Virginia-Highland neighbourhood loses original Taco Mac store after nearly 50 years
After nearly five decades of serving up wings, beer, and memories, Taco Mac has officially closed its flagship location in Atlanta's Virginia-Highland neighbourhood. The beloved spot, which first opened in 1979, welcomed its last customer this week—but leadership says the brand's story is far from over.
Also Read: Bahama Breeze: 15 locations abruptly shut down across the US
Many residents were disheartened after Taco Mac shut down its store. However, CEO Harold Martin said, 'This isn't the end of the story - it's a milestone in our journey. We're deeply grateful for our roots in the Virginia-Highlands neighbourhood in Atlanta, Georgia, and we're more excited than ever for what's ahead,' as reported by The Mirror US. The company has insisted that the closure of the store is a part of its broader strategy for growth.
The beloved food spot functions at 27 locations across three states, namely Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama. Taco Mac has suggested that it has plans to expand into other states. Meanwhile, the employees who were working at the flagship store have been offered new employment opportunities in nearby locations.
In the coming days, the empty spot for now in the Virginia Highland neighbourhood will be transformed into Jack Brown's Beer and Burger Joint.
Also Read: Preakness Stakes 2025 prize money: How much does the winner take home?
One of Taco Bell's most historic locations—Restaurant 31 in Scottsdale, Arizona—officially closed its doors earlier this month, marking the end of an era for the fast-food chain. Opened in the 1960s, it was the 31st Taco Bell ever built and had preserved much of the brand's original charm, including a Spanish tile roof and a vintage Taco Bell sign. The closure coincided with the launch of Taco Bell's Decades Menu, which celebrated fan-favourite items from the past, such as the '60s Tostada, '70s Green Sauce Burrito, '80s Meximelt, and '90s Gordita.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
AI-generated Pope sermons flood YouTube, TikTok
AI-generated videos and audios of Pope Leo XIV are populating rapidly online, racking up views as platforms struggle to police them. An AFP investigation identified dozens of YouTube and TikTok pages that have been churning out AI-generated messages delivered in the pope's voice or otherwise attributed to him since he took charge of the Catholic Church last month. The hundreds of fabricated sermons and speeches, in English and Spanish, underscore how easily hoaxes created using artificial intelligence can elude detection and dupe viewers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Contribute ToGau Seva At Hare Krishna Mandir Hare krishna Mandir Donate Now Undo "There's natural interest in what the new pope has to say, and people don't yet know his stance and style," said University of Washington professor emeritus Oren Etzioni, founder of a nonprofit focused on fighting deepfakes. "A perfect opportunity to sow mischief with AI-generated misinformation." Live Events After AFP presented YouTube with 26 channels posting predominantly AI-generated pope content, the platform terminated 16 of them for violating its policies against spam, deceptive practices and scams, and another for violating YouTube's terms of service. Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories "We terminated several channels flagged to us by AFP for violating our Spam policies and Terms of Service," spokesperson Jack Malon said. The company also booted an additional six pages from its partner program allowing creators to monetize their content. TikTok similarly removed 11 accounts that AFP pointed out -- with over 1.3 million combined followers -- citing the platform's policies against impersonation, harmful misinformation and misleading AI-generated content of public figures. 'Chaotic uses' With names such as "Pope Leo XIV Vision," the social media pages portrayed the pontiff supposedly offering a flurry of warnings and lessons he never preached. But disclaimers annotating their use of AI were often hard to find -- and sometimes nonexistent. On YouTube, a label demarcating "altered or synthetic content" is required for material that makes someone appear to say something they did not. But such disclosures only show up toward the bottom of each video's click-to-open description. A YouTube spokesperson said the company has since applied a more prominent label to some videos on the channels flagged by AFP that were not found to have violated the platform's guidelines. TikTok also requires creators to label posts sharing realistic AI-generated content, though several pope-centric videos went unmarked. A TikTok spokesperson said the company proactively removes policy-violating content and uses verified badges to signal authentic accounts. Brian Patrick Green, director of technology ethics at Santa Clara University, said the moderation difficulties are the result of rapid AI developments inspiring "chaotic uses of the technology." Many clips on the YouTube channels AFP identified amassed tens of thousands of views before being deactivated. On TikTok, one Spanish-language video received 9.6 million views while claiming to show Leo preaching about the value of supportive women. Another, which carried an AI label but still fooled viewers, was watched some 32.9 million times. No video on the pope's official Instagram page has more than 6 million views. Experts say even seemingly harmless fakes can be problematic especially if used to farm engagement for accounts that might later sell their audiences or pivot to other misinformation. The AI-generated sermons not only "corrode the pope's moral authority" and "make whatever he actually says less believable," Green said, but could be harnessed "to build up trust around your channel before having the pope say something outrageous or politically expedient." The pope himself has also warned about the risks of AI, while Vatican News called out a deepfake that purported to show Leo praising Burkina Faso leader Ibrahim Traore, who seized power in a 2022 coup. AFP also debunked clips depicting the pope, who holds American and Peruvian citizenships, criticizing US Vice President JD Vance and Peru's President Dina Boluarte. "There's a real crisis here," Green said. "We're going to have to figure out some way to know whether things are real or fake."
