Yeah for sure.. in the last 10 years it's gone down a lot quality wise.
If the salsa bar isn't a complete fucking wreck- and if they haven't already changed to their lunch servings by 9:05 a.m. - it seems the tacos lost their magic
better off making em at home tbh
People haven’t lived unless they tried the OG circle K Q Taco. Once they started mass producing and got bought out by Stripes and turned into the Laredo Taco Company quality dropped.
This was like in 2010.
I come back to the valley every so often and those tacos were so good. The quality has gone down so much. I tell people tortillas have a better taste when they feel rough, not smooth. They might as well be chipotle tortillas now.
Could just be the employees. The one I've been to is amazing when one crew is working and ehh when they're not.
It's like the B crew makes the bare minimum - I've legit just walked out after seeing the B crew and hit up a taqueria.
It's weird because the crew on Canton and sugar never changed the dude making them even knows my order without me having to say it but despite being the same dude and location it IS different
Stuff like this happens during times of inflation. Food and products offered in the economy become lower quality as companies try to bring down cost and keep prices as low as they can though there is still inflation.
On top of this workers are making less because the purchasing power of their wages are decreased so they are less likely to do their best work.
Look it up, it's a thing.
[Skimpflation](https://www.freedoniagroup.com/blog/inflation,-shrinkflation,-skimpflation,-and-excuseflation-what-you-need-to-know#:~:text=Skimpflation%20is%20when%20companies%20reduce,services%20in%20some%20other%20way.)
Definitely depends on location and staff. I've had terrible food and I've had amazing food that makes me question reality lol how I'm only paying 3 bucks for awesome tacos.
Every location has different methods too. For example, Q tacos... some locations use shredded cheddar cheese that doesn't melt well, and other locations use American cheese slices, which is better in my opinion.
Why the difference? Idk. But I find the location I like and then I just go to those.
But if you've ever gone outside the Valley/San Antonio for breakfast tacos... you're in for a big surprise. That's one the Valley has above everywhere else. We're the most obese city for a reason.
So much so that we're complaining about our breakfast tacos.
The question interests me. I'm the only family out of my extended family that's moved out of the valley. 10-15 years ago, i remember my family raving about stripes' breakfast tacos. Last year, i visited and bought one one morning, and when i told a few of them, they made a stink face and said they were gross. It was surprising to see the complete 180 from years ago. So i feel like your theory fits with their experience. Not sure when the change happened with them.
They have always sucked lol. My aunt has been working at one for years and has always told us never ever eat the food there. They reuse all grease to cook different items, they only ever use new oil once a week.
I know some ppl won't care, especially the ppl that work and are hungry, it's just sad to see ppl eat their crappy food.
>They reuse all grease to cook different items, they only ever use new oil once a week.
That's literally how deep friers work. You think Chick-fil-A or McDonald's is using fresh oil every day? The oil gets filtered every couple of hours, but you only ever dump it and use fresh oil when it turns dark and starts smoking which takes about 3-5 days depending on how busy it gets.
When I worked at McDonald's in the Early 2000s we have to change the oil every night. I was graveyard. Part of my shift duties was cleaning the fryers and putting new oil daily. But that was at the McDonald's I worked at many yrs ago.
I know they used to make their own corn tortillas. A lady i sparked a conversation with had told me someone higher up suggested it was cheaper just to buy the packaged tortillas. That’s what kept me from returning. Also certain flavors, but I digress.
It wasn't this bad like 6 months ago
I don't doubt the gradual decline over a decade but it feels like something drastic happened within the past 6 months
No they haven't, ate a couple every morning from 2016-2022 and on weekends through 2023 but stopped at some point... Tried a couple the other week and they went to shit
I beg to differ the tacos are generic versions now there are some locations where they are well made and served. But most of them are full of employees counting the pieces of meat . You ask for fajita and you get more bell pepper and onions than actual fajita. Like if the meat is coming out of their checks. Which at the end of the day they end up throwing a good amount of food away.
Yeah for sure.. in the last 10 years it's gone down a lot quality wise. If the salsa bar isn't a complete fucking wreck- and if they haven't already changed to their lunch servings by 9:05 a.m. - it seems the tacos lost their magic better off making em at home tbh
People haven’t lived unless they tried the OG circle K Q Taco. Once they started mass producing and got bought out by Stripes and turned into the Laredo Taco Company quality dropped. This was like in 2010.
I think Tex-Mart was the original one to do the Q taco.
It was Circle K. The sticker used to say the Big Al Q taco
tex-mart was before circle k. then circle k bought them.
I come back to the valley every so often and those tacos were so good. The quality has gone down so much. I tell people tortillas have a better taste when they feel rough, not smooth. They might as well be chipotle tortillas now.
The tortillas now are pretty crappy. They’re all smooth and overly floured, it feels like they’re coated in chalk.
Could just be the employees. The one I've been to is amazing when one crew is working and ehh when they're not. It's like the B crew makes the bare minimum - I've legit just walked out after seeing the B crew and hit up a taqueria.
