In the fall of 2022, Martin Quintana tried to open a taco restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana. But his request was denied. City laws stated that sandwich shops were the only restaurants that could open in the area where he wanted to build his restaurant. Local officials didn’t think that a place that sells tacos counts as a sandwich shop.
The dispute went to court. Last May, a judge ruled that tacos and burritos are “Mexican-style sandwiches.” That decision allowed Quintana to continue making plans to open his taco shop.
It also sparked a debate online. Despite the judge’s ruling, many people don’t think tacos are sandwiches. They argue that tacos are a unique part of Mexican culture and belong in their own category. After all, they say, a taco is made with a corn or flour tortilla, unlike a sandwich, which is made with bread.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, however, defines a tortilla as a kind of flatbread. By this definition, a taco is similar to a sandwich that’s on one piece of bread, like a sub.
One thing taco lovers might agree on? If calling a taco a sandwich enables more taco shops to open, that can only be a good thing.