IT’S A DOUBLE PROMOTION

Cinco de Mayo’s right around the corner. And because it falls on a Saturday this year, we’re celebrating on Cinco AND Cuatro de Mayo. That’s right—if you make any purchase at California Tortilla on Friday, May 4th or Saturday, May 5th, we’ll give you a free taco coupon that can be redeemed anytime between May 6th and May 15th. (Hopefully you’ve got a head for dates.)

Cinco de Mayo is our favorite holiday at California Tortilla and we’re making it a 2 day extravaganza this year. So stop on by on May 4th or 5th and get a coupon for a free and fabulous taco!

*One coupon per customer.

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

If you haven’t tried our new Caribbean Mango Burrito or Caribbean Mango Salad, you’ve got to try them. They’re SO delicious. I eat the salad every single day. Every single day. I’m telling you—it’s that’s good. And look—a handy picture and description…

Caribbean Mango Burrito: Mexican Rice, Black Beans, Blackened Chicken, Caribbean, Mango Sauce, Mango Salsa and Crisp Romaine Lettuce. Small: $6.49 Regular/Bowl: $7.29

Caribbean Mango Salad: Fresh Salad Mix, Blackened Chicken, Mango Salsa, Hass Avocado Slices, Crunchy Tortilla Strips, Juicy Roma Tomatoes, Fresh Cilantro and Caribbean Mango Sauce. $7.99

THIS JUST IN

Mother’s Day is almost here and a very funny conversation that I had with some of my friends recently got me to thinking about how different it is being a mother now than it was when I was a kid. And while your experience might have been different, I’d like to share just a few of my childhood mother memories. Ready?

WHEN I WAS A KID…

• My mother didn’t make us wear seatbelts. She let us bounce around the car unfettered – and if need be, whipped out her Mom Arm to stop us from flying through the windshield. (My husband said that sometimes his mother let him lie on the dashboard. I think that might have been a little excessive, even for those days.)

• In elementary school, my mother let me make Jiffy Pop by myself. If you’re not familiar with Jiffy Pop, you cooked it over an open flame and shook it with a metal, heat-conducting handle. Woo-hoo!

• My mother used to be able to keep me occupied for hours with a Slinky—which I think may say more about me than my mother.

• When I got home from school, my mother made me go directly outdoors with the warning, “Don’t come home until supper.” (I once sold all the vegetables from our neighbor’s garden without telling them. She paid closer attention after that.

• When it rained out, my mother made me wear plastic bread bags on my feet. (How much were boots?)

• My mother used to bake all of my birthday cakes with pennies (taken directly out of her pocket) hidden in them. The kids who survived my parties thought that was the greatest.

Looking back, my mom was nothing if not fun. And now that I’m a mother I appreciate her more than ever. So do me a favor and give your mom an extra hug (or better yet, a Caribbean Mango Salad) for me on Mother’s Day—she deserves it. And if you have any childhood memories of your mother (or father!) that you’d like to share, please email me at pfelix@californiatortilla.com. I’d love to hear them.

AND FINALLY…

If you’ve got an event that’s coming up sometime soon (oh, say something like Cinco de Mayo or Mother’s Day) and you need some delicious yet reasonable food, we’d love to cater it. Just call 1-855-CALTORT (1-855-225-8678) and speak to Melissa, our catering specialist. She’ll do all the work and you’ll get all the credit. And really, isn’t that what it’s all about?

On that note, Happy Mother’s Day AND Cinco de Mayo!

Congratulations to our Social Media Month winners of the Twitter contest! Here is a list of all the magnificent tweets that won Free Burritos for a year!

Kacey ‏ @KaceyMack22

“Is it socially acceptable to get @caltort twice in one day? There before it even opened and then again for dinner? #Obsessed”

Laura ‏ @BeltwayBargain

“Fee. Fi. Fo. Fum. @caltort Burrito here I come #happybelly #spunkynurseryrhyme”

Brett ‏ @BrettRosenthal

“Instead of counting sheep last night in my sleep, I counted burritos. I slept in until noon and woke up just in time for a @caltort #lunch”

Amy ‏ @amymaline

“Shark Week hats never die. All we need now is fish tacos and queso from @caltort #quesowatch2012 http://pic.twitter.com/8ydntD0F”

Jason‏ @acemagician

“Knock knock. Who’s there? Caltort. Caltort who? Caltorturing me by making me come up with clever tweets! #isuckatthis. @caltort”

Megan ‏ @ megg_north

“Bad day: cheer up w/ @caltort ; Good day: celebrate w/ @caltort . Average day: spice it up w/ @caltort ; everyday is a @caltort day!!  #winning”

