Where to Score Free Tacos and Other Tasty Deals on National Taco Day

Though nobody really needs an excuse to head to their favorite taco chain and grab a copious amount of tacos, there’s no better day than National Taco Day, celebrated Oct. 4. From taco subscription passes and contests to free tacos and discounts, most of the major chains have some real big things going on to celebrate the ultimate Taco Tuesday. Here are the best National Taco Day deals from chains across the country.

Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by location.

Related: Discontinued Taco Bell Items We Want Back Now

Leave it to the innovators at Del Taco to transcend the typical Taco Day deal. They’ll be celebrating tacos all month long with their new “Tacoberfest,” which deserves a nod at the Pun Awards. Throughout October, rewards members have access to a variety of deals, not the least of which kicks off with the usual Taco Tuesday discount (three tacos for $1.69) and yields double points in the app.

Related: The Best Fast Food Deals to Grab Right Now

The beloved Southwestern chain will be offering bean and cheese tacos for $1. It may sound simple, but the magic of refried beans and melted cheese is a Taco Cabana specialty, so don’t be surprised to see lines.

Related: Fast Food Deals to Feed the Whole Family

Taco Bell plays to win. Tuesday (and Tuesday only) it's bringing back the Taco Lover’s Pass, which, much like any subscription service, costs a mere $10. In exchange: your choice of a Soft Taco, Spicy Potato Taco, Crunchy Taco, or Doritos Locos Taco, free, every day for 30 days. Almost seems irresponsible not to sign up, you know?

Don't think of Long John Silver's when you think of tacos? Time to change that. Today, all you have to do is buy any combo, meal, or platter and you'll get a free taco. The standard pollock, salmon, and shrimp options are available but for National Taco Day only, they're throwing Norway Lobster Bites into the mix. No reason to miss that one.

California’s long-worshipped taco shop is knocking a dollar off every taco. Options include carne asada, pollo asado, carnitas, al pastor, mahi mahi, shrimp, and even breakfast tacos.

You might normally be at Chevys for the corn cake, but Tuesday night you’re heading in for some tacos and margaritas. Barbacoa, carnitas, chicken, and steak tacos are all $3, while house margs are available for $6.

It’s hard to believe Jack could pull off a deal more wonderful than the 2-for-1 taco situation that already exists, but his Monster Taco is back from the dead. This sucker fits two entire slices of cheese inside, and until the end of the month, you can grab two of them for $3.

There’s no beating around the bush with Taco John, a company that literally trademarked Taco Tuesday as a holiday (so we suppose LeBron James will see them in court for that one). With any purchase on National Taco Day, Taco John has a free beef taco waiting for you. That’s how you do Taco Tuesday.

Easily one of the most underrated chains in the taco game, El Pollo Loco is going big for rewards members. In addition to free delivery when ordering online or through the app, buy at least $10 worth of food on National Taco Day and El Pollo Loco will send a voucher for eight free tacos to your account. 

Chuy’s is embracing the age of the internet: If you post a photo of yourself dressed like a taco on social media alongside the hashtag #ChuysTacoDay, you get a free entree. Don’t have time to run out and grab a taco costume? That’s fair. The good news is that Chuy’s still has deals for you. For $1, you can add a crispy beef taco to any order or add an additional tequila floater to any margarita. 

The ever-popular hot bar at 7-Eleven isn’t exactly known for its mini beef tacos, but maybe after National Taco Day that will change. Rewards members can have 10 of them for $2, so we see no reason not to buy out the store.

Chipotle competitor Moe’s Southwest Grill is smartly going the feed-your-family route, offering $5 off any of its meal kits (which normally run about $40) for rewards members with the promo code TACODAY22. This is a nice haul, and includes your choice of two meats, lettuce, cheese, pico de gallo, rice, beans, sour cream, queso dip, 12 flour tortillas, chips, and salsa.

Sick of other people assembling your tacos for you? El Torito is boasting a $3 build-your-own taco bar, served alongside tortillas fresh from the kitchen. Choose carnitas, chicken, steak, or al pastor, and build your perfect taco.

The Texas favorite is running tacos for $1.50 all day, but that’s not the main attraction: Anything you order on National Taco Day will be entered in a drawing to win free tacos for a year. They’re choosing 100 winners, so ... maybe place a whole lot of orders?