Chili’s Cinco de Drinko
Cinco de Mayo is a celebration that is held on May 5th of every year and is often confused with the Mexican Independence Day, which is held on September 16th. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated to commemorate the Mexican Army’s unlikely victory over the French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Although France went on to establish a monarchy in Mexico after the Battle of Puebla, the day was remembered as a symbol of national hope and resilience. The holiday was often a rallying point for Mexican-Americans in community organizing and civil rights struggles throughout the 20th century. Eventually the significance of the holiday began to diminish when Americans adopted the holiday and soon, corporations jumped on the opportunity to market the day as a drinking event, loosely tied to Mexican culture. …show more content…
Chili’s is an American casual dining restaurant chain that provides an array of Mexican-American cuisine. The restaurant is also known for their margaritas. Cinco de Mayo is one of the biggest days for Chili’s in terms of revenue since the holiday is now regarded as a “drinking holiday.” A couple of weeks before Cinco de Mayo, Chili’s starts to advertise on social media, television, and the radio about the drink specials that the restaurant will be having on the 5th of May. This Americanized holiday is a mere marketing tactic used by Chili’s to increase profits at the expense of what is supposed to be a cultural celebration. Cinco de Mayo, an important event in Mexico’s history has been turned into “Cinco de Drinko,” at Chili’s, a day where consumers can purchase alcohol at discounted prices, can take home commemorative margarita cups, and where it is socially acceptable to dress up with a sombrero and