National Queso Day

Categories:: Food & Beverage
Tags:: Cheese
Where:: United States
Date change rule:: Every September 20
Holiday emoji:: 🧀

National Queso Day melts its way onto the calendar every September 20, inviting everyone to celebrate the irresistible Tex-Mex cheese dip. Whether you prefer it mild or spicy, with tortilla chips or smothered over your favorite dish, this day is for indulging in all things queso. Grab your favorite bowl, heat up some cheesy goodness, and share your love for queso!

Deals
Platforms
Social
Brands
Hero
Timeline
Businesses
FAQs
Importance
Celebrate

Expected National Queso Day Deals

As National Queso Day approaches, expect major Tex-Mex chains and fast-casual restaurants to roll out enticing promotions. In previous years, brands like Moe’s Southwest Grill have offered free queso with an entrée purchase, while Chipotle has surprised customers with free queso on online orders. Keep an eye on On The Border, Taco Bell, and local Mexican restaurants for special deals on queso bowls and loaded nachos. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as September 20 approaches.

Platform Guide for National Queso Day

TikTok

Tag @www.nationaltoday.com and use #NationalQuesoDay. Film a ‘queso pull’ challenge or share your ultimate queso recipe.

Instagram

Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #NationalQuesoDay. Post mouth-watering photos of your queso creations or favorite restaurant queso.

Facebook

Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #NationalQuesoDay. Share a poll asking friends if they prefer white or yellow queso.

National Queso Day Hero

Ignacio Anaya García

While not the direct inventor of queso dip, Ignacio Anaya García, affectionately known as 'Nacho,' is credited with inventing nachos in Piedras Negras, Mexico, in 1943. His impromptu creation of fried tortilla pieces topped with cheese and jalapeños laid foundational groundwork for the Tex-Mex culinary tradition, heavily influencing the development and popularity of cheese-based appetizers like queso dip across North America.

National Queso Day timeline

1900

Tex-Mex arrives in San Antonio, Texas

Queso is a beloved Tex-Mex food. The first modern Tex-Mex establishment popped up in San Antonio, Texas thanks to Otis Farnsworth.

1918

Velveeta was invented

Using Velveeta to make queso dip is an American tradition. Although it didn't gain popularity until later, Velveeta first made its debut in this year.

1935

"Little Mexico" serves up the first queso...maybe

The exact origin of chili con queso is highly disputed, but one restaurant in Arkansas, "Little Mexico," claims to be the first establishment to serve up our beloved cheese dip.

1939

Velveeta featured in queso recipe

The idea of using Velveeta to make queso was published in a cookbook.

How Businesses Can Celebrate National Queso Day

Local restaurants and food trucks can celebrate National Queso Day by offering special queso-themed menus or limited-time queso variations. Consider a ‘queso flight’ featuring different regional styles or spice levels. Retailers can promote ingredients for homemade queso, host in-store sampling, or partner with local eateries for cross-promotions. Small businesses might also run social media contests, encouraging customers to share their favorite queso pairings using a unique hashtag for a chance to win prizes.

National Queso Day FAQs

When is National Queso Day?

National Queso Day 2026 falls on a Sunday, September 20. This annual celebration of the beloved cheese dip offers the perfect excuse for a weekend get-together with friends and family.

How much queso do Americans consume?

While exact figures for queso consumption are hard to pinpoint, the market for cheese dips and sauces is substantial, with millions of gallons consumed annually. Queso remains a top appetizer choice in restaurants and a popular party food across the U.S.

What is the origin of queso?

Chili con queso, or queso, originated in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua, though the popular dip we know today largely developed in Tex-Mex restaurants in the United States. It evolved as a creamy, melted cheese dish often flavored with chili peppers.

What's the difference between queso fundido and chili con queso?

Queso fundido is a Mexican dish featuring melted cheese (often Oaxaca or Chihuahua cheese) that is typically baked or broiled and served with chorizo or other toppings, eaten with tortillas. Chili con queso, or simply queso, is a smoother, creamier dip made with processed cheese or a blend of cheeses, often with added chiles, tomatoes, and spices, primarily served with tortilla chips.

National Queso Day Activities

Go out for queso
Round up a group of friends and head down to your favorite Mexican restaurant. Queso is great any time of the day, but we suggest indulging in this tasty treat during Happy Hour. Queso tastes delicious by itself and it tends to taste even better paired with a nice, cold margarita!
Try making a new queso recipe
If you always stick to making the recipe found on the back of a very famous box of processed cheese, why not branch out a little? By browsing through some cookbooks, or doing a quick search online, you are sure to come across some new and exciting queso recipes that are worth giving a shot.
Score some free queso
There are more than a few restaurants throughout the United States that offer free queso on September 20. Do your homework ahead of time and you might just find that you can score some cheese dip goodness for free on National Queso Day.

4 Queso Dips You Need To Try "ahora"

Why not combine two favorites: fajitas and queso?
Two of the most beloved menu items at a Tex-Mex restaurant are fajitas and queso dip; combine the two by finding a recipe for chicken fajita queso dip.
Lactose free?
The internet is filled with some amazing vegan, cashew-based queso recipes that taste just as good as melted cheese.
Get a little more authentic with queso fundido
Queso fundido — a stringy, delicious pile of cheese melted on a hot griddle — is often served at restaurants and gatherings throughout Mexcio.
Queso con wings
Believe it or not, many people insist that one of the best bowls of queso dip is served up at Buffalo Wild Wings.

Why We Love National Queso Day

Queso is delicious
Salsa and guacamole are great, but sometimes we just want a warm bowl of cheese to dip our tortilla chips in. Just daydreaming about all of that hot, melted cheese makes our mouths water!
Everyone makes queso a little differently
It doesn't matter if we're all using the same recipe — it always seems as if each person makes queso differently. Maybe you add more spice, or perhaps your queso always turns out nice and thick while your friend's cheese dip often turns into a runny mess. Personally, we've never met a queso we haven't liked.
It's easy to make
Sitting in a Mexican restaurant and ordering a steaming bowl of queso is one of life's greatest pleasures, but that shouldn't stop you from making queso at home whenever the craving strikes. Although some queso recipes can get pretty extravagant, you can make a pretty kick-butt bowl of queso just by melting some cheese and throwing in a couple of spices.