this post was submitted on 16 Jan 2024
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Food is deeply ingrained in cultural identity, and is one way to learn about a community's heritage, familial customs and values. In the U.S., Mexican food is one of the most popular cuisines, with 1 in 10 restaurants serving Mexican, according to recent findings from the Pew Research Center. This trend reflects an expanding Mexican American population, with 37.2 million people or 11.2% of the U.S. population tracing their ancestry back to Mexico.

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[–] tsonfeir@lemm.ee 58 points 10 months ago (3 children)

Are Mexican food places really about an increasing Mexican population? 10% seems about right for the general interest. Kinda seems like a clickbait article for conservatives. What is the other 90%?

[–] Froyn@kbin.social 62 points 10 months ago (4 children)

Totally clickbait. Japan has a lot of KFC restaurants, but not a lot of people from Kentucky.

[–] Lexam@lemmy.ca 36 points 10 months ago (1 children)

30% of the Japanese population originates from Kentucky. You don't have to look it up. And if someone asks you for a reference, you can use this comment.

[–] pastel_de_airfryer@lemmy.eco.br 14 points 10 months ago

"If it's on the internet, it's true!" - George Washington

[–] tsonfeir@lemm.ee 5 points 10 months ago

KFC should do a “Mexican” seasoning crispy chicken.

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[–] dalekcaan@lemm.ee 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, it seems to assume an increase in Mexican food's popularity must come from Mexicans, when it can easily be explained by how Mexican food's really fuckin good.

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[–] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 10 months ago

If that bs were true than there's apparently a lot more Chinese living in the Midwest than I thought.

[–] doggle@lemmy.dbzer0.com 49 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I suspect it's got as much to do with Mexican/texmex food being fuckin good as it does with an increasing Latin American population.

[–] JonEFive@midwest.social 5 points 10 months ago

Yeah, I agree. Their premise is faulty. Places serve tacos and quesadillas because they're cheap and easy to produce and many Americans like them, not simply because there are more Latinos in the US.

Now, if they said that there are more independent family-owned Mexican restaurants, I would consider that a bit more compelling.

[–] toiletobserver@lemmy.world 37 points 10 months ago

As a fan of tacos and salsas, I couldn't be happier

[–] Snapz@lemmy.world 34 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Not reflecting expanding population, reflecting that it's good fucking food regardless of where your stupid grandparents are from. And the fact that it's typically cheaper fare in a country brutally and constantly raped by capitalism.

[–] robocall@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago

Grandparents are kinda stupid.

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[–] prole@sh.itjust.works 32 points 10 months ago (10 children)

About to order some Mexican food right now.

I can't imagine how fucking boring food would be if white nationalists had their way. No thanks.

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[–] fleabomber@lemmy.world 28 points 10 months ago

Cuz it's bomb.

[–] Gazumi@lemmy.world 25 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Erm, Mexican families having their own families plus people wanting to eat Mexican food? In the UK, we had people trying to say too many Indians coming into the country, based upon the number of Indian restaurants. Indian food is just more popular than fish & chips.

[–] stoly@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

Not only that, you'd surely struggle to find REAL, AUTHENTIC Indian food and not someone's UK-style curry.

[–] wellee@lemmy.world 24 points 10 months ago

Mexican restaurants are so good godayum, there can never be enough!

[–] robocall@lemmy.world 20 points 10 months ago

This is a good thing!

[–] TenderfootGungi@lemmy.world 18 points 10 months ago (2 children)

In most Midwest towns it is Mexican food or hamburgers. I will take Mexican food 9 times out of 10 and I am not Mexican. The alternatives are just bad.

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[–] SuiXi3D@kbin.social 17 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I’m white AF. I’m currently in line for my second of the same burrito I had for lunch.

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[–] Rognaut@lemmy.world 16 points 10 months ago

Mexican food is amazing.

That is all.

[–] Rapidcreek@lemmy.world 16 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I'd think 1 in 10 also serve Italian. Those cuisines are cheaper to make.

[–] robocall@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Does pizza count as Italian?

