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Taco John's
by Sara Hughes
Allow me to paint a picture for you: It's 9 p.m., and you just finished writing the research paper from hell. You've been working so hard all day, you didn't even give yourself time to eat dinner. You're hungry for a whole mess of Mexican: tacos, burritos, quesadillas, the works.
What do you do?
Do you go to Taco Bell or Taco John's?
It's an age-old dilemma that philosophers have wrestled with for centuries, and indeed, it is one of the toughest choices you may face in life. But allow me to shed some light on the debate. It's actually pretty simple.
Go to Taco John's.
Why? Three words: quality, convenience and price.
First of all, in regard to food quality, the mere mention of Potato Ole's should start your mouth to watering. They're like hash browns on steroids.
Also, the tortillas at Taco John's are the freshest I've ever tasted. They're just like Mom used to make them: soft, yet durable, and baked with just a pinch of love. Okay, so my mom never made homemade tortillas, but you get the picture. They're the best.
Taco John's is also the most convenient of all the local Mexican fast-food restaurants. It is one of the only fast-food establishments in Sioux Falls open 24 hours a day. And, let's be honest, the picture of the research paper I painted for you earlier probably would actually be occurring at 2 a.m., not 9 p.m. How do the Taco Bell marketing geniuses expect us to enjoy the so-called "fourthmeal" if its restaurants are only open until 11 p.m. or 12 a.m. on weekdays and 1 a.m. on weekends?
And the last, but certainly not least, reason I love Taco John's is because it combines all the best holidays we only celebrate once a year—birthdays, Christmas, you name it—into one single day I get to celebrate once every week. That day, my friends, is Taco Tuesday.
What's Taco Tuesday, you ask? Every Tuesday—for the whole 24 hours, mind you—Taco John's sells crispy tacos and bean burritos at 69 cents apiece. It's such a steal it's almost illegal. You see, because Taco John's is so delicious, they charge a little bit extra than Taco Bell on every day other than Tuesday. So celebrate Taco Tuesday responsibly and stock up on tacos for the rest of the week. You may turn up your nose at the thought of reheating fast food, but trust me, Taco John's bean burritos refrigerate and freeze pretty well. Don't judge.
The epic personal battle of Taco Bell versus Taco John's is one everyone must face, and it should not be taken lightly. In fact, you may even want to draw up your own pros and cons list before you decide. Still, I hope my argument has given you more reasons to consider Taco John's on your next taco endeavor.
We must always remember one thing: There's a whole ‘lotta Mexican goin' on, goin' on at Taco John's.
Taco Bell
by Kristin Clark
There comes a point in every person's life when one has to choose sides. Will you vote Democrat or Republican? Are you a Twins fan or Yankee traitor? Team Tiger or Team Elin? The list goes on. Often forgotten amidst all these otherwise pressing issues is an age-old question.
Taco Bell or Taco John's?
For many people, this is a difficult decision to make. Both are conveniently located just blocks away from campus. Both restaurants serve similarly delicious food. But, people, you can't have both. It's time to take sides. And that side is Taco Bell.
The Bell, as I lovingly refer to it, is the place of complete superiority. Let's start with the most obvious: the price. Taco John's is utterly overpriced. $7 for a cheese quesadilla, some Ole's, and a drink? I could buy enough supplies for five quesadillas for that price. Five! (Okay, so the quesadillas I make are just two tortillas with cheese in the middle that I throw in the microwave, but still.)
Taco Bell boasts an 11-item "Why pay more?" menu. These delicious items all sell for under 99 cents. When it comes to cost, it's a no-brainer.
Another reason to choose The Bell is simplicity. Taco Bell keeps it simple. They don't trick unsuspecting taco fans into eating taco sauce by adding it to the meat themselves, like Taco John's does. Maybe some people don't like sauces. Has Taco John ever thought of that? He is so inconsiderate.
Also, cinnamon twists. Need I say more? These heavenly pieces of puffed corn covered in cinnamon sugar should be enough for any Taco John's fan to make the switch. Taco John's churros ain't got nothin' on Taco Bell's cinnamon twists. Plus, if The Bell gets your order wrong—not that that happens a lot; The Bell has a competent staff—a free bag of cinnamon twists often magically appears alongside your new order. Now that's a win-win situation.
To be honest, Taco John's does have a couple strong points. They are open later to satisfy the late night taco crowd. I hear Potato Oles are quite tasty, but after a, well, let's say "rough" introduction to them late one Friday night a few years back, I have never been able to stomach them. I doubt I am alone in this feeling. Also, the ability to use Viking Bucks at Taco John's is a great reason for us college kids to skip The Bell.
Well-played, Taco John. But are these reasons enough to forgo the laundry list of Taco Bell supremacies listed above? I don't think so.
Now, taco fans, this is something you are going to have to decide for yourself. Do the research. Have a taste test. Pick a side. This is one of the most important decisions of your young life, so choose wisely. Choose Taco Bell.
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