# Taco Time or Taco Bell? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 18, 1999, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759 "1999-09-18T18:30:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 1999, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/1 "1999-09-18T18:30:00Z")
If you had to pick only one to eat dinner at, and you only had $5, which would you go to? Me, I’d go to Taco Time simply because the line is shorter (in my part of the world). But I gotta say, Taco Time’s crisp bean burritos and soft tacos beat Taco Bell’s by a longshot. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 1999, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/2 "1999-09-18T19:08:00Z")
Taco Time kicks Taco Bell’s butt. The hot sauce is real hot sauce and not that watery slop-in-a-packet, and everything else is better. It’s quite a bit more expensive, though. At least in Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 1999, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/3 "1999-09-18T22:34:00Z")
Never heard of Taco Time, but to answer the question, I would go to Wendy’s. If I want fast food or only am budgeted for that, I will take a burger place. If I want Mexican, I will eat at a good Mexican place. Na’er the twain do meet. * * * Yer pal, Satan ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 1999, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/4 "1999-09-18T22:55:00Z")
AhSatan (or is that Natasha?), but you didn’t answer the question. The question was, if you only have $5 and have to choose between one of the two taco places, which of the two would you pick? Let’s say there’s no other restaurants within 500 miles. What do you do? ---
**Author:** ![timmar68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@timmar68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/timmar68)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 1999, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/5 "1999-09-19T04:56:00Z")
That’s hard to answer, as I’ve never heard of Taco Time(I go to Taco Johns). But I would go to Taco Time because I cannot stand Taco Bell’s food. * * * MaryAnn Sometimes life is so great you just gotta muss up your hair and quack like a duck! ---
**Author:** ![E1skeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3da27b/32.png) [@E1skeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E1skeptic)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 1999, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/6 "1999-09-19T06:48:00Z")
Taco Time? Another pseudo-mexican food place? Never heard of it, and I bet most people here haven’t either (too local, I guess). Anyway, if Taco Time is in any way similar to Taco Bell, I would have to say neither. I’d rather starve than eating a “burrito” there. BTW, **Satan** , I don’t know where you live, but let me tell you that the only decent mexican food I have ever had (at a restaurant) while in the US was at a place called “Guaymas”, in Sausalito. Taco Time… wonder if they have a xoloizcuintle for their commercials… ---
**Author:** ![jazzmine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jazzmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jazzmine)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 1999, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/7 "1999-09-19T22:02:00Z")
I’m with Mary. Taco Johns. I hate Taco Bell. All of it. I hate most of Taco Time’s food. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 1999, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/8 "1999-09-19T22:38:00Z")
I would kill to have a Taco John’s in my town, but no such luck. Actually, I prefer neither Taco Time nor Taco Bell–I’m a Del Taco man myself, when it comes to “pseudo-Mexican food.” ---
**Author:** ![aaronp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bbe5ce/32.png) [@aaronp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaronp)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 1999, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/9 "1999-09-20T20:23:00Z")
I’ve never been to Taco Time, but Taco Bell is definitely cheap. Back in college when I was a poor omnivore, I would often frequent the Taco Bell. I have especially fond memories of the 29 cent taco specials they’d occasionally have. Friends and I would have challenges to see who could eat the most. The highest record I remember was 15–not bad for under 5 bucks! ---
**Author:** ![Gr8Kat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gr8kat/32/18668_2.png) [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 1999, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/10 "1999-09-20T20:36:00Z")
I wondered if Taco Time was a regional company because I’ve never seen their ads on cable tv stations. Anyway, there’s one near where I live, but I still haven’t tried it. I just go to Taco Bell. I’m afraid I’ve never seen a Del Taco in real life (just on LA based tv stations) or even heard of Taco John’s. * * * “I hope life isn’t a big joke, because I don’t get it,” Jack Handy ---
**Author:** ![E1skeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3da27b/32.png) [@E1skeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E1skeptic)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 1999, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/11 "1999-09-20T21:04:00Z")
Is this a **Great Debate**? ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 1999, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/12 "1999-09-20T21:04:00Z")
Can Taco Hell be considered “Mexican food?” I’ve always just placed it in a category on its own, filed under “American.” Taco Time is a little better, as is Del Taco. I haven’t had Taco John’s. 'Course, Taco John’s is one of the most popular fast food joints **in Mexico**. Go fig. -andros- * * * There’s always a bigger fish. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 1999, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/13 "1999-09-20T21:05:00Z")
Guess it is a bit MPSsy, huh E1? * * * There’s always a bigger fish. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 1999, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/14 "1999-09-20T23:17:00Z")
I feel sorry for y’all. Here in El Paso, we have Taco Bell; I’m not sure why… We also have a place called Taco Cabana, which IMO is a great combo of Mexican & fast food. ## But we also abound in the no-name hole in the wall places who serve the real thing. Ya know where everyone at the table orders something different, but only the waitress can tell the plates apart? Sue from El Paso [members.aol.com/majormd/index.html](http://members.aol.com/majormd/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 1999, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/15 "1999-09-21T01:35:00Z")
If I had 5 dollars and could ONLY choose between Taco Time and Taco Bell … … I’d keep the 5 dollars. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 1999, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/16 "1999-09-21T20:38:00Z")
E1skeptic wrote: > [@](#): > > Is this a Great Debate? Hey, if “Kirk vs. Picard” can be on here, so can this thread! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![E1skeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3da27b/32.png) [@E1skeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E1skeptic)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 1999, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/17 "1999-09-22T13:09:00Z")
Hey, Sue (Majormd)! Don’t feel sorry for me. I live where the real mexican food is made. You should try my mom’s enchiladas! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 1999, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/18 "1999-09-22T15:08:00Z")
Satan…“a good Mexican place”?? Calling the oxymoron patrol! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![E1skeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3da27b/32.png) [@E1skeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E1skeptic)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 1999, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/19 "1999-09-22T18:15:00Z")
**polycarp** : pulling my chain, or did you mean to say “a good Mexican place (restaurant) **in the USA**?” Be more specific, please. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 1999, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759/20 "1999-09-22T23:06:00Z")
Yes, there are good Mexican places in the USA. Because Mexico was fine enough to import some good Mexicans. Here in raleigh (believe it or not) we have a large Mexican population, which means a lot of good places for Mexican fare. And of course LA has good Mexi-meals as well. NYC ain’t bad either, simply because NYC has got good food of all flavors. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taco-time-or-taco-bell/16759.md?page=2)