Oh No He Didn't! Actor Mario Lopez Shades El Paso's Chico's Tacos

An El Paso institution got shaded by A.C. Slater.

Mario Lopez, the guy best known to my generation for playing the part of jock A.C. Slater on “Saved by the Bell,” dragged Chico’s Tacos for no apparent reason.

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A.C. Hater

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The actor shared a meme on his official Twitter Wednesday captioned,

“El Paso: other Texas cities only have sh***y Tex-Mex, they don’t have real Mexican food like us
also El Paso: (Photo of an order of Chico’s Tacos)”

More like A.C. Hater, amirite?

El Pasoans React

@edgeof4ever

His post, of course, divided the internet as the Chico’s debate always tends to do.

El Pasoans who follow Lopez on social media as well as those who check in on the local Instagram account FitFam, which re-shared his tweet, either clowned him with mock anger and dismay or hailed him as a hero and had his back.

"Thank you, Mario, for having the courage to call the sky blue."
"That’s my Hometown and both are true."
"As an El Pasoan, thank you for speaking the truth."
"Don’t make me get Zack! Leave chicos alone #elpaso915"
"This why Kelly never picked you"

No matter what you think of the flautas covered in cheddar cheese and drowned in some kind of watery tomato-based sauce, I think we can all agree no one has ever called the iconic El Paso cuisine “authentic” or “real Mexican food.”

Chico’s is, well, Chico’s. It's never pretended to be more than what it is.

I can take it or leave it, but I gotta have my town’s back. Or as one person who commented put it, “Once an out of towner disrespects Chico’s, it’s chingazo time.”

So, yeah, suck it Slater.

Sure, locals have said and say worse things about them, but that’s our prerogative. It’s like when someone calls your brother an a-hole. Yeah, he’s an a-hole, but he’s my a-hole and only I can say that about him.

Chico's Tacos is our institution.

“It’s an El Paso thing! You either hate it or love it but many restaurants have duplicated the recipe so can’t hate on it too much!”

True dat.