West Texas Couple Order 12 Tacos at El Taco Loco. Then They See Their Bill: ‘The Math Isn’t Mathing’

In much of Texas, tacos are supposed to be the affordable fallback; the quick meal that doesn’t require a second thought. That’s why a West Texas couple was stunned when their order of 12 tacos rang up at more than $75. The moment, captured in a now-viral TikTok video, struck a nerve with Texans who say eating out in the oil patch has become a luxury.

The clip from creator Stephany Denise finds her family in stunned fits of laughter over the bill for a fast-food taco order that almost required a Benjamin Franklin bill to cover.
“This is insane lol but we HUNGRYYYY,” she wrote in the caption of the clip, which has been viewed more than 40,000 times.

What was on the receipt

The receipt shown on TikTok presents a subtotal of $67 before tax, with individual tacos priced between roughly $3 and $4 each. The order included birria tacos, a carne asada taco, bottled sodas, and tax that pushed the final total to just over $75. The receipt identifies the restaurant as El Taco Loco, a taqueria in the Odessa–Midland area, a region shaped economically by the oil and gas industry.

While the prices were clearly listed on the receipt, viewers said the total felt jarring for what many Texans still consider a low-cost, everyday meal. Several commenters said similar taco orders would cost half as much in cities like El Paso or San Antonio, where competition among taquerias is far more intense.

The TikTok itself does not accuse the restaurant of wrongdoing, hidden fees, or overcharging. Instead, the video captures a moment of sticker shock that quickly snowballed into a broader conversation about affordability in West Texas.

The comments section quickly filled with hundreds of responses, many of them less about El Taco Loco specifically and more about food culture and pricing across West Texas.

Some commenters blamed what they see as mediocre quality and inflated prices, arguing that oil-field wages have distorted expectations. Others pushed back hard, saying outsiders simply don’t know where locals actually eat, and that West Texas food shouldn’t be compared to border cities or major metros.

The debate quickly veered into familiar territory: El Paso versus Odessa, California versus Texas, Tex-Mex versus traditional Mexican food, and whether birria tacos are overrated in the first place. Several commenters said they’ve stopped eating out almost entirely, choosing to cook at home rather than pay restaurant prices they no longer see as reasonable.

The cost of convenience

Economists say the frustration reflects a real dynamic in oil-producing regions. During boom cycles, higher wages in energy-related jobs can push up prices across the local economy, even for residents who don’t work in the oil patch.

According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, oil and gas extraction jobs consistently rank among the highest-paying positions in Texas. That income concentration can raise commercial rents, labor costs, and food prices as businesses price goods and services toward customers with the highest spending power.

In smaller markets like Odessa and Midland, fewer restaurants mean less competition, giving businesses more leeway to set higher prices. By contrast, cities such as El Paso and San Antonio have larger populations, deeper food scenes, and greater price pressure.

The effect is well-documented in boom-and-bust economies, where prices tend to rise quickly during good times but rarely fall at the same pace when activity slows.

Many West Texans commenting on the video said the taco receipt simply reflects a broader shift in daily life. Dining out, they said, has become something closer to a planned splurge than a casual convenience.

Several users shared examples of spending $20 or more per person at fast-casual spots, while others said even snack foods like elote or aguas frescas now come with price tags that make them pause. Long lines at fast-food restaurants, including Taco Bell, were cited as evidence that affordability is increasingly driving dining decisions.

Nationally, restaurant prices have risen faster than grocery prices in recent years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index. While inflation has cooled compared to its 2022 peak, food away from home remains significantly more expensive than it was before the pandemic.

Is West Texas uniquely expensive?

Inflation has affected diners everywhere, but commenters argued that West Texas feels the squeeze more sharply. Smaller cities offer fewer alternatives, and limited competition makes it harder for consumers to “shop around” when prices rise.

Housing costs, by contrast, remain lower in Odessa and Midland than in Austin or Dallas, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and real estate data. That contrast can make restaurant prices feel especially out of sync with residents’ day-to-day expenses, particularly for workers outside the oil industry.

Several commenters noted that pricing often assumes oil-field incomes that many locals don’t earn, reinforcing the sense that everyday services are increasingly built for someone else’s paycheck.

In the end, the viral moment wasn’t really about tacos at all. It was about how quickly something once considered cheap, casual, and reliable can turn into a small financial decision.

For the creator and her family, the video captured a moment of disbelief and laughter. For thousands of West Texans who watched it, the receipt reflected a familiar calculation: whether the convenience of eating out is still worth the cost.

Patch has reached out to Stephany via direct message and comment on the clip. We’ll update this if they respond.

@stephany.denise This is insane lol but we HUNGRYYYY !