India.com
2 days ago
- India.com
Netanyahu On Edge? Spain Deals A Crushing Blow To Israel, Cancels Mega Anti-Tank Missile Deal
New Delhi: In a move that has sent shockwaves through Jerusalem, Spain has officially cancelled a contract to buy advanced anti-tank missile systems from an Israeli company. Worth an eye-watering €285 million (around $325 million), the deal was expected to supply Madrid with 168 'Spike LR2' missiles – co-produced by an Israeli defense giant and its Spanish subsidiary. The Spanish Defense Ministry confirmed on June 3 that the purchase is now off the table, a decision widely seen as a political rebuke to Israel's Netanyahu government amid rising international outrage over alleged abuses in Gaza. The contract had been signed days before the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel that plunged the region into intense conflict. Spain's left-leaning government had already halted all arms exports to Israel from October 2, but reports suggest that some shipments continued despite the embargo, further fueling tensions. Spain, which co-manufactures the Spike LR2 missile locally, made the dramatic call to scrap the deal as part of a growing wave of European unease about Israel's military actions in Gaza. This move also follows Spain's historic recognition of Palestine in coordination with Norway and Ireland in May last year, signaling a shift in its Middle East policy. This cancellation is more than just a lost contract for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It is a diplomatic setback that raises questions about Israel's standing in Europe and the future of its defense ties. The pressure is mounting on the world stage. The Netanyahu government now faces the challenge of navigating a fractious geopolitical landscape while grappling with the fallout of the conflict. The cancelled deal and Spain's hardening stance send a message that Europe's patience with Israel's policies in Gaza is wearing thin, and the fallout could reshape alliances and arms trade across the region.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
17 young Assam footballers to train at Marbella FC in Spain
Panaji: Seventeen young footballers from Assam are preparing for a 14-day trip to Spain where they will train at Marbella FC, a Primera RFEF club where Brazil and star Casemiro is a shareholder. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now All selected players featured in the 70th Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi football tournament which concluded recently. Popular in the past, the tournament attracted participation from some of the biggest clubs in Indian football but later lost its lustre. 'The organisers made the inclusion of under-19 players mandatory for all teams and there were about 700 of them,' said Anuj Kichlu, director and CEO at Best of You (India), a player agency that tied up with Guwahati Sports Association (GSA) to make the Spain training possible. 'The trials were conducted in a professional manner and 17 players were selected.' According to sources, if any of the players catch the eye during their stint in Spain, their training period will be increased. BOY has its headquarters in Madrid and is renowned for representing Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, a five-time winner with Real Madrid and currently at Manchester United. The agency has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Guwahati Sports Association with India representatives, CEO Anuj Kichlu and director Saurav Chatterjee, taking the lead. Devajit Saikia, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is also the secretary at GSA. The association is led by Paresh Chandra Das, while L. Pranab Singh is the football secretary. The 17 players are likely to make the trip in September, depending on how quickly they can obtain their visas. The Bordoloi Trophy, organised by the GSA with support from Assam's department of sports and youth welfare, and various district sports associations, mandated that every participating team fields at least five U-19 players during district and cluster rounds. This decision ensured that scouts discovered talent from remote corners of the state A total of 72 under-19 footballers were first shortlisted and then called for a selection camp at the SAI Training ground in Guwahati. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Former India captain and AFC Pro Licence coach Renedy Singh led the selection committee that picked the 17 players – besides five reserves – for the trip to Spain. 'I was truly impressed by the skill and potential of these young players,' said Renedy, who was interim coach at East Bengal in the (ISL). After spending two years in the fifth division of Spanish football, Marbella have seen plenty of investments, helping them push for two straight promotions in the Primera Federacion. They now play in Primera RFEF, the third-tier of Spanish football, and are known for their excellent infrastructure. Marbella's youth team features in the La Liga Youth League, the top division in Spain.
