Episode 541

National Taco Day

Published on: 6th October, 2026

Today is October 6 — National Taco Day — and yeah, someone actually fixed it so the holiday now falls on the first Tuesday in October, which means tacos and Taco Tuesday finally aligned. Taco Bell apparently teamed up with the National Day calendar people a few years back to make it official, because of course corporate diplomacy is a thing now. Americans chow down on more than 4.5 billion tacos a year, which sounds huge until you remember some of us eat six at a time like it’s a cardio workout. Fun fact: the word “taco” likely comes from Mexican silver miners who called little wrapped explosive charges tacos — honestly, with enough hot sauce that comparison holds up. We’re celebrating by eating tacos, making bad puns, and pretending this is the domestic policy win of the decade.

Takeaways:

  • I’m hyped — National Taco Day’s now the first Tuesday in October, so tacos and Taco Tuesday align.
  • It used to be October 4th each year, which was chaos for scheduling taco celebrations and free-for-alls.
  • Taco Bell teamed up with the National Day calendar folks to officially shift the holiday — bureaucratic win.
  • Americans eat more than four and a half billion tacos every year, and I totally relate to the six-at-a-time crowd.
  • Taco probably comes from Mexican silver miners' word for little wrapped explosives — and yeah, hot sauce makes that comparison disturbingly accurate.
Transcript
Speaker A:

It's haystack.

Speaker A:

And today is the 6th of October, which happens to be National Taco Day.

Speaker A:

You know, for once somebody actually fixed something because National Taco Day used to fall on October the fourth every year.

Speaker A:

And that meant that National Taco Day could be on a Thursday or maybe even on a Saturday or whatever.

Speaker A:

Completely unacceptable.

Speaker A:

So Taco Bell actually got together with the National Day calendar people a few years ago.

Speaker A:

They got the holiday permanently moved to the first Tuesday in October each year.

Speaker A:

So today is both National Taco Day and Taco Tuesday.

Speaker A:

You know, that's the kind of bureaucratic reform I can get behind.

Speaker A:

Who cares about tax policy, foreign affairs?

Speaker A:

Someone finally aligned the tacos.

Speaker A:

Americans eat more than four and a half billion of them every single year.

Speaker A:

Which sounds like a lot until you think about some of us personally handling six at a time.

Speaker A:

Tacos may have also been one of the best name origins ever.

Speaker A:

Because the word taco likely traces back to Mexican silver miners who used it for little paper wrapped explosive charges.

Speaker A:

Honestly, that tracks.

Speaker A:

I mean, if you put enough hot sauce on one, the comparison becomes extremely accurate.

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About the Podcast

Haysnacks
Quick Bites. Big Laughs. You'll Want Seconds!
Enjoy Haysnacks, the bite-sized comedy podcast from Northwest Arkansas’s own Haystack—morning radio’s master of mischief on 106.5 KBVA and 96.7 The Bull. Each episode packs in the best moments from Haystack’s daily shows, including fan-favorite highlights, his legendary “morning six pack” top 6 lists, and the hilarious weekly phone call with his super-redneck pal, Alabama Bama. Don’t miss the Saturday “Leftovers” episode, where Haystack serves up the jokes and bits that didn’t make it on air (due to time, or because they were too weird or wild). Designed for busy listeners, Haysnacks delivers quick, snackable laughs whenever you need them—perfect for your commute, coffee break, or anytime you want a dose of fun.

About your host

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Mark Wells