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For more than 30 years, Celia Jimenez and her late husband would welcome everyone who walked through the doors of Mario’s Tacos in Pico Rivera on Thanksgiving Day.
“We didn’t ask questions, we just said get in here, get your dinner,” Celia Jimenez said of what has become a local tradition in the city.
Celia, 82, and her children continued the mealtime giveaway even after Mario passed away in 2013, celebrating the eatery’s golden anniversary in 2017 and enduring through the pandemic.
But this year, unexpected expenses, from rising operation costs and taxes, have forced the Jimenez family to cancel the giveaway, costs of which run into the thousands, according to daughter Maria.
“I feel bad because this is what my husband liked so much, and to me, I love sharing with my customers,” Celia Jimenez said. “God help me, if I’m still alive next year, I will be here (serving the meals.)”
Celia and Mario Jimenez started Mario’s Tacos, at 9247 E. Whittier Blvd., in 1967, quickly building a loyal following of their special quesadillas, green chile burritos and beef tacos. The couple started offering the free Thanksgiving meals in 1982, after their son David asked what happened to people who go hungry.
The no-questions-asked distribution involved cooking 35 to 40 turkeys, with work starting the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Guests would get a turkey plate with rice and beans, a choice of corn or flour tortillas and Celia’s homemade vegetable and rice stuffing.
There were always drinks and dessert, too. Every year, they served from 800 to 1,500 meals at Thanksgiving, setting aside money each week for the distribution, which cost about $3,000 in 2017.
“It was so nice,” Celia Jimenez said. “We do it on our own and I feel happy when they come. That’s a blessing to me.”
The generosity the family has shown to the community is returned by volunteers who help serve the meals. The Pico Rivera City Council called Mario’s a treasure when it honored the Jimenezes in 2017.
“It really is a part of the lifeblood of this city,” then-Mayor Gregory Salcido said, adding the restaurant is as synonymous with Pico Rivera as El Rancho High School and Whittier Boulevard.
Rogelio Torres came in to Mario’s the day before Thanksgiving to pick up his usual: huevos rancheros burrito and a combo plate for his daughter. The Pico Rivera resident has been a loyal customer for 17 years. He is an unabashed ambassador for the spot, dropping by Mario’s three times a week.
“Coming here, I was amazed at how good their food is, and customers here are family,” Torres said. “Ever since COVID, (Celia) hasn’t been around as much and we miss seeing her.”
The prospect of the longtime Thanksgiving meals giveaway coming to an end is sad, Torres said, but it doesn’t take away from the family’s reputation for generosity.
“I hope everything is well with the family,” he said. “I remember (Celia) always greeted me ‘What are you having, mijo?’ and she wouldn’t let me pay sometimes. She is such a humble and giving person. She’s good people.”
This year, fans of Mario’s Tacos have also shown their love another way. A T-shirt designed by a longtime customer and graphic artist that featured Celia’s face emblazoned in front sold out and has become a bestseller.
“She’s so humble, she was embarrassed her face was on the shirts,” said employee Wendy Reyes. “But the customers love it.”