Last week, readers were tasked with voting on their favorite cheap fast food taco. The whole social experiment involved strictly the American-style corn tacos in Wichita only that are nothing like many of the traditional street tacos or Tex-Mex offerings found in Mexican restaurants and food trucks. Despite many people being upset they weren’t included in the category, thousands of other readers still showed up to vote over the course of the week.

The poll placed seven fast food restaurants against each other: Taco Bell, Taco Grande, Taco John’s, Taco Pronto, Taco Rio, Taco Shop, and Taco Tico. Readers were tasked with ranking all seven places from first to seventh.

In the end, three restaurants received more than 10% of the first place votes. Here are the results from last to first.

7. Taco John’s

Someone had to finish last and for the readers, they selected Taco John’s for this infamous spot. The restaurant which used to have a location in Derby now has just one in Wichita, but there is a second on the way. A majority of their votes were for either 5th, 6th, and 7th place. Their most popular landing spot was 6th place.

6. Taco Bell

A Harris Poll in 2018 named Taco Bell as America’s Best Mexican Restaurant. But the world’s biggest fast food taco restaurant in town landed at 6th place in the Wichita By E.B. Poll. Taco Bell received 33% of the last place, more than any other restaurant but enough votes in higher spots to push them above Taco John’s in the overall poll. For what it’s worth, 5% of the poll voted Taco Bell best fast food taco.

5. Taco Rio

The remaining five fast food taco spots in town all have a relatively large following. One had to be put at fifth and for the poll voters, they placed Taco Rio in that position. Perhaps only have one location put them at a disadvantage. Every other restaurant has multiple locations except for Taco John’s which has one location with a second on the way but many around the country. Taco Rio had most of their votes range in the 5th and 6th place position.

4. Taco Grande

Taco Grande has two locations in Wichita, but many spread out across Kansas. They ended up in fourth in the poll which just so happened to be the same position where a majority of their votes landed. 20.8% of readers put them in this spot. They had more 3rd, 4th and 5th place votes than any other restaurant. Taco Grande barely edged out Taco Rio for 4th place.

3. Taco Pronto

For only have two locations, both on the west side of town, this was an impressive showing for Taco Pronto. Voters had them spread out all across the poll with many 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th place votes. 19.5% of voters had them in first place which was the most popular landing spot for them.

2. Taco Tico

A long-time Wichita tradition which at one point was gone for good has found new life in town. According to poll voters, they were excited about the rejuvenation of Taco Tico. They received 23.1% of the first place votes as well as 20.4% of the second place votes. A huge showing of voters had them in either the 1 or 2 spot.

1. Taco Shop

Judging by the comments alone on Facebook, it should come as no surprise that Taco Shop beat out all other six restaurants for the top spot in the fast food taco poll. They received a whopping 36.2% of first place votes and 25.7% of second place votes. They also had the least number of 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th place votes showing that many readers still believed they belonged at the top.

Now that the poll is over and the results have been counted and released, it’s time for the people to complain….

Happy Dining,
Eddy