A peculiar legal dispute in Indiana has ended with an unexpected ruling that settled a longstanding cultural debate: tacos and burritos are considered sandwiches, according to Judge Craig Bobay of the Allen County Superior Court.
An Indiana judge has just handed down a controversial ruling that is making people feel all kinds of ways: Tacos and burritos are sandwiches.
And he’s just factually incorrect. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/LAVZIidPTq
— Louder with Crowder Dot Com (@LWCnewswire) May 16, 2024
The saga began in 2022 when developer Martin Quintana proposed opening his restaurant, “The Famous Taco Mexican Grill,” in a Fort Wayne strip mall. However, the Allen County Planning Commission rejected his application, citing a prior agreement that restricted the types of eateries allowed at the location.
Under the agreement, only alcohol-free restaurants serving “made-to-order or subway-style sandwiches” were permitted to operate in the strip mall. This stipulation aimed to prevent certain fast-food chains from setting up shop in the area, as revealed in court documents.
Following over two years of legal wrangling, Judge Bobay sided with Quintana, asserting that his original plans aligned with the terms of the initial agreement. In his ruling, Bobay declared that tacos and burritos could be classified as “Mexican style sandwiches,” thereby permitting Quintana’s restaurant to proceed as intended.
“The Famous Taco restaurant is permissible under the terms of the original Written Commitment,” Bobay stated in his opinion, emphasizing that the agreement did not exclusively restrict potential restaurants to serving American cuisine-style sandwiches. He also agreed 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.”
Although the ruling marks a victory for Quintana, the Allen County Planning Commission retains the option to challenge the decision through an appeal process.
Following his victory, Quintana told the Associated Press that he is relieved that the legal battle is over and is looking forward to opening the restaurant.
“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,” he told the outlet, confirming that the family-owned restaurant “The Famous Taco” will likely be opening in the next two to three months.
