Posted on 05/22/2024 10:19:52 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Though this ruling can feel deeply unserious, it has major consequences for one small business.
What, exactly, defines a sandwich? It's a question people have been arguing over since the dawn of time. But, at least according to one Indiana judge, tacos fall into whatever that definition may be.
In May, Allen County Superior Court Judge Craig Bobay ruled that "tacos and burritos are Mexican-style sandwiches." Though this ruling can feel deeply unserious, it has major consequences for one small business that was hoping to open a restaurant in the city of Fort Wayne.
As the Associated Press reported, the legal battle was brought to the courts by Martin Quintana, nearly three years ago after he attempted to open a second location for his restaurant The Famous Taco. However, his plans were thwarted due to the fact that he agreed to a written commitment with the local neighborhood association that limited the space to a restaurant that is "a sandwich bar-style restaurant whose primary business is to sell 'made-to-order' or 'subway-style' sandwiches," the AP reported. And Quintana's taco spot, to the association, didn't fit the bill. He asked for the agreement to be amended to include his made-to-order tacos, burritos, and "Mexican-style food items," which they denied. So, in 2022, Quintana sued the Fort Wayne Plan Commission, and the court finally ruled in his favor last week.
Crispy Pork Belly Tacos with Pico de Gallo Interestingly, Judge Bobay added that the plan commission was in the right to deny an amendment, but the request was never needed in the first place, as tacos are sandwiches anyway, the Journal Gazette reported.
"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," the ruling read.
"I'm glad this thing is over. We are happy. When you have a decision like this the only thing you can be is happy. We're excited," Quintana told the AP about the ruling.
The Best Wines to Pair with Fish Tacos The original agreement, the Gazette added, already permitted restaurants that served "made-to-order Greek gyros, Indian naan wraps, or Vietnamese banh mi" if they complied with the other conditions in the agreement, so we can safely assume those were considered sandwiches, too.
So, what else is a sandwich? Well, even we wouldn't dare to draw a boundary. After all, Padma Lakshmi and the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg both said hot dogs are sandwiches, and who would argue with them? So, really, a sandwich is as limitless as your imagination.
The illegals will love it
La senorita should vamanos to la cocina and make me a taco.
A taco is a taco and a sandwich is a sandwich. Didn’t need no Havaaaad law degree to deduce that.
If a male can call himself “she” or “her”, I can call a taco a sandwich!
The regulation itself was stupid, unnecessary, restrictive, exclusive and likely meant and designed to protect some incumbant businesses. ALL small local businesses are good to the general local business environment because of the “foot traffic” the bring to the area.
“A taco is a taco and a sandwich is a sandwich.”
I sometimes take one slice of bread, put some peanut butter and jam on it, and then fold it over to eat it.
Is that a sandwich or a taco?
Declaring a taco is a sandwich is much easier to accept than claiming that a man is a woman or vice versa.
I grew up in SoCal in the 50s. Family would take occasional trips to TJ. My dad told me that tacos were like Mexican hot dogs.
"Fulfill all your wishes with my taco-flavored kisses."
It is like the differentiation of foods to determine whether they can be purchased with food stamps or not. It gets fuzzy, but to some people it is deadly serious.
John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, would be surprised that his “invention” has been debated since the “Dawn of Time”.
Maybe he should be Conde Sandwicho . . . a little Spanish lingo there.
In both cases the end result is that the people suing won and got to open their business.
Which leads to the question. Is a lettuce wrap a sandwich?
To take it a step further an Oreo can be considered a sandwich, 2 floured items with substance between them.
I concur. Sandwiches involve bread. There is no bread in tacos, burritos or enchiladas. Peanut butter or any other filling between two crackers does not a sandwich make either.
Ignorant clods. The correct wrd is submarine sandwich.
By erring in the adjective, they made it all meritless
Petty bureaucrats are vicious shyts who are jealous of success. Like crabs in bucket they will pull everyone down with them.
They are called sandwich cookies.
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