International Day of the Nacho
October 21
About International Day of the Nacho
International Day of the Nacho takes place every year on 21 October, celebrating one of the world’s most beloved snacks. The day honours Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya, the Mexican maître d’ credited with creating the dish in the border city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila. It is a global excuse to pile up tortilla chips, melt the cheese, and gather friends around a shared plate.
How to Celebrate International Day of the Nacho
The whole point of this day is to eat, share, and have fun with nachos. Here are plenty of ways to mark the occasion.
- Build a DIY nacho bar – Lay out warm tortilla chips, melted cheese, jalapeños, soured cream, guacamole, salsa, and refried beans so everyone can assemble their own perfect plate.
- Make nachos from scratch – Fry or bake your own corn tortilla triangles, then layer them with grated cheese and sliced pickled jalapeños before grilling until bubbling, just as Anaya did in 1943.
- Visit a Mexican restaurant – Order a generous plate of nachos with a margarita or a michelada and toast the man who started it all.
- Host a nacho night – Invite friends round for films and a mountain of loaded nachos. It pairs perfectly with a cosy evening in.
- Experiment with toppings – Try pulled pork, slow-cooked beef brisket, black beans, grilled vegetables, or even a dessert version with chocolate and fruit.
- Go regional – Recreate the original Piedras Negras recipe with just three ingredients: tortilla chips, Colby cheese, and jalapeños, and taste nachos as they were first served.
- Share your creations online – Photograph your loaded plate and post it with the day’s hashtags to join the worldwide celebration.
- Support a Mexican-owned business – Buy your ingredients or your meal from a local Mexican grocer or restaurant to honour the dish’s heritage.
What is International Day of the Nacho?
International Day of the Nacho is an annual food celebration dedicated to nachos and the man who invented them. It commemorates Ignacio Anaya García, the restaurateur who first served the dish to a group of hungry customers in northern Mexico. The day is observed by food lovers around the world, from home cooks to restaurants running special offers. While it is rooted in Mexican and Tex-Mex tradition, its appeal is genuinely international, reflecting how far nachos have travelled from a single restaurant kitchen.
When is International Day of the Nacho?
International Day of the Nacho falls on 21 October every year. In 2026 that is a Wednesday. The date is fixed, so it never moves, and it was chosen to honour Ignacio Anaya, in whose memory a bronze plaque was erected in Piedras Negras. The city also stages a multi-day Nacho Fest around this date each autumn.
The History of International Day of the Nacho
The story of nachos begins in the early 1940s in Piedras Negras, a Mexican city on the border with Eagle Pass, Texas. Ignacio Anaya García (1895 to 1975) worked as a maître d’ at the Victory Club. According to the most widely told account, a group of US Army officers’ wives from the nearby Fort Duncan base arrived at the restaurant after hours, looking for something to eat. With the cook unavailable, Anaya improvised using what he found in the kitchen.
He cut freshly fried corn tortillas into triangles, topped them with shredded Colby cheese and sliced pickled jalapeños, and heated them quickly before serving. The guests loved the dish and asked what it was called. Anaya named it after himself, “Nacho’s Special”, Nacho being the common Spanish nickname for Ignacio. Over time the apostrophe was dropped and the dish simply became “nachos”. It is worth noting that sources differ on the exact year, with some citing 1940 and others 1943, but all agree on Anaya as the creator and Piedras Negras as the birthplace.
The dish spread quickly across the border into Texas and beyond. When the Victory Club eventually closed, Anaya opened his own restaurant, Nacho’s, in Piedras Negras. The city now celebrates its most famous culinary export with an annual Nacho Fest, and 21 October was declared the International Day of the Nacho in his honour. If you enjoy days that celebrate iconic snacks, you might also like National Tortilla Chips Day, which honours the humble chip at the heart of every plate of nachos.
Fun Facts About International Day of the Nacho
- The word “nacho” comes from Nacho, the Spanish nickname for Ignacio, the first name of the dish’s inventor.
- In Mexico, the corn tortilla chips used for nachos are traditionally known as “totopos”.
- The original recipe had just three ingredients: fried tortillas, Colby cheese, and pickled jalapeños.
- The world’s largest plate of nachos was assembled in Kansas City in 2012, stretching around 80 feet long and weighing more than 4,600 pounds.
- That record-breaking plate included hundreds of pounds of beef, cheese, beans, and jalapeños and was sold to raise money for charity.
- The runny, bright “nacho cheese” sold at cinemas and stadiums is a processed cheese sauce rather than a traditional aged cheese.
Why International Day of the Nacho Matters
Beyond the sheer enjoyment of the food, the day celebrates a piece of culinary history that grew from one improvised plate into a snack served in homes, cinemas, and stadiums worldwide. It is a reminder of how creativity and resourcefulness in a single kitchen can shape global food culture. The day also recognises the Mexican origins of a dish often associated with Tex-Mex cuisine, keeping Ignacio Anaya’s legacy alive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is International Day of the Nacho?
It is an annual celebration of nachos and their inventor, Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya. People mark it by making, sharing, and eating nachos in all their varieties.
When is International Day of the Nacho in 2026?
It takes place on Wednesday 21 October 2026. The date is fixed and does not change from year to year.
Who invented nachos?
Nachos were created by Ignacio Anaya García, a maître d’ working in Piedras Negras, Mexico, in the early 1940s. He named the dish after his own nickname, Nacho.
Spread the Word
Join the celebration and share your best loaded nacho photos on social media with #InternationalDayOfTheNacho and #NachoDay2026. Tag your friends and challenge them to build the ultimate plate!
Related Awareness Days
- National Nacho Day – A US celebration of nachos held each November, perfect for a second helping of cheesy goodness.
- National Queso Day – Honours the molten cheese dip that makes nachos so irresistible.
- National Tortilla Chips Day – Celebrates the crunchy corn chips that form the foundation of every nacho plate.
Links
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