Indiana Judge Rules Tacos and Burritos are Sandwiches

This may sound a little over the top, but tacos are an integral part of society. (Hear me out.) We all have our differences and opinions, but when it comes to tacos, I think we can all agree that those are the winners. They're like the peacekeepers of food. I'll take them in any size, shape, and filling. Chicken taco? Absolutely. Potato-filled taco? Sure!

If you like tacos as much as I do, then I bet you'd be interested in the fact that an Indiana judge has ruled that tacos and burritos are Mexican-style sandwiches. Yes, that is not an every-day piece of news, and even I was like, "Why are we talking about this?" upon stumbling across the story. However, when you hear what led to this ruling, things will start to make a lot more sense.

According to ABC News, Martin Quintana is a Mexican native who has been in the United States since 1988. He went from picking fruit in California to becoming a successful entrepreneur in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Quintana currently operates a Mexican restaurant called The Famous Taco, and in 2022, he sought out to open a second location in the Fort Wayne area. That is where our story begins.

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ABC News reported that the initial written commitment for the development limited the business to a sandwich bar-style restaurant offering 'made-to-order' or 'subway-style' sandwiches. A nearby homeowner's association told Quintana that his plans did not honor that commitment. Quintana responded by proposing an amendment to his plan that would allow him to sell made-to-order tacos, burritos, and other Mexican-style food items at the location. However, the Fort Wayne Plan Commission denied that request in December 2022.

Quintana sued the planning commission, but earlier this week, Allen Superior Court Judge Craig Bobay ruled that the planning commission acted correctly. Thankfully for Quintana, that wasn't the end of the matter. The judge also found that Quintana's amendment was unnecessary because there was no issue with the original commitment. Here is what the judge said in the ruling:

The Court agrees with Quintana that tacos and burritos are Mexican-style sandwiches, and the original Written Commitment does not restrict potential restaurants to only American cuisine-style sandwiches.

Quintana is now set to open his second restaurant in the next few months. He even agreed with the Judge, describing tortas as Mexican-style sandwiches. Regardless of what you want to call Quintana's menu items, I'm sure they're delicious. And if throwing a sandwich label in the mix helps a hardworking entrepreneur open his family business, that's certainly okay with me.