Amongst us NRIs – Non-Resident Indians – Taco Bell is a known love; there are entire Reddit threads and memes celebrating and questioning Desis’ affinity for the fast food chain. Considering a few factors that distinguish Taco Bell from other fast food – and other Mexican or Tex-Mex options – our love isn’t a big surprise. One, Taco Bell is easily made vegetarian, making it appealing to many Indian families, whose religious or cultural values might create a certain proclivity towards foods that are meat-free. And while chains like McDonald’s or TGIFriday’s still fry their vegetarian offerings — French fries, onion rings, mozzarella sticks — in the same oil they use for meat products, Taco Bell promises that their vegetarian foods are truly vegetarian, cooked in corn oil rather than lard, and fully avoiding any cross-contact with meat. For vegetarians on stricter diets, this difference is imperative and it’s something not all fast food places — or more authentic Mexican joints for that matter — will promise. And while places like Burger King, Del Taco, and more are hopping on the trend to offer meat substitutes like Beyond Meat or Impossible Foods, Taco Bell reminds us that it has always committed itself to being veg-friendly.