Tacos, churros, and tequila, oh my! Whether you go know-and-love-familiar or get mas creativo with ingredients and flavors, delivering max Mex appeal will bring diners to your door on Cinco de Mayo.
Dive into the vibrant flavors of our south-of-the-border neighbor for Cinco, a Mexican celebration Americans have fully embraced. Kick things off on the 5th — which is serendipitously on Taco Tuesday this year — and keep up the momentum with specials and LTOs all week long.
Samplin’
Keep authenticity front and center by inviting diners on a trip to Mexico with ideas for LTO menus that educate as well as celebrate — and appeal to today’s diners who dig international flavors.
First, dish up duos showcasing true Mexican dishes with their Tex-Mex compadres. Pair portable brisket nachos with chilaquiles. Serve a tale of two tacos, one skirt steak and one taco al pastor with pineapple. Mix up a match-up of queso dip (with crispy tortilla chips) versus queso fundido (with soft corn tortillas). Then get extra social and ask guests to vote by tagging their faves.
Second, create a menu spotlighting Mexico’s seven diverse regions, each reflecting cultural, geographic, and global influences in their cuisines. The North, famous for grilled meats like Contigo® Carne Asada, is also the birthplace of the burrito — and the region that really favors flour tortillas over corn. Central Mexico is the hub for street food like tamales, tacos, and barbacoa. The South Pacific boasts rich, complex moles while the North Pacific favors seafood with ceviche and aguachiles.
Both the Gulf Coast and Yucatan regions feature tropical fruits, with the former leaning Caribbean-African and the latter showing off its Mayan roots. Finally, there’s the Bajio region and its Spanish-influenced flavors, known for carnitas and cajeta. Invite guests to explore an LTO regional lineup or try a prix fixe menu with small plates highlighting every region.
Bonus points: Mole Poblano — made with 40+ ingredients! — is the official dish of Cinco de Mayo. Chiles en nogada is another popular choice, as the green, white, and red of this stuffed pepper represents the Mexican flag.
Sippin’
No Cinco de Mayo fiesta worth its salt is complete without margs and Mexican beer. Go for group appeal with pitcher specials (which save your staff steps on a busy bar night). Capitalize on the number 5 with $5 mix-and-match drink specials from which guests can choose their sips: Mexican sangria (a higher-octane tequila version), beer, margaritas, or beer-garitas. Contigo® Margarita Mix Concentrates and Rejuv® Juice Concentrates and Ready-To-Drink Juices are game for whatever you can mix, shake, and stir up.
Test some nuevo additions to your warm-weather drink menu with LTO specials ranging from unique palomas and margs to Mexican mules. Up the ante (and margins) with fun bev experiences like flights or tequila tastings made for sharing with friends and on the socials. Personally, I love a spicy margarita flight!
For those who say Cinco de May-NO, offer NA Mexican beverages and mocktails. Aguas de frutas and agua frescas are muy popular fruit drinks. Ride the dirty soda wave by adding coconut cream and lime to any soda you serve. Sangritas hit the super-cool swicy note with sweet fruit juices and hot sauce (tequila sidecar not required). Of course, you can — and should! — make any marg on your menu a mockarita. My rec: a Coconut Margarita Mocktail.
Flippin’
Strategic — not seismic — shifts to your menu can flip flavors Mexican without adding major headaches to prep or inventory. Tajin is loving its close-up, and its sweet heat works with everything from a tajin hollandaise, to Zesty Mac & Cheese Fries, to Mexican Street Corn Tumblers. Tamarind is another versatile team player, bringing zippy tang to marinades, jams, and drinks like iced teas and martinis.
Take the pressure off with authentic Mexican VIPs like Contigo® Roasted Street Corn Dip, Shredded Barbacoa, Birria Base, and Strawberry Margarita Pie. For sweet dreamers, add ¡Adelante!™ Churros, plain or filled with cajeta, to bring a little fiesta flair to desserts. For a flavor-twist on tres leches cake — the new Contigo® Horchata Tres Leches Cake takes the traditional fave to a whole new level.
The best advice during this uniquely festive and wildly popular cultural celebration: HAVE FUN — with your menu and your guests!