No we are not

[u/PauloDybala_10]

[u/SkynetUser1]

As an American living in Europe for a while now, I think I've found the right way to explain places like Taco Bell and Del Taco. It's not Mexican Food, it's not even really Tex Mex. It's Taco Bell. There are times I want Mexican. I want to sit down, relax, have some tortilla chips, the whole U.S. Mexican restaurant experience.

There are also times that I want Taco Bell. Taco Bell is quick, cheap, and great at 3am even when sober. It's its own thing.

[u/FunnygirlWinsel → u/SkynetUser1]

Exactly. Taco Bell isn't Mexican food, it’s just a specific late-night craving.

[u/Q_S2 → u/SkynetUser1]

Wait. Taco Hell isnt tex mex?!

[u/SkynetUser1 → u/Q_S2]

I've never thought it's real Tex Mex. It's inspired by Tex Mex and might have even started out as Tex Mex decades ago but in my opinion, it's not.

[u/cisned → u/SkynetUser1]

I wish US American are willing to try different Mexican food that they are not accustomed to like: sopas, gorditas, pozole, flautas, enchiladas, chilaquiles, gringas, mole, micheladas, tortas ahogadas, churros, elotes, volcanes, cochinita, birria, huaraches, aguachile, tamales, and these are just the ones I can remember.

There is so much culture in Mexico, I often joke one city is enough to overwhelm a tourist. The art, history, music, dance, clothing, and so on it’s different in each region, and some even differ by time period from back 3,000BC where the rubber ball was invented, and the Olmecs sculpted massive stone heads, to Monte Alaban and their Oaxaca traditions, to the more popular Aztec and Mayan civilizations.

It just feels wrong to say Taco Bell is related to Mexican food, but it is and it started from Mexican immigrants coming to USA and using American ingredients, since that is all they found

[u/SkynetUser1 → u/cisned]

ok, so I agree about the Mexican culture part. Tons of great things to see down there, lot of history, it's amazing. :)

Now the food part though.....There are plenty of Mexican restaurants I can go to in the US run by Mexicans that make authentic Mexican food. They have everything you listed off there because it's what they know since so many are first or second generation immigrants.

Meanwhile, Taco Bell was founded by Glen Bell, a man with Swedish/English heritage born outside of Los Angeles. The style of food is related to Mexican food in that the flow is Mexican -> Tex Mex -> Taco Bell.

[u/cisned → u/SkynetUser1]

Sure, I never said those things aren’t found in USA, just said I wish US Americans tried those dishes, instead of only the tacos, burritos, and nachos they are familiar. Although elotes and churros are becoming mainstream, there is still a lot more to be explored

As for Taco Bell, again I didn’t said it was founded by Mexican immigrants, but the food was inspired by them:

“The founder of Taco Bell, Glen Bell, did not invent the hard-shell fast-food taco. Instead, he copied the recipe and techniques directly from Mexican immigrants who adapted traditional recipes using American ingredientsavailable to them at the time. [1, 2, 3]”

[u/IndianaGeoff → u/cisned]

Go to a Taco Bell and there are a handful of people eating there. Any US town's good Mexican restaurant has a wait to get in every weekend. TB is not a big deal, just a shitty place to get shitty fast food.

[u/cisned → u/IndianaGeoff]

Yes, because it’s good food, but are you telling me you’re familiar with all the food I listed?

There is still a lot more than just tacos, burritos, and nachos

[u/Secret-Ad-7909 → u/cisned]

Taco Bell had churros earlier this year…

Morty had Rick turn a churro sentient…

They’re not a secret.

Enchiladas and tamales are almost as common as tacos and burritos.

“Flautas” aren’t that popular but chimichangas, tauquitos, and crispitos are everywhere.

Elote and Birria have been a big trend for years now, more in the food truck scene but some restaurants are offering them too.

A lot of the other items are not familiar to me but I wouldn’t be surprised if they exist maybe modified or known by a different name.

Yes people should try more kinds of food, but your list is pretty pitiful.

[u/cisned → u/Secret-Ad-7909]

I know, that’s just a common list of things I could remember. Try other things from there, I’m sure you won’t be upset

Gorditas and sopes should be a breakfast item everywhere, they are just as good as tacos

[u/STDsInAJuiceBoX → u/cisned]

Bruh TF u talkin about there is a little Mexican lady selling home made tamales in every grocery store parking lot in California. They are fire, everyone buys them.