Ashley‏ @smashleywhit

“I love @caltort so much that I was a @caltort taco for Halloween! #caltortsmmonth http://lockerz.com/s/190111524″

Niel ‏ @nieliswonderful

“@caltort mangoburrito rocked my socks off,walk home sans socks,halfway home,craved another-went back 4 2nds #fulfilled http://pic.twitter.com/llZHLzIC”

Alex @Mr_Possimpible

“EARLY RELEASE: A SONG FOR STACEY!!! (Lyrics in description) #Caltortsmmonth by Mr_Possimpible via #soundcloud http://soundcloud.com/mr_possimpible/caltor-rap?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=twitter&utm_content=http://soundcloud.com/mr_possimpible/caltor-rap @Caltort”

Rob ‏ @rob_lacey

“@caltort, Hope you enjoy my silent film: The Burrito-ist: http://youtu.be/rDgn5uWBGg0 #caltortsmmonth”

Michael ‏ @MichaelTKeegan

“My dog hoped to find some @caltort remnants in the trash. Too bad for him I lick the queso cups clean. #caltortsmmonth http://pic.twitter.com/QdI1TLqA”

Jon ‏ @JapersRink

“@caltort Check it out… the CalTortle. http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1000035/CalTortle.gif #caltortsmmonth #cantbeunseen”

Alicia @AliciaNicoleL

“Can you solve my @caltort crossword puzzle? Word bank included #caltortsmmonth http://pic.twitter.com/5myjIAVb”

Daniel ‏ @DannyShazam

“A Dramatic Re-Telling of my day with @caltort. #caltortsmmonth I was innocently sitting there. My classes were (cont) http://tl.gd/gd6n5f ”

Dave ‏ @davfalcon

“@caltort If I was producing a sitcom, it would be called ‘The Big Burrito Theory’ or ‘Burritos and Recreation’ #caltortsmmonth”

Jason ‏ @konajinx

“When I’m short @caltort makes me tall! Build a fort with @caltort and it won’t fall! Even in court @caltort rules overall!”

Richard ‏ @rpress99

“The Most Interesting Man In The World enjoys The Most Delicious Burritos In The World -@caltort, natch http://twitpic.com/8x5t51″

Thomas ‏ @ThomasGParisi

“Hey @caltort here is my entry for #caltortsmmonth. stop motion movie “come back here with my @caltort” http://youtu.be/HSOWEYU-XdE”

Claudia ‏ @DoubleIvy

“A delicious @caltort Steak Fajita Burrito Bowl keeps calling me. I’ve got caller ID. Make him stop…or deliver. #IKnowURHungryAndAlone”

John ‏ @J_D_Dogg

“Jury duty means lunch @caltort. I’m guilty of enjoying a terrific burrito. #VoirDire”

Danny ‏ @DannyBWein

“California theme night: @90210 at 8pm, NCIS: Los Angeles at 9pm, and a @caltort California Screamin’ burrito for supper! #caltortsmmonth”

Julian ‏ @jbaboo

“@caltort when wifey goes to @caltort she is so excited about burritos & tacos that she says: HAY DIOS MIO! @caltort RIQUISIMO!”

Stephen ‏ @Skinde

“I don’t wanna take up time, to come up with a silly rhyme. I want to win, it’s not enough, to get burritos in #caltortsmmonth. @caltort”

Chris ‏ @PennStater7

“In honor of March Madness tonight I start @caltort Bracket to determine best burrito. Tonight 1 Carnitas Verde vs 8 Fajita #caltortsmmonth”

Katie ‏ @KatieBrebbia

“They say Rome wasn’t built in a day. I say it would’ve been if they were rewarded w/ @caltort”

Leah ‏ @o_leah_o

“Boyfriend is making me drink a naked juice & eat a kind bar for breakfast. Thank god @caltort is for lunch!”

John ‏ @johndeans

“I always wanted to be a burrito, now I can pretend by wrapping up in my new @caltort tshirt, thanks!”

Barb ‏ @airynothing

“Bright spot of the day? Diet Vanilla Coke!!! Thanks to the hubs and Coke Freestyle @caltort. #itsthesmallthings”

Jeff ‏ @EnsignFoxtrot

“@caltort Beans and queso, salsa dip, come and have a fresh-made chip; a restaurant that’s not a bore, come enjoy some fresh Caltor! #burrito”

Darby ‏ @THE_DARBARIAN

“The first time I took a bite out of a crunchy BBQ ranch burrito I had to ask if I was taking a bite of a burrito.. Or heaven @caltort”

Brian @MisterBdotP

” ‘I’ve got 52 burritos and I’m gonna eat each 1′ – is now the official winner’s song for #caltortsmmonth from @caltort”

CSPnet.com came out with a “Thirty Great Ideas” list and California Tortilla made number 13 for our Wall of Flame, we are honored!

