Hunting for anywhere to save a buck, Taco Tuesday made Qdoba a popular destination for students.

With the final Taco Tuesday in the history books, students have something to “taco bout.”

Beonka Reese, Qdoba shift manager, said corporate officials decided to end Taco Tuesday at all of the restaurants effective Sept. 29.

She said, “It has been three years strong, and they want to turn over a new leaf and try something different.”

Reese said this means menu changes across the board.

Garrett Scott, senior in criminal justice, and Qdoba employee, said the Wichita Falls Qdoba location has hosted its weekly Taco Tuesday event for about three years, and that this location has been open for five years.

Reese and Scott both said they think student business will decline as a result of the changes.

Scott said, “The main reason students come in here is to get tacos because they’re cheaper.”

However, Scott said getting six tacos (like some students do) really is not cheaper than buying a regular entrée.

He said, “It just depends on how many tacos you usually get. Sometimes tacos are a good deal, but you don’t get a free drink when you get them.” The drink special for students will continue even when Taco Tuesday is gone.

“This isn’t just like a ‘let’s quit doing Taco Tuesday’, it’s more of a restaurant reconstruction,” Scott said.

And Scott said he’s not sure what the eventual impact will be.

“It depends on how customers like the new menu builds,” Reese said.

Scott said, “The new stuff we’re going to offer on the menu is going to be better for the variation of taste.”

Other restaurants in the community offer Taco Tuesday deals, including: Fuzzy’s, On the Border, and El Norteno, something Reese said she hopes doesn’t impact business.

“I hope not. I really hope not. I really hope this thing is just going to be a big bang.”

While other places charge extra for taco toppings, Qdoba’s will remain all-inclusive like it is on Taco Tuesday.

“When you think about it, they will probably be paying the same amount here as when they go somewhere else for all the extras, and all the extras are still free here,” Reese said.

Scott said, “Just at least come in to try our new stuff. Don’t just give up on Taco Tuesday.”

Chris Portillo, senior in general business and Taco Tuesday regular, said he began making his weekly trips to Qdoba last fall. He used to go to Fuzzy’s for Taco Tuesday, but once he tried Qdoba’s he never went anywhere else.

“Every chance I get, I go,” Portillo said.

Portillo said he will come back to try out the new menu just because it’s a pretty good place to eat and they seem excited about the new options. However, he said that he will go somewhere else for Taco Tuesday.