[u/cisned → u/STDsInAJuiceBoX]

“I wish US Americans tried a lot more of our food”, tamales are awesome, but it’s not something most Americans have tried, especially when I serve them and they forget to take off the husk or leaf

[u/T-MoneyAllDey → u/cisned]

We have all those. You just got to go to an area that's got a lot of Mexican influence like California or Texas

[u/IndianaGeoff → u/T-MoneyAllDey]

No. Go in any small US town and after a local diner, then a pizza joint, there is a Mexican restaurant with immigrants owning it. It is nearly universal at this point.

And it's likely the diner is owned by immigrants and added some Mexican dishes that won't be bad. But my preference would be Eastern Europeans owning it, I love perogies. Can't beat having perogies for breakfast, tacos for lunch and a pizza at dinner.

[u/Meat_Goliath → u/T-MoneyAllDey]

I don't even live in a particularly Hispanic city of the US, and I could drive less than 15 minutes in any direction and find places selling everything but maybe 4 out of his list. And those places probably even have those 4 and I'm just not familiar with them enough for them to have stuck out to me.

[u/cisned → u/Meat_Goliath]

I edited my comment, I’m not saying you can’t find them, just wish more people would try all the different dishes Mexico has to offer

[u/Meat_Goliath → u/cisned]

That's just how it goes man. Not every single thing from one culture vibes with another. There's plenty of beloved US foods that other parts of the world think are vile.

[u/cisned → u/Meat_Goliath]

For sure, but I don’t think that’s the case at all.

Sushi took a while to become popular, and now elotes are becoming more mainstream.

I think it’s just US Americans need time to get there and explore Mexican cuisine more, hence why I listed those dishes, to inspire others hopefully yourself to do so, you can’t go wrong with any of that

[u/cisned → u/T-MoneyAllDey]

I’m going to edit my comment to avoid misleading. I meant I wish US Americans could try those dishes, instead of the Mexican food they are accustomed

[u/Sauron_75]

Taco Bell to Mexicans is Panda Express to the Chinese

[u/Trandoshan-Tickler → u/Sauron_75]

I thought I was the only one saying this for years!

[u/purodurangoalv]

If I want Mexican I eat Mexican
But if I want Taco Bell. Imma get Taco Bell.
It’s the sauce

[u/mfjonesisdead]

Taco Bell is like a drunken makeout with a stranger, fun while it’s happening, but you feel dirty after

[u/totallynotaweeabbo → u/mfjonesisdead]

You definitively end up dirty after

[u/GymMouseP]

I was listening NPR and they were interviewing kids who were raised in the US but deported to Mexico after they turned 18. The one kid said the thing he misses the most about the US is Taco Bell. Ty he local stuff is good but apparently it was Taco Bell.

[u/Emperor_of_His_Room → u/GymMouseP]

I don’t know what the last sentence is trying to say, but are you saying he liked Taco Bell more than the local stuff?

[u/Q_S2 → u/GymMouseP]

Man I need to listen to this. Do you recall when you heard this or link?

[u/Razorion21 → u/GymMouseP]

not even mexican, that kid is just yapping bruh, fucking taco bell over traditional mexican tacos 🥀

[u/lemonade402 → u/Razorion21]

Nostalgia is a hell of a drug, and you can't fault people for having their own tastes in food

[u/KathyJaneway]

Mr Tuvok and Ensign Kim.

[u/Finna-Jork-It]

It's their fault

[u/Golem3252012]

Taco Bell was started by a World War II veteran, either navy or marines, which really explains a lot.

[u/fatmanukem]

We tolerate them but its a very then veil and i mean nano-scopic thin

[u/PauloDybala_10 → u/[deleted]]

Unfortunately this is ai^

[u/ChiggaOG → u/[deleted]]

I would say the same thing about Chipotle. It's Americanized Mexican food.

[u/IceFireHawk → u/ChiggaOG]

I wonder why that is?

[u/sixtus_clegane119]

Swap out Taylor farms for Mexico

[u/Academic_Hat8013]

Taco Bell has been carrying this friendship for years.

[u/Secret-Ad-7909]

My Mexican cousin eats Taco Bell about as much as I do, which is more than anyone would recommend

[u/Ill-Organization-719]

I care about Mexicans opinions on food as much as I care about Italians opinion on food. 

That is, not one goddamn bit.

[u/LimpConsequence5257]

Idk who you are trying to speak for but my mexican friends love taco bell

[u/IHateRedditFirewall]

Finaly, Star Track template.