Nachos with 6 chips cost $24 in Las Vegas. Then came the X mob
The nachos were $24. For six chips.
On Monday, X user @MuTigerMike, who happens to be Mike Herman, director of slot operations at the Rio, posted a picture of six forlorn nachos accompanied by four condiments and by sprigs of cilantro doing their best in a bad situation.
The post indicated the nachos — nachinos?, nachettes? — were from the Fontainebleau sportsbook, also known as The Tavern.
Hey @fblasvegas we waited an hour for food in the Sportsbook and this is our nachos???
Come on man pic.twitter.com/eHDV4cyjOK— Mike Herman (@MuTigerMike) January 23, 2024
And then all X broke loose as users on the platform, typically a warm and nurturing group, weighed in.
Johnny Betancourt questioned the chip-condiment ratio:
More dip than nacho? How?
— Johnny Betancourt 🐸 (@jony_bee) January 23, 2024
Professor Nez wondered about ingredient cost:
Are they organic? 🤣
— Professor Nez (@professornez) January 23, 2024
Glam Villain missed the old days:
I swear. Vegas was much better when The Mafia ran it and much much MUCH cheaper too. Time to bring back The Mob LOL.
— ꧁༺ 💜 𝓖𝓵𝓪𝓶𝓥𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓷 💜 ༻꧂ (@VioletZaneINT) January 23, 2024
Scott Reynolds posited some potential personal pleasure:
Did they come with lube?
— Scott Reynolds (@ScottThinks) January 23, 2024
The hashtag #nachogate went viral, and it’s still trending Thursday.
Property replies (so do competitors)
On Tuesday, the property responded to @MuTigerMike and the nacho nattering:
Hello, Mike. We are disappointed to hear that you waited an hour for your meal, and we value your feedback regarding this menu item. Our priority is ensuring an elevated dining experience for every guest. If you would like to discuss what happened, please DM us with further…
— Fontainebleau Las Vegas (@fblasvegas) January 23, 2024
Meantime, nacho purveyors (or their fans) across Vegas gleefully shared images of their versions (by way of size comparison):
Nacho average nachos! A heeling plate of pulled pork nachos will only set you back $12.99 at Wana Taco inside Four Queens! #LasVegas #nachogate pic.twitter.com/VaRdNqwnJc
— Four Queens Hotel & Casino (@4QueensLV) January 25, 2024
Hey, don’t forget about us! Our cheesey delicious nachos start at just $15 and you get a lot more than 6 chips! 🫣#nachogate #binions #whiskeylickerup pic.twitter.com/KqWHkmRHwc
— Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel (@BinionsLV) January 25, 2024
Oh let’s not forget the newest kid on the block. @OleRed #nachogate @VitalVegas @LasVegasLocally @JacobsVegasLife pic.twitter.com/P6ncBIbBiw
— 🍒Whiskey Fever🍒 (@KerryBilicki) January 25, 2024
My 2 cents on #NachoGate @nachodaddylv can’t be beaten! pic.twitter.com/wCyVeF8RwA
— Anna (@annamhastings) January 25, 2024
We prefer the Ahi Poke Nachos at Silverton's Su Casa Sushi Bar, anyway. #nachogate pic.twitter.com/NU7IIITSBy
— Silverton Casino (@SilvertonCasino) January 25, 2024
New nachos and power of expectations
The X-sanguination had the intended effect. On Thursday, the Fontainebleau announced the nachos had been been refashioned and sized up, with a scoop of guac from the looks of it:
The Tavern menu was designed to be “bar food favorites, all grown up.” We hope you’ll excuse our growing pains while the nachos went through their awkward phase. We’re thrilled to report they’ve matured into one stacked snack. pic.twitter.com/CIibhiGMrQ
— Fontainebleau Las Vegas (@fblasvegas) January 25, 2024
This week in the city, the former president of Resorts World pleaded guilty to charges in federal court, the descendants of traffic cones continued to swarm like an invasive species and the countdown to the Super Bowl has begun. But … #nachogate?
Much of the reaction to the paltry plate can be put down to expectations. People expect nachos to be mounded, heaped, piled high. They also expect them to be, if not downright cheap, at least a good deal. These nachos were more like canapés, and $4 a chip was not a good deal.
Now, if those six chips had been topped with caviar for $24, people would have been weeping for joy, then inhaling. It’s all relative.
Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram and @ItsJLW on X.
