National Taco Day deals 2024: $1 tacos at Taco Bell, freebies at Taco John's, more

National Taco Day, which kicks off the month on Oct. 1, is extra spicy because it's also on a Tuesday – Taco Tuesday.

The tortilla-filled festivities came into alignment earlier this month when Taco Bell and the National Day Calendar announced National Taco Day, previously celebrated each year on Oct. 4, going forward would always be on the first Tuesday in October.

The opportunity arose after Taco John's relinquished its "Taco Tuesday" trademark amid disputes over the rightful ownership of the name – and after Taco Bell started an online petition to get the trademark freed so all restaurants could use it.

“For years, we’ve celebrated National Taco Day on October 4th, but it’s always felt like there was a bigger opportunity to align it with something even more special – Taco Tuesday,” National Day Calendar founder Marlo Anderson said at the time. This combination creates "the Taco Tuesday of all Taco Tuesdays," he said.

This year, there are seemingly taco deals to be found on both Oct. 1 and Oct. 4, and even all month long. Here's where and how to score the deals.

When is National Taco Day? Taco Bell gets day moved so it always falls on a Taco Tuesday

Taco Bell's National Taco Day deals, $1 tacos

Taco Bell has cooked up a daylong celebration Tuesday with hourly drops of $1 tacos, starting at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT when Taco Bell Rewards members can redeem a deal for a crunchy taco for $1. There's 10,000 deals available for redemption between 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT and 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT. Another 10,000 deals for a different dish will start at the top of every hour until 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.Here's the lineup of $1 deals (10,000 available for redemption each hour):

• 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET– Crunchy Taco

• 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET – Double Stacked Taco

• 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET – Chalupa Supreme

• 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET – Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Taco

• 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET – Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco

• 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET – Cantina Chicken Soft Taco

• 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET– Soft Taco Supreme

• 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET – Cheesy Gordita Crunch

• 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET – Crunchy Taco Supreme

• 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET – Soft Taco

Taco Bell will also have special Taco Tuesday drops all month long in the Taco Bell app:

• Oct. 8 – Five Rewards Members will win a VIP visit to the Taco Bell Test Kitchen.

• Oct. 15 – 500 Rewards Members will win a free taco every Taco Tuesday for a year.

• Oct. 22 – 50,000 Rewards Members can pick one of eight Taco Bell classics for just $1 .

• Oct. 29 – Get a chance to win one of 500 limited edition Taco Bell hoodie and cup bundles.

Taco John's National Taco Day deals

Taco John's, which deems itself as "the creators and longstanding champions of Taco Tuesday," is doing its part to boost the National Taco Day party, giving members of its Bigger Bolder Rewards loyalty program a free Beef Stuffed Grilled Taco with any purchase on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

Then, each Wednesday in October, starting with Oct. 2, Taco John’s will give rewards members special offers.

More National Taco Day deals

• Abuelo's: Add a crispy beef or chicken taco to your entrée for just $1 when you dine in on Tuesday.

• Baja Fresh: Order online Tuesday-Friday (Oct. 4) to get buy-one-get-one-free tacos and taco combos – just buy one and get a taco or taco combo of equal or lesser value for free. To get the deal, go to bajafresh.com and create or log into your free Club Baja Rewards account, then use the code TACO2024 at checkout. (Coupon not reusable; one coupon per person, per visit.)

• Broken Yolk Cafe: The Southern California-based chain is sticking with the Oct. 4 observance of National Taco Day and offering buy-one-get-one-50% off Baja Breakfast Tacos at participating locations on Friday.

• Bubbakoo’s Burritos: Order online through Bubbakoo’s mobile app or website on Tuesday and get a $5 digital meal deal - two soft or hard shell tacos (chicken, ground beef, or pork) with toppings, plus a side of chips and salsa.

• Chuy's: The Austin, Texas-founded Tex-Mex chain is celebrating National Taco Day on Tuesday and Friday, Oct. 4. Both days you can add a ground beef taco, crispy or soft, to any dine-in entrée purchase for $1. You can also get $1 tequila floaters on margaritas. During Happy Hour, Chips ‘N’ Dips are discounted to $5. And if you happen to have a taco costume handy, visit a Chuy's dressed as a taco on Tuesday or Friday and post your photo on social media with #ChuysTacoDay and you get a free, dine-in entrée of your choice.

• Cold Stone Creamery: If you are more of a dessert person, here's a taco for you: the Boo Batter Ice Cream Taco with Cold Stone’s Boo Batter Ice Cream, which is made with Oreo Cookies and Kit Kat and M&M's candies, wrapped in an orange waffle taco, coated in chocolate and topped with spooky sprinkles. The dessert taco is available at participating stores nationwide from through Oct. 8.

• El Pollo Loco: Members of the Mexican-style chicken restaurant chain's Loco Rewards loyalty program can get any three fire-grilled chicken tacos for $5 in restaurants, on the app or website starting Tuesday and through Friday, Oct. 4. Also, on Tuesday, there's a $0 delivery fee on all orders for those who want to celebrate at home.

• Fuzzy's Taco Shop: Get $1.50 OG Tacos all day on Tuesday for dine-in and to-go at participating locations.

• Hooters: If you miss Taco Tuesday, you haven't missed all the deals. The restaurant chain is celebrating National Taco Day Friday-Sunday with a free order of chips and queso for HootClub Reward Members who buy a taco entrée. Offer good for dine-in, to-go and online orders through the Hooters app.

• Miguel's Jr.: At the Southern California-based restaurants, you can get two Hearty Tacos for $5 on Tuesday. The offer is good for dine-in, take-out, drive-thru, and online ordering.

• On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina: Get Endless Tacos made with pulled chicken tinga and seasoned ground beef tacos for $10 through Sunday, Oct. 13. For an extra $3, you can upgrade to endless brisket or Southwest chicken tacos. Offer good for dining in at participating On The Border restaurants.

• Qdoba: Tuesday-Thursday, all members of the Qdoba Rewards loyalty program get 2X points on all purchases in celebration of this holiday.

• Rubio's Coastal Grill: Celebrate National Taco Day twice at the California-based restaurant chain – on Tuesday with a Rubio’s Original Fish Taco for just $2.50, and on Friday, Oct. 4, with a free á la carte taco with any purchase. Also on Friday, Rubio’s Rewards members who check in on the app could be one of 10 randomly-selected winners who get a free taco every day for a year.

• Sheetz: Get $2 off any taco order with any other purchase made Friday, Oct. 4, through Sunday, Oct. 6, at all of Sheetz’s 750+ locations. To get the deal join My Sheetz Rewards and find it in the Offerz tab of the Sheetz app.

• Surcheros: Members of Surcheros rewards loyalty program get a free small queso on Tuesday.

• Taco Del Mar: On Tuesday, get a free taco with every purchase of $15 or more.

• WaBa Grill: On Tuesday, get 50% off any Boom Boom Taco Trio.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: National Taco Day 2024: Deals at Taco Bell, Taco John's and more