Texas’ Obsession with Pancho’s Mexican Buffet is About More Than The Food

If you say "raise the flag" to anyone who has grown up in Texas, they will likely look at you and say, "I loved Pancho's."  The memories Texans have of Pancho's Mexican Buffet run deep.

Why Do Texans Love Pancho's Mexican Buffet?

The answer is simple, it's nostalgia.  Many Texans grew up with a Pancho's in their town and they remember walking down the buffet line and asking for their favorite food.

It was filled with everything imaginable, tacos, flautas, enchiladas of all flavors, chile rellenos, and beans, rice, and queso. EVERYTHING imaginable.

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You'd then walk to your table with your tray and start eating.  You would clean your plate and realize you wanted another taco, so what would you do? Raise the flag!

What Does Raising the Flag at Pancho's Get You?

The waitress would come by and find out what you wanted and go and get it for you.  It would be a constant fight at the table about who would raise the flag between you and your siblings.

Read More: Pancho's Mexican Buffet Needs to Reopen in More Texas Cities |

Then after your meal was finished, you had to have one last thing.  The sopapillas!  Pancho's Mexican Buffet had some of the best sopapillas around.

Check out this video of a trip to Pancho's Mexican Buffet.

Many Texas cities like Amarillo, Lubbock, Tyler, Abilene, Wichita Falls, El Paso (home of the original) had a Pancho's Mexican Buffet and now they don't.

A few remain in Texas and are in Humble, Mesquite, Fort Worth, and Arlington.  Maybe someday Pancho's will have a resurgence and rebuild in all their former cities.  However, that'll happen when Amarillo finally gets a Long John Silver's again.