Cinco de Mayo 2024 food and drink specials: Deals at Taco Bell, Chipotle, TGI Fridays, more

Some big names in food and drink are getting a head start on this year's Cinco de Mayo celebration. Among them: Chipotle, Taco Bell, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's Teremana tequila.

The holiday, a celebration of Mexican American culture that falls on Sunday, May 5, this year, is popular with most ages.

Millennials (those aged 28 to 43) will be most likely to celebrate the holiday, with 62% planning to, according to retail data firm 84.51°. Nearly half (46%) of Gen Xers (aged 44-59) and more than one-third (35%) of Boomers (60-78) will, its research finds.

Many see the holiday as an excuse to eat Mexican food and sip a margarita or some tequila. They may not know that Cinco de Mayo marks the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, when 2,000 Mexican soldiers defeated 6,000 French troops – and is not to be confused with Mexico's Independence Day. The country's Día de la Independencia, when Mexico broke free from Spanish rule, came on Sept. 16, 1810.

Regardless, margaritas are a likely libation to be downed, with 19% of celebrators expected to have one. Many may make them at home, as weekly lime sales rose 50% last year during Cinco de Mayo at Kroger stores, found 84.51°, which is a subsidiary of the supermarket giant.

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Whatever your plans, there's a deal for you. Cinco de Mayo promotions include everything from free tacos to a discounted car wash. Here's a roundup. Remember to check in with your nearest location to make sure it's participating before heading out.

Taco Bell: Five tacos for $5 on Cinco de Mayo

Members of the Taco Bell Rewards loyalty program can get five soft or crunchy tacos for $5 on Sunday, May 5. Get the deal in the Taco Bell app.

Other Taco Bell deals:

• Through May 5: New eaters can get 20% off their Taco Bell order of $15 or more on DoorDash, Uber Eats, Postmates and Grubhub (maximum of $5 off).
• Friday, May 3, to Sunday, May 5: Free Nachos BellGrande with order of $20 or more on DoorDash or Grubhub.
• Friday, May 3, to Sunday, May 5: Buy one Nachos BellGrande get one of equal or lesser value on Uber Eats.

'Guac on The Rock' free guacamole

For the fourth consecutive year, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and his Teremana tequila want to pay for your guacamole with the Guac on the Rock promotion leading up to and including May 5.

Just buy some guac with any Teremana cocktail during the month of May, then take a picture of your receipt, submit it online and get reimbursed on Venmo. Reimbursements will be made up to $1 million.

El Pollo Loco's Cinco de Mayo specials

The California-based chain has several deals for members of its Loco Rewards loyalty program in the days leading up to Cinco de Mayo. Through Sunday, you can get $20 off your $100 catering order; another deal gets a a $10 bonus when you buy a $50 eGift Card.

Other Loco Rewards Members deals, good in person, in the app or online:

• Friday, May 3: Buy a Carnitas Stuffed Quesadilla, get one free.
• Saturday, May 4: Buy a 2 Carnitas Tacos Combo, Get 2 Carnitas Tacos free.
• Sunday, May 5: Get two free Shredded Chicken Crunchy Tacos with an in-app order of $10 or more – plus $0 delivery fee all day long.

Tocaya's Cinco de Mayo contests and free chips and guacamole

Tocaya Modern Mexican has several specials leading up to Cinco de Mayo on Sunday, May 5:

• Thursday, May 2: Enter to be a winner of free Tocaya catering for up to 10 people.
• Friday, May 3: Five winners will be chosen to receive a $25 Tocaya gift card.
• Saturday, May 4: Get free chips & guac with any order of $15 or more.
• Sunday, May 5: Share your order online by tagging @tocayaorganica for a chance to win a $500 Tocaya gift card.

