The Best Cinco de Mayo Deals at Chipotle, Taco Bell, and More in 2026

The best Cinco de Mayo deals in 2026 include free chips and queso at Chipotle with a promo code, free tacos at El Pollo Loco through the app, $1 margaritas at Applebee’s, $5 margaritas at Chili’s, and free burritos at Del Taco for Rewards members.

Cinco de Mayo 2026 falls on a Tuesday, which makes it one of the better years to be a deal hunter. Every major Mexican-style chain is going to stack their Cinco de Mayo promotions on top of Taco Tuesday deals, and several drink chains are treating the overlap as a full week-long event.

Most chains announce specific 2026 details in the final week of April, so this article covers both confirmed deals and what you can confidently expect based on consistent year-over-year patterns. I will update this as announcements drop.

Key Takeaways

• Cinco de Mayo 2026 falls on a Tuesday, creating a Taco Tuesday overlap that should amplify deals across the board
• Almost every major deal now requires a restaurant app or loyalty account, so download the relevant apps before May 5
• Applebee’s $1 Dollarita has run every year since 2017 and is virtually certain to return
• Chipotle’s Cinco de Mayo promotions are digital-only and require promo codes entered through the app or website
• Most announcements from major chains drop between April 25 and May 3

The Best Cinco de Mayo 2026 Deals by Restaurant

Chipotle

Chipotle has not officially confirmed its 2026 promotion yet. In 2025, the announcement came on April 29, so expect similar timing.

Based on the 2025 deal, which was one of the most generous Chipotle has run, I am anticipating free chips and Queso Blanco with any regular-priced entrée using a promo code through the app or website, plus free delivery for several days around May 5. In 2025, Chipotle also ran a digital game on Roblox where the first 50,000 players to complete the experience won a free entrée code, giving away over $1 million in food.

All Chipotle Cinco de Mayo deals are app and website exclusive. Nothing is available walk-in. Download the Chipotle app and have an account set up before the week of May 5. Check chipotle.com/cinco for the official announcement as it drops.

For getting the most out of your Chipotle order when you redeem, my best Chipotle order guide covers every build worth considering.

Taco Bell

Taco Bell also has not confirmed 2026 specifics. In 2025 the deal was a free Nachos Bell Grande with delivery orders of $20 or more through DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Rewards members also got access to $1 Crispy Chicken Nuggets and $1 Soft Taco Supremes through timed Tuesday Drops limited to the first 20,000 members.

Since May 5 is a Tuesday this year, I expect Taco Bell to lean into the Taco Tuesday angle harder than usual. The regular Taco Bell Rewards Tuesday Drops and Cinco de Mayo promotions should run simultaneously, which makes having the Taco Bell app set up in advance more important than in past years.

aFor more on making the most of your Taco Bell order, the best Taco Bell items guide covers what is actually worth ordering.

Applebee’s

The Applebee’s Dollarita is the most reliable Cinco de Mayo deal in the country. A $1 classic margarita has run at Applebee’s every year since 2017, and parent company Dine Brands has pointed to it as one of their most effective promotions since 93% of Dollarita purchases include add-on food orders.

In 2025, the Dollarita ran all of May, with optional flavor upgrades for $0.50 extra and premium options at $5 and $9 for higher-end tequila builds. Dine-in only at participating locations. No app required for the base deal.

Chili’s

Chili’s takes Cinco de Mayo seriously. The chain sells more margaritas than any other restaurant brand in the US and has publicly called May 5 their Super Bowl for drinks.

In 2025 they offered a $5 Tequila Trifecta Margarita made with three tequila brands, plus $5 options across their standard lineup. My Chili’s Rewards members get free chips and salsa on every visit year-round, which stacks with any Cinco de Mayo food specials. Dine-in only. No confirmation for 2026 yet but the $5 margarita is essentially a given.

Del Taco

Del Taco ran one of the most stacked single-day deal lists in 2025. Rewards members got a free burrito with any $10 purchase through the Del Yeah! app, free fries with a $5 purchase, a free taco with a $5 purchase, and $0 delivery on orders over $15.

Since May 5 is a Tuesday in 2026, Del Taco’s regular Taco Tuesday pricing of 3 Value Tacos for $1.99 should stack with Cinco de Mayo promotions. The Del Yeah! Rewards app is required for most deals.

