How to get a free Doritos Locos taco at Taco Bell and $5 off your next DoorDash delivery
The crispy crunch of a taco shell, the cheesy goodness, the light fresh lettuce flavor and the tender bite of seasoned beef.
Feeling a little hungry? Not to worry: Today you can get a free taco at Taco Bell.
In an effort to make the phrase Taco Tuesday freely available for restaurants to use nationwide, the Mexican fast-food chain filed legal petitions to cancel its two Taco Tuesday trademark registrations.
Their main message was, “Taco Tuesday belongs to everyone, from Taco Bell to Taco John’s to your favorite local taco spot. After all, when tacos win, we all win,” according to their website.
In late July, Taco John’s released its trademark registration, letting thousands of businesses in 49 states “embrace, celebrate and champion ‘Taco Tuesdays’ freely.”
Why are tacos eaten on Tuesdays?
A fun alliteration, tacos are eaten on Tuesday mainly because of Taco John's, a small Wyoming-based chain. In the 1980s, a Taco John’s restaurant owner came up with the phrase “Taco Twosday” to promote a deal for two tacos at 99 cents. This was an effort to make their slowest day of the week a little busier, according to CNN.
The promotion worked and other franchisees started to pick it up, altering it slightly to “Taco Tuesday.”
Who owns the Taco Tuesday trademark?
Taco John’s trademarked the phrase “Taco Tuesday” in 1989, adding it to their marketing, defending the phrase and sending cease-and-desist letters to others attempting to use it, according to CNN.
In New Jersey, Gregory Hotel Inc. holds the trademark for “Taco Tuesday.” Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar has been promoting Taco Tuesdays since 1979 The Washington Post reported.
However, TacoTuesday.com has said that the use of the phrase “Taco Tuesday” extends long before the phrase was trademarked. It found clippings in newspapers from 1966, 1971 1974, 1976, 1978 and 1981 using the phrase across the country.
Why can’t Taco Bell say Taco Tuesday?
Previously, Taco Bell couldn’t use the phrase Taco Tuesday due to the trademark placed by Taco Johns and Gregory Hotel Inc.
Why is Taco Bell giving away free tacos?
On Tuesday, July 18, Taco John’s released a statement surrendering its Taco Tuesday trademark and saying it’s “not worth the amount of money it would take to defend it,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
They went on to say they’d rather put the money toward a better cause.
Due to this victory for Taco Bell and users of the phrase Taco Tuesday in 49 states, the chain is giving free tacos on Sept. 5. With the code 04TACOTUESDAY customers can get one free Doritos Locos Tacos.
How do I claim my free taco from Taco Bell?
You can claim your free Doritos Locos Tacos with no purchase necessary at your local store while supplies last. There is a limit of one per person. You can redeem it through the Taco Bell website or mobile app.
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What is the Taco Tuesday Taco Tab at Taco Bell?
On Tuesday, Sept. 12, Taco Bell will host a Taco Tuesday Taco Tab. Essentially, they are opening a $5 million tab that day through DoorDash. Users can put code TACOTAB on the app and get a $5 discount with orders of $15 or more at 20,000 participating Mexican restaurants.
The deal is available to the first 1 million users who place a qualifying order. This offer is not valid in New Jersey.
You can help support local Mexican restaurants by checking out the list of participating restaurants at DoorDash.com/TacoTab.
Taco Bell said they have more surprises and celebrations planned following Sept. 12. Check out their social channels for latest updates.
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Reach the reporter at dina.kaur@arizonarepublic.com. Follow @dina_kaur on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Free Taco Bell tacos and $5 off DoorDash for Taco Tuesdays
