Smells of political correctness to me. They probably had that all lumped together, but someone probably got their panties in a know over the Chi-Chi's and Old El Paso being integrated with the "real" Mex stuff.

Malkin?

Is this the place where I should admit to taking way too much pleasure from the grocery store in our old neighborhood labeling a section "Oriental"?

The local Meijers now has a long "ethnic" section with Asian, Mexican, Italian (where all the pasta is) and even French and German.

Trying to cover all bases, I guess.

Texas is, despite the assertion of their Tourism Bureau commercials, part of the U.S., and as such, Tex-Mex is NOT "Foreign" food. It is, as the name implies, Texas food inspired by its Mexican past, but with a great deal of influence from non-Hispanic sources as well. Mos non-Texan Hispanics, especially first and second heneration, would not recognize most Tex-Mex dishes, or at least would think them done all wrong, and most certainly would not be interested in purchasing Tex-Mex products when they are shopping for food to remind them of home.

As for why the Hispanics have their own section, may I respectfully suggest Occam's Razor? They make up the largest minority group in the United States, and as such are a market force to be reckoned with.

I really think that it was probably more of a free market thinking. More people ask for more variety of Mex, and tex mex, than they do for other Foreign items. Here in hawaii most Grocery stores have huge sections devoted to asian food, where as our mexican selection pretty much sucks.