What would it take to make a taco cost $1 again? 🌮

Food prices are climbing everywhere. In Los Angeles, the average taco is now between $2.50 and $3.85. Customers feel it. Business owners feel it. But what if there was a way to bring back the $1 taco — without losing money?

The idea: a membership.

• Pay once per year.

• Unlock tacos at $1 each within a monthly credit.

• Extra tacos that month? Just $1.75.

• Drinks and sides stay normal, which adds margin for the shop.

Why it works:

• Shops get stable, upfront revenue from memberships.

• Customers get affordable tacos again.

• Attach a drink or chips and the math balances out.

• It builds loyalty instead of raising prices endlessly.

In LA, the numbers suggest memberships could range from about $150/year for a truck to $230/year for a shop. Members see $1 tacos at the window, non-members pay the usual market price.

It’s not about building a new business. It’s about helping existing taquerías survive and thrive, while making food more accessible.

So I’ll ask again:

👉 What would it take to make a taco cost $1 again?

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Discussion

To see a $1 taco again, the customer needs to pay a portion of the actual cost upfront (via a membership) and the retailer needs to use this steady cash flow to reduce the unit price.

Simply put:

Without membership → $1 taco impossible.

With membership + cross-selling → possible again.