13. Burning Wall of Fire

What’s your signature? California Tortilla, a 35-store fast-casual burrito chain (in airports under the Burrito Elito banner), placed its signature on the wall — the “Wall of Flame,” with nearly 75 hot sauces. Sauces are complimentary for in-store use, and bottles of each are available for purchase.

To read the article, click here.

Questions! Questions! Questions!

We get lots of questions here at the Cal Tort HQ, and I’d like to answer just a few of the more pressing ones we’ve gotten lately. Ready?

Q. Every time I order, my co-worker whips out her Burrito elito card before I can find mine and then she ends up getting the points for my meal. What can I do?

A. The next time she does this and the spunky cashier says, “You have $5 in Burrito Bucks on your card, would you like to use it?” Say yes. That’ll put an end to that.

Q. Why don’t women seem to care what the heat ranking of their hot sauce is?

A. Because they’re normal.

Q. What is the single biggest complaint you get from customers?

A. That I insinuate half of them aren’t normal.

Q. What is the most difficult part of being a queen?

A. Getting the other queens to return my calls. I’ve been trying to arrange a happy hour forever.

Q. I LOVE the new Caribbean Mango Salad! What makes me crave it so?

A. It’s made with the really fresh, really flavorful ingredients. (That’s it. I just wanted to nonchalantly work in how much I love the new salad. I eat it every day. EVERY DAY.)

Have a burning question? Email me at pfelix@californiatortilla.com. I love to hear myself talk.

Speaking of our fabulous limited time offer…

Caribbean Mango Burrito: Mexican Rice, Black Beans, Blackened Chicken, Caribbean, Mango Sauce, Mango Salsa and Crisp Romaine Lettuce. Small: $6.49 Regular/Bowl: $7.29

Caribbean Mango Salad: Fresh Salad Mix, Blackened Chicken, Mango Salsa, Hass Avocado Slices, Crunchy Tortilla Strips, Juicy Roma Tomatoes, Fresh Cilantro and Caribbean Mango Sauce. $7.99

Reward a Hero, and yourself!

Do you have a community hero-someone who’s helping others but whose good deeds fly under the radar? Tell us in a few sentences what makes him or her so special and if we choose your hero, you’ll BOTH win big:

What your hero will win:

A free Cal Tort catering party for 50 people. PLUS, best selling authro and huge California Tortilla Fan, Brad Meltzer, will write an essay about your hero that will be included in the next Taco Talk. 150,000 people will soon know all about your hero. (Yes, every time I make a typo, I do it in front of 150,000 people.)

What you’ll win:

A free Cal Tort catering party for 50 people!

How to Make a Nomination:

Simply email spunky@caltort.com by April 22nd and tell us in a few sentences what makes your hero the best hero in all the land.

On that note, we hope you’ll check out  the book that inspired this promotion: Brad Meltzer’s Heroes for My Daughter. It’s a collection of the stories of 55 remarkable people that’s meant to guide daughters on their journey to adulthood (thus ensuring that I’m not one of the 55). The book comes out April 10^th and I’m sure you’ll love it. Brad’s a great writer and a really nice guy to boot.

Now go find that hero.

AND FINALLY…

Cinco de Mayo’s right around the corner! (Guess when?) Make sure to order early. If you order by April 22nd you will receive $1 off per person for every order of 20 people or more. Woo-hoo!

Have you catered with California Tortilla before? We offer burrito, fajita and taco parties for any size group. Plus it’s so easy! We’ll provide plates, napkins, utensils, and a bottle of our house Hot Sauce, California Screamin’.

Just call 1-855-CALTORT to place your order and watch the magic begin.

*All orders must be placed via 855-CALTORT. Offer valid for all orders placed between April 1 – April 22 and fulfilled by May 7.

CHECK IT OUT! IT’S MANGO MANIA COMING MARCH 5…

Caribbean Mango Salad and the Caribbean Mango Burrito are our latest menu specials and they’re absolutely fabulous! If you love mangoes as much as I do, you’ll love this special.

Caribbean Mango Burrito: Mexican Rice, Black Beans, Blackened Chicken, Caribbean, Mango Sauce, Mango Salsa and Crisp Romaine Lettuce. Small: $6.49 Regular/Bowl: $7.29

Caribbean Mango Salad: Fresh Salad Mix, Blackened Chicken, Mango Salsa, Hass Avocado Slices, Crunchy Tortilla Strips, Juicy Roma Tomatoes, Fresh Cilantro and Caribbean Mango Sauce. $7.99

IT’S TRUE!