Cinco de Mayo specials: Chipotle, Taco John's and more

• Abuelo's Mexican Restaurants: The Lubbock, Texas-based restaurant chain has several $5 specials for Cinco de Mayo: choose from Grande Mexican Draft Beer served in a 22-ounce stadium cup (while supplies last), a Mexican Flag Margarita, $5 La Grandeza Margarita (frozen or on the rocks), and Chile con Queso Appetizer.
• Applebee's: The restaurant chain has specials for customizing their $1 Dollarita margarita - you can add a flavor such as strawberry or mango for only 50¢ more, or opt for Jose Cuervo Tequila for $2 more. There's also $5 Dos Equis Brewtus drafts, $5 Rock & Berry Rita, a strawberry margarita made with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Teremana Blanco Tequila, and the $9 Breaking Rock Rita, made with Teremana Blanco Tequila and Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston’s Dos Hombres Mezcal, blue curacao, lime and a new rock candy garnish.
• Astral Tequila: The tequila brand is holding its first-ever MargaritaCon at more than 170 participating bars across the U.S. where you can order a special cocktail through Sunday. Proceeds from them help build homes through Hábitat para la Humanidad México's Adobe Brick Project in Jalisco, Mexico. (Astral is also donating $50,000 to Habitat for Humanity affiliates in the U.S. as part of the celebration.) You can also enter a sweepstakes to win an all-expenses-paid luxury trip for four to Mexico on the Astral Tequila website.
• Bar Louie: Cinco de Mayo specials on Sunday include $3 Sauza Silver Sidecars,  $3 Corona bottles, $4 Modelo drafts,  $5 Mexican Candy Shots and $8 Dos Sauza margaritas.
• Beef 'O' Brady's: Get free queso with the purchase of chips and salsa on Sunday (available at participating locations).
• BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse: When you buy a pint of the restaurant's CureVeza Mexican-style pale lager through June 26, 25 cents will go to the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation.
• The Brass Tap: With any purchase Sunday, you get free chips and salsa at participating locations.
• Bubbakoo’s Burritos: Members of the Mexican-fusion restaurant's loyalty program can get a buy-one-get-one-free burrito deal on Sunday. Just buy a regular-priced entrée and your account will get a coupon for a free one to redeem May 6-10. Feeding a group on Cinco de Mayo? Get 10% off catering through Sunday with code CINCO10.
• California Pizza Kitchen: The restaurant chain will have happy hour all day on Sunday, May 5, for Cinco de Mayo. Specials include $5 starters including white corn guacamole and chips, $7 margaritas, and $9 pizza and beer.
• Chipotle: The Cinco De Mayo celebration begins Wednesday and runs through Sunday, with free delivery on all digital orders using the promo code CINCO24.
• Chronic Tacos: Loyalty members who spend $25 through the Chronic Tacos app on Sunday will get $5 off.
• Cointreau: The liqueur brand wants to give you a $20 "Lime of Credit" toward your Cinco de Mayo celebration. Sign up on Cointreau.com by end of the day Thursday, May 2, and you could be one of thousands of winners to get a $20 Venmo payout on Friday, May 3.
• Cold Stone Creamery: Available through May 5, the Waffle Ice Cream Taco is stuffed with sweet cream ice cream and topped with chocolate and peanuts.
• Hooters: From Friday, May 3, to Sunday, May 5, get $5 Dos Equis Big Daddy beers, Legendary Ritas, or shots of Patrón. Offers are valid for dine-in only at participating locations.
• Jack in the Box: Friday to Sunday, get free tiny tacos or a meat lovers burrito with every order of $5 or more. Also, as always, you can get two tacos for 99 cents.
• Jinya Ramen Bar: The Japanese eatery has its Mini Tacos available for a special price – $2 per taco – on Sunday and every Tuesday in the month of May.
• Jose Cuervo: Want a chance to host a party, courtesy of Jose Cuervo? Go to the tequila brand's website through May 5 to enter for a chance to win $1,000 toward your fiesta. One winner will be announced at the end of the month.
