El Patron Serves Free Veterans Day Thanksgiving Meal
The Albuquerque restaurant offers a Thanksgiving-style dinner to veterans, service members and law enforcement each Veterans Day.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Mexican Food
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El Patron, a New Mexican and Mexican restaurant in Albuquerque, provided a free Thanksgiving-style meal to veterans, service members and law enforcement on Veterans Day. The restaurant has offered the free meal for more than two decades.
Why it matters
The event recognizes the service and sacrifice of veterans and first responders in the local community. Co-owners Nadine Martinez Daskalos and Jimmy Daskalos plan to continue the tradition.
The free meal has run for more than 20 years and includes a full Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings in place of the restaurant's regular menu. The number of attendees this year was not reported.
The players
El Patron
El Patron is a Mexican and New Mexican restaurant in Albuquerque, New Mexico, known locally for its long-running community events.
Nadine Martinez Daskalos
Nadine Martinez Daskalos is a co-owner of El Patron who helps run the restaurant and its annual Veterans Day meal.
Jimmy Daskalos
Jimmy Daskalos is a co-owner of El Patron who operates the restaurant alongside his wife, Nadine Martinez Daskalos.
The details
Veterans, service members and law enforcement officers were invited to the restaurant for a Thanksgiving dinner on Veterans Day. Guests sat together and shared stories during the meal, which the owners described as a way to show thanks for their service.
Timeline
Veterans Day, November 11, 2026: El Patron served the free Thanksgiving-style meal to veterans, service members and law enforcement.
Local Tradition
Veterans Day is a federal holiday observed each November 11, and El Patron's annual free meal extends that observance into a long-running local dining tradition in Albuquerque. Restaurants offering free meals to service members on the holiday are a community practice rather than a formal public program.
Veterans, service members and law enforcement officers in Albuquerque can attend the restaurant's free Thanksgiving-style meal, which has been offered for more than 20 years. The tradition gives local residents a regular opportunity to share a holiday meal with others who have served.
The takeaway
Community meals like this one give veterans and first responders a chance to share stories and be recognized outside formal ceremonies. Residents who want to support similar efforts can look for local restaurants that host free holiday meals for those who have served.
Further reading
For more local dining coverage, explore Mexican Food stories from around Albuquerque.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KOB.
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