Quintana v. Fort Wayne Plan Commission Summary
A brief summary of the court case that asked if a taco was a sandwich.
Is a taco a sandwich?
The question was at the heart of a recent court case, which garnered national media attention thanks to this intriguing question.
Martin Quintana owned a commercial development property in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His contract with the city planning commission states that the only businesses who operate on his development must be “sandwich bar-style restaurant whose primary business is to sell ‘made-to-order’ or ‘subway-style’ sandwiches.” Quintana wanted to allow a Mexican restaurant to operate on his property and sought an amendment to his agreement with the city. After the Fort Wayne commission denied his request, he took the case to court. The court ruled that a taco does, in fact, meet the definition of a sandwich. The opinion stated, “tacos and burritos are Mexican-style sandwiches, and the original Written Commitment does not restrict potential restaurants to only American cuisine-style sandwiches.”
People who argue against the ruling may contend that tacos are not typically referred to as sandwiches. While those who agree with the ruling may note that the specifics of the law require a judge look beyond common usage in language in order to make a ruling on the substance of a case.
This case is a great example of how defining common words gets really complicated in legal cases.