As this is shockingly the 200th issue of Taco Talk, I was going to make this a “Best Of” issue, but then I realized that it would be a very short newsletter. (The worst of Taco Talk could have gone on for days.) So instead I’ve just decided to include the Taco Talk excerpts that have gotten the biggest responses over the years. Ready?

RETRACTIONS A GO GO

After exclaiming my love for the Queen Mum the previous month, in June 2004’s Taco Talk I was forced to write this retraction after hundreds wrote in with some shocking news:

In last month’s Taco Talk I said I loved anything having to do with the Queen Mum, and in particular, I loved that she looks good in hats. Well, apparently she doesn’t look as good in hats as she used to — she’s been dead for two years now. You would have thought that being the Queen Mum fan that I am, I would have known that, wouldn’t you?

Anyway, I’d like to thank all of those readers who brought news of the queen’s unfortunate demise to my attention—your emails were that rare combination of somber, yet hilarious.

And in October 2010 I was forced to write this retraction after over a thousand readers questioned our new charity affiliation:

As many of you may recall, in my last email I wrote about how excited we were to be affiliated with Share Our Strength, a fabulous organization that’s dedicated to ending childhood hunger by 2015. At least that’s what I meant to write. What I actually wrote was that Share Our Strength is an organization dedicated to to ending childhood by 2015. That’s right—childhood in general. And it’s not just any organization—it’s a fabulous organization that’s dedicated to ending childhood. Seriously, could there be a worse typo in an email about helping children?

So thank you to all who wrote to point out my error—many of your emails were beyond funny (these tended to be from people who weren’t horrified).

MY THOUGHTS ABOUT SODIUM BICARBONATE

In August 2008 I wrote that I would give the first 10 people who could identify what I thought was the funniest line in that month’s Taco Talk a free burrito. Over 2000 people wrote in—the majority got the answer right, but many just guessed. And a few helpfully wrote in to say that they didn’t think anything I say is funny. (At least they’re still reading.)

For those who are curious, the sentence is below:

Because we’re always looking for ways to make more money, I’ve been thinking of other ways to use California Tortilla food—kind of like how Arm and Hammer started promoting baking soda as not just a baking ingredient, but as an odor eliminator as well. (How they knew I have no idea. Did people start noticing that when they made their cakes with baking soda they were less stinky?)

I’m not sure why, but I couldn’t stop laughing when I wrote the last sentence. I’m pretty sure most people didn’t think of this as nearly as funny as I did, and quite honestly it doesn’t seem nearly as funny now, but I remember at the time not being able to breathe I was laughing so hard. There’s something wrong with me.

AND THE ONE THAT GOT THE BIGGEST RESPONSE OF ALL, WITH WELL OVER 3000 RESPONSES

The first person to tell me what this says gets a free burrito. GO!

For those of you who are reading this on your phone, that sentence was written in the wingdings font and you had to figure out what it said. Had I known this would have gotten such a big response, I would have written Taco Talk in wingdings right from the beginning. Who knew?

On that note, thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me write Taco Talk for the past 17 years. You have no idea how much I realize how lucky I am that this is my job—and how lucky I am that you’re such a funny audience. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Here’s to another 200 issues! (Doesn’t that sound like a nightmare?)

NOW A WORD FROM STACEY, OUR VP OF MARKETING

In the March 2011 Taco Talk I informed you of my obsession with my March 1st Birthday and California Tortilla’s Social Media. After an embarrassing arm wrestling match at the staff meeting, I have been allowed to declare the entire month of March as “Social Media Month” here at the Tort.

On Facebook, the number of fans through March 15th will determine which coupon for delicious free food will be posted and valid only on March 16th. The more fans we have the bigger the offer. So make sure to get your pals to “Like” us.

If we hit 20K fans then a free Chips and Queso coupon will be posted

If we hit 25K fans then a free Taco Coupon will be posted

If we hit 30K fans then a free Burrito Coupon will be posted

Twitter followers will be able to compete each day in March to win a Burrito Elito card loaded with Free Burritos for a year. All you have to do is follow @caltort and then tweet something that includes a mention about us. Such as “Wow – I love watching @Revenge while eating delicious @caltort chips and guac”. The folks here at HQ will pick the best tweet of the day.

If you are pinning on Pinterest you could win catering for 50. You can get started with images from any of California Tortilla’s boards but get creative. What images remind you of California Tortilla? Tomatoes? Queso? Maybe a group of friends watching Revenge and eating very delicious burritos? Just e-mail spunky@caltort.com a link to your Caltort themed board by March 31st. We will announce the best board in early April. The winner will get a party for 50 of their pals courtesty of 855-CALTORT.