[–] NegativeLookBehind@kbin.social 15 points 10 months ago

Mexican food is a beautiful thing

[–] eatthecake@lemmy.world 10 points 10 months ago (3 children)

We need more Mexicans in Australia, all we have is crappy Taco Bill

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[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago (8 children)

This town has about 60,000 people. 100,000 in the metro area. I just counted. There are 16 Mexican restaurants. Some of them are within brief walking distance of each other. And no, I'm not counting Taco Bell.

Unfortunately for me, I'm not a big fan of Mexican food.

[–] gregorum@lemm.ee 12 points 10 months ago (1 children)

obligatory "oh, you just haven't been to the right place yet; i know a great spot!"

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago (9 children)

I have a very good answer for them- I don't really like peppers or beans. I also don't really like the way Mexican meat is seasoned and I don't really like any of the Mexican cheese I've had. None of it is a dealbreaker if other people want to go to Mexican food, but it would be far from my first choice.

[–] bdonvr@thelemmy.club 3 points 10 months ago

On an objective level, your opinion is wrong. However some people have wrong tastes and that's okay.

[–] krashmo@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago (2 children)
[–] originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com 4 points 10 months ago (3 children)

i like things that are ergonomically easy to eat. the burrito form factor is freakin amazing. all in one, no utensils. its a utilitarian dream.

but when i go to a restaurant they destroy the utility. its suddenly on this plate covered is sauces! what?!

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[–] alekwithak@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (3 children)

Just checked my town. 20k people. 30 Mexican restaurants, not counting food trucks and fast food. Complete insanity.

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[–] i_dont_want_to@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 10 months ago

My friend is from a smallish town (~4k) and they don't like Mexican food much, either. (And the southern US cuisine is also something they are "meh" on.) Not a whole lot of restaurant food they like around their neck of the woods.

Oh lordy when they come visit me in the city, they chow down on what we got. It's always fun to have them help me order something I've never tried; I'm not nearly as adventurous when they're not around. (I usually experiment in the kitchen or order something familiar when I go out.)

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[–] baruchin@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago (3 children)

The weird part is that they don't even sell real mexican food, but Tex-mex. Mexican coucine ≠ American cheese.

[–] doggle@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I've never been to a Mexican place that serves anything with American cheese on it. Even taco bell doesn't stoop that low. Many fast food places have the crappy movie theater cheese though.

[–] bdonvr@thelemmy.club 7 points 10 months ago (1 children)

No not American cheese. They don't use really any yellow cheeses in Mexico. On a taco, if there is cheese it's generally Queso Fresco, a white cheese that doesn't melt.

But in Americanized dishes they often add yellow cheese. Shit even at the store they sell "Mexican Blend" bags of cheese with yellow cheese lol

Of course, just because it isn't "authentic" doesn't mean it isn't good. Know the difference sure but you can still enjoy both.

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[–] hydrospanner@lemmy.world 9 points 10 months ago (3 children)

There's always at least one in every comments section...

So please enlighten me (for real because I don't know), what indicates when a restaurant "passes muster" for an authentic Mexican restaurant?

[–] bdonvr@thelemmy.club 7 points 10 months ago (3 children)

No need to be gatekeepy. Tex-Mex is also delicious!

But some signs:

  1. Any kind of yellow cheese is generally not found in "authentic" Mexican.

  2. Burritos, no. They do exist up north but are quite different. No rice or vegetables. Nothing like Tex-Mex burritos.

  3. Lettuce, diced tomato (other than pico de gallo), sour cream, (or as aforementioned, yellow cheese) on tacos/tostadas is not "authentic". Onions, cabbage, cilantro, lime. Pico or some salsa optional. That's "authentic".

  4. "Authentic" tacos don't have hard shells. Flour vs corn tortillas vary by region but tacos are always soft tortillas.

  5. Fajitas are an American invention (and they slap, again I'm not here to gatekeep)

  6. Nachos as most generally know them, lots of toppings, etc. that's an Americanized thing too.

  7. Ground beef. In tacos or otherwise isn't generally a thing. Really beef isn't THAT common an ingredient in Mexico (in the north, a bit more common)

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[–] mob@sopuli.xyz 4 points 10 months ago (8 children)

They? Like, America as a whole doesn't sell Mexican food, but only Tex-Mex?

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