Moe’s Southwest Grill

Moe’s runs “Cinco de Moe’s” every year. In 2025 the deal was free queso with any entrée and a free T-shirt to the first 20 guests in-store at participating locations, no purchase required for the shirt. In prior years they offered $5 burrito combos.

The free queso with entrée is the deal to plan around. The T-shirt line forms fast at busy locations, so if you want one, arrive at opening. Check moes.com/cinco for the official 2026 announcement.

El Pollo Loco

El Pollo Loco gave away 2 free chicken tacos with any $15 or more purchase through the app in 2025. Rewards members also got a free 5 oz bottle of Tapatío hot sauce. The chain has partnered with Tapatío on this promotion for several consecutive years so I expect it to return.

App required. Free Loco Rewards membership required to access the deal.

Qdoba

Qdoba offered free guacamole and queso with every entrée on May 5, 2025. For context, guac and queso are free with entrées for Qdoba Rewards members year-round, so the Cinco de Mayo version effectively extends that perk to all customers for the day. Some franchise locations independently ran $5 burritos dine-in.

7-Eleven

One of the most overlooked Cinco de Mayo programs runs at 7-Eleven and the in-store Laredo Taco Company restaurants. In 2025 they ran BOGO free burritos on May 5, free chips and queso all week, 50% off Laredo Taco Company orders of $20 or more on the 7NOW app, and $3 off Corona, Dos Equis, and Modelo beer for 7Rewards and Speedy Rewards members. Ten mini tacos were $2 through the rewards app.

The 7-Eleven app and free 7Rewards membership are required for most of these. If you are near a 7-Eleven with a Laredo Taco Company inside, this is one of the better Cinco de Mayo value plays in terms of sheer volume of deals.

The Best Cinco de Mayo Drink Deals

The $5 margarita is the universal Cinco de Mayo drink price point at sit-down chains. Here is what ran in 2025 and is expected to return:

Applebee’s anchors at $1 with the Dollarita, which makes it the clear value leader. The other chains cluster at $5.

On The Border ran $5 Grande Margaritas for all five days of Cinco de Mayo week.

Bahama Breeze offered $5 original margaritas plus outdoor block party events.

Red Lobster had a $5 Cinco Rita at all dine-in locations.

California Pizza Kitchen ran $5 margaritas plus free White Corn Guacamole and Chips from May 1 through May 5, available just by mentioning it to your server.

Chili’s at $5 and Bonefish Grill at $5 both ran their specials without requiring a food purchase.

Nearly all drink deals are dine-in only due to state alcohol delivery laws. Do not count on the margarita deals through delivery apps.

The One Already Confirmed 2026 Promotion

The only fully confirmed 2026 Cinco de Mayo promotion as of now is Teremana Tequila’s “Guac on the Rock” campaign, which launched April 1 and runs through May 31.

The deal reimburses up to $10 for an appetizer when you order a Teremana cocktail at a participating bar or restaurant. Submit your receipt at guacontherock.com via Venmo. New this year, it also works at retail: buy a 750ml or larger bottle of Teremana plus a margarita mixer and submit for reimbursement. Total nationwide cap is $1 million.

It is not a chain deal but it stacks with any restaurant you are already going to on May 5.

Download These Apps Before May 5

The shift to app-exclusive deals means walk-in customers increasingly miss the best Cinco de Mayo offers. Here is the short list worth downloading now:

The Chipotle app for promo code deals and free delivery. The Taco Bell app for Rewards Tuesday Drops. The Del Yeah! Rewards app for Del Taco’s stacked day-of deals. The Loco Rewards app for El Pollo Loco’s free taco offer. The 7-Eleven app for beer discounts and the Laredo mini taco deal. The Moe’s app for Cinco de Moe’s loyalty pricing.

All of these memberships are free. Setting them up before the last week of April means you are ready the moment announcements drop.

The Bottom Line

The best pure value plays on May 5, 2026 are the Applebee’s Dollarita at $1, the Chipotle free chips and queso promo code, and the Del Taco free burrito through the Del Yeah! Rewards app if you are ordering anyway. The El Pollo Loco free taco deal is also excellent if you have a location near you.

Most official 2026 confirmations will drop April 25 through May 3. I will update this article as announcements come in. In the meantime, the pattern is reliable: the $1 margarita, the free side at Chipotle, and the app-gated Taco Bell drops have all run for multiple consecutive years.

For more Cinco de Mayo food ideas beyond the deals, my Cinco de Mayo chain restaurant food guide covers what to order at each chain when you get there.

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