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Is a Taco a Sandwich?

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 his area. Local officials didn’t think that a place that sells tacos counts as a sandwich shop.  

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. 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. 

But The Merriam-Webster Dictionary 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, such as a sub.

Here’s what two of our readers think.

A taco has a tortilla, which is like bread on a sandwich. Tacos are usually made with meat and cheese, the same basic ingredients in many sandwiches. They also have a lot of the same toppings, like lettuce and tomatoes. I eat tacos with a side of tortilla chips. That’s similar to pairing sandwiches with fries or potato chips.   

Plus, you use your hands to eat a taco, just like you do with a sandwich. It would be pretty silly to eat a sandwich or a taco with silverware!

Have you ever seen a taco listed under “sandwiches” on a menu? They are built differently. A taco is made up of one tortilla that folds around the toppings. A sandwich has fillings within two pieces of bread (not a tortilla). You don’t fold a sandwich to eat it! 

It’s incorrect to even call a taco a Mexican-style sandwich. There are Mexican sandwiches that have meat and cheese in between two pieces of bread. They’re called tortas or cemitas.

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