The Mexican Dishes That Continue to Define Dining for an Entire Generation

Mexican cuisine has become deeply woven into American food culture, especially among Baby Boomers. All of these Mexican dishes offer bold flavors, comforting textures, and nostalgic satisfaction that Boomers gravitate toward. While there doesn't appear to be any rhyme or reason as to why this generation loves this cuisine, we have some theories.

Though generational preferences can vary, Baby Boomers consistently favor hearty, familiar dishes that feel familiar. Fajitas, burritos, and quesadillas offer flexibility in their ingredients and embody both spice and simplicity. These meals often evoke memories of travel or family gatherings, making Mexican food a beloved choice for this generation across the entire U.S. But what are some of their absolute favorite dishes when they sit down at a Mexican restaurant?

To answer this very question, 24/7 Tempo consulted a YouGov survey and analyzed popular trends among diners in this age group. We also reviewed data from the Pew Research Center regarding the ubiquity of Mexican restaurants across the country.

This article was updated on August 2nd, 2025, to reflect additional information.

Whenever you're out at a Mexican restaurant, it's easy to know exactly when fajitas are coming out from the kitchen. The sizzling food on the skillet makes people turn their heads to see who was smart enough to order the dish. For baby boomers, fajitas are the most popular Mexican food to order or make.

There are plenty of ways to make fajitas, which is one of the reasons why baby boomers love them so much. They come with meat, usually steak or chicken, veggies, and sides like sour cream and cheese to add to a tortilla. The fantastic part about fajitas is that the person eating them decides the portion size.

Few foods bring people together like salsa. People from nearly every age group enjoy adding the dip to their chips as a way to kick off their meals. There are many different spice levels salsa can be, from mild to medium to hot to super hot.It can be also made at both levels and easily served to both people.

It's easy to make fresh, and several companies sell pre-packaged salsa at grocery stores.In 2024, there are chips made specifically to hold salsa in the middle of them. The scoop chip design prevents salsa from falling off of the flat surface a chip usually has.

Nachos are an easy snack for baby boomers to make at home. A basic plate of nachos only needs chips and cheese. Once they're heated up and the cheese melts, you have yourself a perfect plate of nachos. However, there are plenty of different foods to add to a plate of nachos.

Most baby boomers enjoy adding guacamole, sour cream, and shredded chicken. Nachos are a great meal to share as an appetizer when going to Mexican restaurants with friends and family.Nachos are a fantastic dish that are easy enough to make. They also provide a great source of protein to baby boomers.

Baby boomers love burritos, a dish that can be filled with anything you'd like. Most burritos have beans, whether black or pinto depending on your preference, and plenty of cheese. Some people like adding protein too. Steak and chicken are the two most common types of meat added, but anyone can add anything they like.

While burritos typically aren't something to bring to a party or get-together, they're still wonderful to make for yourself at home. They're also great to order while dining out.

Another delicious Mexican food baby boomers enjoy is quesadillas. While at home, quesadillas are an easy snack or meal to make for yourself. Most quesadillas only require putting butter on a pan and filling a tortilla with cheese. Once you flip the tortilla a couple of times, it should be good to go to eat. The cheese will melt into the tortilla and the butter will absorb onto it as well.

Quesadillas are a common item to order when dining at a restaurant. Like burritos, quesadillas can have plenty of different ingredients inside of them. Some people enjoy adding meat to the inside of the quesadilla. On the outside, it's normal for people to dip their quesadilla into sour cream or guacamole.

Based on the name, it's safe for people to assume chili con carne is a type of Mexican chili with steak in it. Anyone guessing that would be correct. The famous dish is known for having an extra kick to it with the various spices added. Baby boomers who aren't fans of spicy foods likely won't be eating chili con carne anytime soon.

However, as is the case with plenty of other Mexican dishes, anyone can add any spice they want to chili con carne to bring the spice level down. Be ready to let the food cook for a while, though. It only takes around 10 minutes to prepare, however, since there's steak in the food, it must be on the stove for at least one hour beforehand.

Guacamole is a dish that's welcomed and enjoyed just about everywhere. It's so popular in Mexican restaurants that most places charge separately for guacamole while offering salsa for free alongside chips. This dish is added to foods like burritos, nachos, and quesadillas, all listed on Mexican dishes that baby boomers can't get enough of.

However, guacamole isn't only added to Mexican dishes. Plenty of burger places add guacamole and bacon to their cheeseburgers. The extra kick of flavor guacamole provides burgers is second to none. It's important to eat guacamole quickly after it's made. The food doesn't stay fresh for too long once it's in the refrigerator.

In 2024, seemingly everything is deep fried. However, chimichangas have been doing this since the early 1920s when Monica Flin, the founder of El Charro restaurant in Tuscon, Arizona, accidentally put a burrito in a deep fryer. When she took it out, it was delicious. As time went on, the legend of the food spread throughout the United States.

The name stuck over time. Since it's a deep-fried burrito, baby boomers love that they can add whatever flavors they want to the food before putting it in the fryer. Most chimichangas are filled with chicken, beans, and cheese. Like most Mexican dishes, it's served alongside guacamole and sour cream. People also enjoy eating chimichangas with lettuce and tomatoes.

The first Mexican breakfast dish on this list is huevos rancheros, a meal consisting of eggs, salsa, tortillas, and guacamole, and is a dish commonly found in brunch places that serve all kinds of food. It is a stand-alone dish that doesn't require anything to accompany it.This food is considered incredibly savory and people who aren't fans of spicy foods should avoid ordering huevos rancheros.