Rantz: Taco Time went woke, dropped Mexi-Fries name after faux anger

Taco Time’s iconic Mexi-Fries couldn’t withstand Seattle’s wokeness. The fast-food institution stealthily ditched the name after some pretended to be offended. It’s not new, but it’s a move that some (myself included) suddenly noticed.

A December Facebook post by the company caught the attention of loyal customers after a photo of the Mexi-Fries had text to include #TaterFries. They wanted to know what was up with the name change. After all, they’ve held the name since the mid-70s.

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“Tater fries sounds like plain old boring frozen tater tots that I can buy at the store even though your recipe is the same,” one user complained. Another, bewildered, asked “why the rebranding?”

A social media manager fielded the questions over the name change with a statement. It said that Taco Time leadership spoke with employees and received “guest feedback on how they felt about the name.” Afterward, the leadership team “decided it was time for a change.”

“Nothing has or will change other than the name. Our Tater-Fries are still the same great tasty side that you’ve come to know and love. We hope you understand why we’ve made this decision and we appreciate your continued support,” the statement read.

But it’s impossible to understand why they’ve made the decision. They don’t explain the nature of the comments from employees or guests. A spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

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It’s unclear when this change was made, though a Reddit discussion made reference to the change in late 2020.

Presumably, the feigned outrage over the name Mexi-Fries is prompted by cultural appropriation. “Mexi” comes from Mexican or Mexico and we’re supposed to pretend that it’s verboten language when uttered by white restauranteurs. If this is what people are pretending to be angry about, is it more faux-offensive than the company’s founder being white? Will Kahala Brands, a subsidiary of a Canadian company, give up ownership? Naturally, a Mexico-based company can take the reigns!

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This move results from a company either hoping to get ahead of a controversy over the name (one that’s unlikely to occur) or a reflection of an embrace of woke values. But when a company succumbs to pressure from a left-wing mob pretending to be upset — or, in this case, a left-wing mob that hasn’t even materialized — they should know that it won’t end. These people are relentless, perpetually faux-outraged, and will always look to bully a company into submission.

Not everyone will give up on the name, however. “You spelled ‘mexi fries’ wrong,” one customer posted. I’m betting more customers will keep the old name.

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