One man’s Facebook invitation for a get-together with his friends might’ve just blown in the biggest block party in the Drag’s history. That’s what the college students call Guadalupe Street, which flanks the University of Texas at Austin.
In late October, Kevin Louis made a public event on Facebook called “Get Black Out Drunk at Taco Bell Cantina” in Austin. It was planned to be a little shindig on Saturday between him and about 10 of his friends. Thinking it wouldn’t be a big deal, the 32-year-old left the post public. (The Taco Bell Cantina is a pilot restaurant from the fast food chain that does, in fact, serve booze.)
Over the last few weeks, the event has blown up on the platform with 1,200 people who say they are “attending.”
“Facebook did what Facebook does and it got a lot of interest quickly,” Louis told the Daily Dot through Facebook Messenger. “To say I’m ‘hosting’ it might be inaccurate. I think it’s sort of taken on a life of its own. I assume however most people RSVP’d as a joke. I guess we will see!”
The sheer popularity of Louis’ event could also be attributed to the fact this event includes two things Texans couldn’t love more on a Saturday night: alcohol and tacos. Uh, even if the origin of the meat is questionable.
The Daily Dot stopped by Taco Bell Cantina on Thursday night, and both the cashier and shift supervisor were unaware of the event.
Over 6,000 people are “interested” in going, and more than 1,300 have been sent invitations by their friends. The bat signals went out quickly.
Some are using this opportunity to study humans, it seems.
Even apparent Lyft drivers swooped in to make some potential coin off this event.
One guy posted a very important question.
Everyone else is just excited.
But unlike similarly bombastic Facebook events that promise, say, arena rock band Creed performing live at a Shell gas station, this is an actionable night out. So who’s actually going?
“I saw the event on my friends feed. [I] assumed it was a joke and thought it was funny,” Katie Bowers, a 32-year-old web developer by day and emcee by night, told the Daily Dot. “Seems in the same [vein] of other joke events I’ve seen on FB so [I] had no intention of actually going.”
Cody Click signed up for the event as a joke as well.
“It was a joke,” he said. “I don’t remember where I saw it, but I don’t live anywhere near Austin and I know you can’t drink at Taco Bell.”
The event photo, coupled with the limited national rollout of Taco Bell’s Cantina bars, seems responsible for juicing the numbers.
Throughout this semester, many “meme” events like this have popped up on Facebook like a Naruto Run Around UT Tower “charity” event, a Dirty Dan showdown, and one inviting people to scream like Goku in front of the UT Tower.
But some people are looking forward Saturday night. Marshall Fielding, a 22-yeard-old living in Austin who works for a pharmaceutical development company, plans to show up with about two or three of his pals.
“[It’s] something that gets me out of the house with my friends that’s also affordable,” Fielding said.
Gabrielle Rivers said she might bring her boyfriend. Aimee Embestro is rounding up as many friends as she possibly can.
“I came across the event on Facebook and I very much plan on attending,” Aimee Embestro said. “I am quite passionate about getting blackout drunk and Taco Bell so I wouldn’t dare miss this. I plan on bringing as many pals as possible.”
Meanwhile…
