Edwardo Gracia is offering free tacos to the homeless, the cash strapped, the stressed out or anyone else in need.
Ennis resident Edwardo Gracia doesn’t want anyone to go without a meal this Thanksgiving, so he’s giving away free tacos.
Owner of the Papi’s Tacos food trailer found at 1401 North Kauffman Street in Ennis, Texas, Edwardo says he’s scaling back his usual menu of barbacoa tacos, carne asada tacos, chicken fajitas, Mexican hot dogs and other popular items to a Thanksgiving day menu of beef or chicken tacos on flour or corn tortillas and a side of rice and beans that he’ll give away freely to anyone who feels in need, anytime between noon and 4:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
Edwardo says additionally, he’ll have “drinks and some desserts available, and there will be other food items that people are donating also that will be available there too.”
Formerly a home renovator who followed his dreams to launch his mobile food business in February of 2022, Edwardo says the Thanksgiving Day meal giveaway is his way of showing appreciation for the community that’s supported him from the beginning.
“Since opening this taco shop, the community is what supports me; the community is what makes me keep going, and without them, I wouldn’t be anywhere,” he says. “And so this is just something to give back to the community. Of course, definitely I want to reach out to those that absolutely need it and don’t have the time or the money to be able to have a Thanksgiving dinner. But also it’s [for] those not necessarily that are in need, but those that don’t have time — any single parents that have to work and can’t really take off from work, or don’t have the time to wake up early in the morning and get a whole Thanksgiving meal going for their families and whatnot.”
“It’s just to help anybody also that just wants to be a little stress free that day … they can come by and eat food too,” he adds.
Edwardo says he’ll serve food rain or shine on Thanksgiving as the building at the location is owned by his family and can accommodate his guests. The meals are on a first-come first-served basis until supplies run out.
“We’ll open up the doors at 12:00 p.m. and we’ll go till about 4:00 p.m., and if need be, I will go past 4:00,” he says.