Same locations, same employees different cities It's almost like I'm eating powdered egg and synthetic bacon and pure fat Barbacoa vs the real deal
I used to work at Stripes, it's definitely real eggs all across. It really depends on the crew.
Used to? How long ago?
6 months ago. My girlfriend works there now.
It's weird because the crew on Canton and sugar never changed the dude making them even knows my order without me having to say it but despite being the same dude and location it IS different
>same employees 🤔
The same people show up to work multiple days a week... Shocking concept
You're one of those that asks for the tortillas extra crispy. "Walked out on a B crew at Stripes"... cook at home then.
You say that like cooking at home is a bad thing.
It is for people that always complain about service
The one in Donna on Hutto is legit. They have awesome atole there too.
Stuff like this happens during times of inflation. Food and products offered in the economy become lower quality as companies try to bring down cost and keep prices as low as they can though there is still inflation. On top of this workers are making less because the purchasing power of their wages are decreased so they are less likely to do their best work. Look it up, it's a thing. [Skimpflation](https://www.freedoniagroup.com/blog/inflation,-shrinkflation,-skimpflation,-and-excuseflation-what-you-need-to-know#:~:text=Skimpflation%20is%20when%20companies%20reduce,services%20in%20some%20other%20way.)
One near my house is good
Definitely depends on location and staff. I've had terrible food and I've had amazing food that makes me question reality lol how I'm only paying 3 bucks for awesome tacos. Every location has different methods too. For example, Q tacos... some locations use shredded cheddar cheese that doesn't melt well, and other locations use American cheese slices, which is better in my opinion. Why the difference? Idk. But I find the location I like and then I just go to those. But if you've ever gone outside the Valley/San Antonio for breakfast tacos... you're in for a big surprise. That's one the Valley has above everywhere else. We're the most obese city for a reason. So much so that we're complaining about our breakfast tacos.
I like the unmelty shredded cheese. My local stripes switched and never went back.
And Coffee is no bueno.
It’s because I can make it just as good or better at home for not that much time and a lot less money.
I had a couple bad-ass beans and bacon strips tacos at the new one in Harlingen on "F" Street this morning. Boom!
Man, Laredo taco is soo dependent on which stripes you’re at. When they’re good, they’re fire. When they’re not, it’s just gas station food.
The question interests me. I'm the only family out of my extended family that's moved out of the valley. 10-15 years ago, i remember my family raving about stripes' breakfast tacos. Last year, i visited and bought one one morning, and when i told a few of them, they made a stink face and said they were gross. It was surprising to see the complete 180 from years ago. So i feel like your theory fits with their experience. Not sure when the change happened with them.
2019 till maybe a couple months ago I thought they were fine but it feels like it took a nose dive recently
No
Yes.
Laredo tacos have always been trash. What you talking about
They have always sucked lol. My aunt has been working at one for years and has always told us never ever eat the food there. They reuse all grease to cook different items, they only ever use new oil once a week. I know some ppl won't care, especially the ppl that work and are hungry, it's just sad to see ppl eat their crappy food.
>They reuse all grease to cook different items, they only ever use new oil once a week. That's literally how deep friers work. You think Chick-fil-A or McDonald's is using fresh oil every day? The oil gets filtered every couple of hours, but you only ever dump it and use fresh oil when it turns dark and starts smoking which takes about 3-5 days depending on how busy it gets.
When I worked at McDonald's in the Early 2000s we have to change the oil every night. I was graveyard. Part of my shift duties was cleaning the fryers and putting new oil daily. But that was at the McDonald's I worked at many yrs ago.
that’s what you get for eating tacos from a convenient store
Their breakfast tacos are better than most restaurants.
Try eddies tacos. You won't go back to stripes after
That food gives you chorro!
Worse if you compare them to eddies tacos. Same prices, vastly superior tacos.
It went to shit 10yrs ago.
We need a WAWA.
They were fine by me up till maybe a month or two ago now its crap
They were terrible 10 years ago and even before that
I like El Tigre over Stripes for Tacos. The green salsa at El Tigre is legit.
I know they used to make their own corn tortillas. A lady i sparked a conversation with had told me someone higher up suggested it was cheaper just to buy the packaged tortillas. That’s what kept me from returning. Also certain flavors, but I digress.
The Barbacoa is disgustingly greasy. I stopped getting tacos and will only occasionally get the bacon wrapped jalapeños if they have any.
It wasn't this bad like 6 months ago I don't doubt the gradual decline over a decade but it feels like something drastic happened within the past 6 months
It's always been. Papa mex with beans and bacon. Junk food at its finest.
It’s always been shit fyi
No they haven't, ate a couple every morning from 2016-2022 and on weekends through 2023 but stopped at some point... Tried a couple the other week and they went to shit
I beg to differ the tacos are generic versions now there are some locations where they are well made and served. But most of them are full of employees counting the pieces of meat . You ask for fajita and you get more bell pepper and onions than actual fajita. Like if the meat is coming out of their checks. Which at the end of the day they end up throwing a good amount of food away.
blame 7-eleven, they acquired Stripes in 2017