• Kickstand Cocktails: The spicy craft vodka soda maker has a 25% discount on orders Thursday to Sunday on the brand's website. Its lineup includes Roasted Jalapeño Cucumber, Smashed Raspberry Serrano, Charred Pineapple Poblano and Torched Peach Chipotle, at 105 calories and 5.5% ABV. (At retail in Florida, Tennessee, Ohio, Arizona and Pennsylvania, you can get a $5 Venmo rebate.
• Mi Rancho: The tortilla, chip and salsa maker has a Cinco de Mayo Buy One, Get One sale (use code BOGOCINCO) happening through May 5 on its website.
• Moe’s Southwest Grill: Members of Moe's Rewards loyalty program can get $5.55 Burritos or Bowls on Sunday, for Cinco de Mayo. If you aren't a member yet, you can sign up online or download the app. Also on Sunday, the first 30 customers on Sunday get a free T-shirt.
• Paciugo: Get one free scoop of new Avo Glow Gelato, made with Avocados From Mexico on Sunday, May 5th at 5 p.m. in Paciugo stores nationwide (while supplies last).
• Pancheros Mexican Grill: Members of Pancheros' Burritos With Benefits loyalty program will get randomly distributed rewards on Sunday, May 5, in the Pancheros app. They include a free entrée, free chips and queso, free queso on an entrée, half off an entrée, and BOGO free entrée. Download the app before May 5; deals are good in store or online at participating locations.
• Papa Murphy's: On Sunday, get $5 off your order of $20 or more at participating Papa Murphy's locations. Among your options: the new Taco Grande Pizza.
• &Pizza: The Washington, D.C.-based &pizza chain is bringing back its Elote Loco pizza in time for Cinco de Mayo dining. The pizza ($13.99), which will be on the menu until July 4, is topped with fire-roasted corn, grilled onion, cotija cheese and finished with elote sauce.
• Pokeworks: Get $2 off a regular or large “Poke Your Way” burrito on Saturday or Sunday. Redeem the offer in-store or online with the code POKEROLL.
• Razzoo's Cajun Cafe: The restaurant chain, which has most of its locations in Texas, plus one in Oklahoma and two in North Carolina, has $5 frozen margaritas and $6 flavored margaritas, plus $4 shots all day on Sunday, May 5. Participating locations also have a $30 dine-in special on 5 pounds of crawfish ($50 at the the Lubbock, Texas location).
• Sheetz: Order any taco, burrito or taco salad in the Sheetz app on Cinco de Mayo (Sunday, May 5) and Monday, May 6, and get free delivery (use the code OFFERZ). The offer excludes service fees and long distance fees for trips over four miles.
• Smokey Bones: The restaurant chain will mashup Cinco de Mayo with viewing the Miami Grand Prix with drink specials including Race Car-Garitas, starting at $5, and food specials including Mini Magnachos ($6) or All You Can Eat Wings ($14.99).
• Taco Bell Cantina: Get two tacos free when you buy two beers, or upgrade your Twisted Freeze with $2 off an additional shot.
• Taco John's: Members of Taco John’s Bigger Bolder Rewards loyalty program get a free beef Taco Bravo – a classic Crispy Taco wrapped within a warm tortilla and refried beans – with any purchase of $5 or more on May 5. Offer valid in-store and in-app; download the Taco John's app and join the loyalty program by Saturday, May 4.
• TGI Fridays: The restaurant chain is extending its $5 Happy Hour to Sunday, May 6, and also has $5 chips and queso, plus its Superfresh Margarita is available for $7.
• Truly Hard Seltzer: Spice up your party with the Truly Tequila Soda Fiesta Pack ($25), which comes with one can each of its recently-released ready-to-drink Truly Tequila Soda, which come in lime, grapefruit, watermelon, and pineapple guava flavors. The party bundle, available online, also includes Truly-branded taco holders, pennant flags and chamoy flavored gummy worms to add to your drinks.
• Zips Car Wash: Get $5 off a Pro wash in the Zips Car Wash app on Sunday (that's a savings of more than $20). Enter code CINCO at checkout after you add a single Pro wash to your cart in the app.

Contributing: Jordan Mendoza, Maria Jimenez Moya and Amanda Lee Myers

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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