls, and flautas. If you love Mexican-style cuisine, but you’re not familiar with flautas, be sure and find a Taco Cabana and give them a try. Flautas are a traditional Mexican dish made from tortillas that are rolled around meat and cheese. The tortillas are deep-fried for a little delicious crunch. At Taco Cabana, you may enjoy a 3 Chicken Flautas Plate that comes with a trio of enticing flautas, plus your choice of beans, rice, guacamole, shredded lettuce and a couple of tortillas. Three flautas menu items are available, plus a host of other delectable options.
3. Taco John’s
This Mexican-inspired fast-food chain has been around since the late 1960s and it was founded in Cheyenne, Wyoming. There are approximately 400 Taco John’s restaurants in 27 American states, most in the Mountain and Midwest areas. Renowned for its unique and exciting menu items, including Potato Olés, Crispy Tacos and Meat, and Potato Burritos, Taco John’s also serves breakfast. Great breakfast options include the Spicy Chorizo Breakfast Burrito, the Scrambler Burrito, and the Meat & Potato Breakfast Burrito. For dessert, customers may enjoy Mexican Donut Bites or Churros. This chain markets its menu items as West-Mex, which is a slight variation on the usual Tex-Mex theme. The menu items served by this fast-food chain get plenty of love from customers, and the Potato Olés is definitely one of the most popular items. These little potato puffs are satisfying and savory treats that complement the chain’s mains and sides to perfection. Taco John’s is committed to using real, high-quality ingredients, so the chain’s food is well worth sampling if you haven’t tried it already.
2. Taco Bell
Most people don’t need to have Taco Bell explained to them. They know all too well the types of fast-food that this huge chain offers. People love the novelty of eating tacos with Doritos shells, or other innovative Taco Bell products. Taco Bell has a big online store where its most avid fans can buy their own Taco Bell gear, including clothing, to show their loyalty to this Mexican fast-food chain. Taco Bell is very popular for good reason; it offers the menu items, strong branding and customer experience that many fast-food fans want. Founded by Glenn Bell, Taco Bell is iconic in America and you’ll find Taco Bells in other places, too, including Canada, Asia, and Europe. It’s become a worldwide sensation because it fills a need all over the globe. Recently Taco Bell generated some new excitement by offering a fresh menu item, Crispy Tortilla Chicken, in Dayton and Houston. This fast-food chain is always creating a buzz with its new products. Time will tell if Crispy Tortilla Chicken really takes off. Another fun bit of Taco Bell news is that the chain is bringing back CrunchWrapping Paper, This holiday wrapping paper looks like Taco Bell’s Crunchwrap Supreme menu item, and the wrapping paper will be scented this year, so people can enjoy the aroma while they unwrap their gifts. This paper will be sold on Amazon for a limited time but order quickly as it usually sells out very fast.
1. Chipotle
We’ve put Chipotle at number one, where else could it go? Chipotle gets high marks thanks to is “food with integrity” philosophy. At Chipotle, food ingredients are organic, antibiotic-free and GMO-free. The chain serves meat that’s been raised naturally, from animals who’ve received human treatment and eaten organic diets. The chain’s commitment to quality and purity definitely sends a strong message to quality-conscious and health-conscious consumers. Also, the food is so good too; from burritos to burrito bowls and beyond. This eatery even offers a Keto Salad Bowl for Keto Diet fans. The menu consists of tacos, burritos, salads, bowls, and sides. It’s a relatively simple menu that may be customized for each customer. There is also a kid’s meal option for the little ones. Some menu items, such as burritos, come with a pretty tempting array of ingredient choices, such as carnitas, steak, chicken, carne asada, barbacoa, sofritas, and veggie. It’s a fast-casual chain that has grown exponentially and it doesn’t look as if it’s slowing down any time soon.