But that’s not Taco Bell’s fault. I would have told them, “Hey, I know you’ve been to Taco Bell, but this isn’t like that. It’s tacos and stuff, but they’re different here. It’s closer to what people really eat in Mexico. I think you’ll like it.”
It’s “how kids work” only if you don’t tell them what they need to know.
I think it’s the same phenomenon as people ‘informing’ you that professional wrestling isn’t real. No one I know who watches professional wrestling thinks it’s any more real than a soap opera or a dramatic show, and will talk about it the same way people do those shows. Lots of them will actively mock tropes of the genre (‘oh no, he’s getting a chair, surely the ref will put a stop to this!’) when they’re watching it. But some people seem to think that pointing out that it’s all drama and not an actual athletic competition is a deep insight.
Never said it was Taco Bell’s fault. If you read my post, I was responding to sitchensis previous post saying kids taste buds don’t get trained. Yes, they do…
And we did tell them that there are lots of kinds of tacos, with lots of different ingredients, etc, (and now that they’re older, they do eat them) but the point is that to them a “real” taco and their favourite taco will always be taco-seasoned ground beef and melted Velveeta.
drive-and-eat-ibility is a pretty significant indicator in what gets over as fast food options. I’d say maybe after price and speed of preparation, the ability to eat it in your car might be the 3rd strongest determinant?
Think of all the ethnicities that have had sizeable populations in the US, even in and around cities (e.g. German, Irish), but you see almost no fast food locations of their cuisine. Cabbage stew is not among the all-time easiest foods to eat one handed whilst motoring.
Well, the Germans gave us the hamburger and the frankfurter…
Well, they gave us the Hamburg steak and the frankfurter sausage, maybe. But the hamburger sandwich and the hot dog are undoubtedly* American in origin.
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- For a loose definition of the word.
I can’t remember the last time I saw a non-fast food restaurant dedicated to German or Irish cuisine. Yoru argument would be stronger if you mentioned Italian or Chinese, which are very common cuisines in the U.S. but hard to eat in one’s car, hence few of the many Italian and Chinese restaurants are fast food places with drive-thrus.
My main complaint isn’t that it isn’t “authentic”–it’s that the food invariably gives me the runs.
Fortunately there’s a Moe’s a quarter mile away.
What DiFool said.
I liked the menu and still get tempted to duck in for a soft taco for old time’s sake, but about 11 or 12 years ago, my gut told me ‘no mas’
Interesting because I know of quite a few - there are 2 Irish pubs in 1 mile of me right now. It is a little farther to get to a German restaurant, but not difficult at all to find.
Though your point about Chinese and Italian is well noted; however, Panda Express definitely has drive thru restaurants.
There’s the proof. Name an Irish restaurant that isn’t a pub. Even the local German deli/restaurant is more of a beer garden. Find one that doesn’t focus on beer but on the food. Betcha can’t do it for either country.
Weinerschnitzel doesn’t count.
Say wha? I know of more than a few German restaurants which aren’t just a beer garden. And has far more than weiner or jager schnitzel (I prefer Rouladen, or a good Weisswurst). There are even a few German bakeries not far from me. And what exactly is the issue with Irish pubs (or English restaurants even)? I mean beer is very important in the culture of both Germany and Ireland. That doesn’t diminish the serving of actual traditional Irish or German foods (although traditional Irish food, IMO, is eh).
There’s a number of German restaurants in the Chicago area that aren’t beer gardens and are known for their food (though not as many as there used to be), and even more once you head up north to Milwaukee. The obvious and most famous one in Chicago would be The Berghoff. Yes, it has a bar, but it also has a stand-alone restaurant.
Let me guess. You live in Wisconsin? 
The issue is: If your main focus is beer, it’s because your “cuisine” sucks.
I’ll almost grant Germany a pass. Mainly because the country has such a wide array of sub-cuisines that a blanket condemnation would inevitably catch up some genuinely good food, like the aforementioned rouladen, or real sauerbraten. But Ireland…
I saw someone on Twitter recently who recounted standing in line at Taco Bell behind a couple of Mexican construction workers. She said to them, “this must be nothing like what you’re used to back home.” They told her, “no, no, Taco Bells in Mexico look exactly the same!”
I live in Atlanta. I’d imagine most major cities in the US have some real German restaurants
I confess I’ve never eaten anything from Taco Bell. It certainly isn’t because I think (or care) that Taco Bell isn’t “authentic Mexican”. In my youth, I consumed a boatload of the cheap Jack in the Box tacos, which I’m not sure even qualify as authentic food.
Here are my reasons for not eating at Taco Bell. I freely admit that many of these may be completely off base and can be generally said of food from most major fast food franchises.
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The food is loaded with grease and salt (especially salt)
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They go overboard with their hot sauce and my perception is that some of the heat is artificially added (I like hot sauce like Cholula or Tapatio a lot, but hate it when a restaurant adds heat to food just to test how much pain I can withstand)
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A lot of their ingredients come pre-packaged and/or pre-cooked and that results in a less than satisfying eating experience
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There are literally a couple dozen hole in the wall joints, small franchises, and food trucks just as convenient. (I live in the South Bay area of Los Angeles)
As I said, I’ve never eaten at a Taco Bell, so I don’t hold out my opinion as some sort of gospel on the merits of eating there.
Taco Bell doesnt put hot sauce on their food as Chipotle does. You can choose your own and they come in small packets so its easy to control the heat.
I can assure you they do no such thing. As far as I’m concerned, even their hottest add-on sauce barely rates a 1 out of 5 for heat.
I stand corrected, let me change my objection to: They have weak-ass hot sauce. (which I also hate when I encounter it in restaurants- mostly in the East and Midwest)
I’m still not going to eat there (and there is one only two blocks from my home). 