If you’ve lived in El Paso long enough to set foot in a Circle K parking lot, odds are you’ve either survived an encounter with, or fallen victim to, The Notorious Empanada Lady! She is the city’s most persistent, persuasive, and debatably supernatural vendor.
She’s made appearances mainly on the east side at Circle K, Walmart, Home Depot, Food King, Walgreens, Vista, Americas, Zaragoza, honestly, she’s everywhere short of the Franklin Mountains. And if you know, you know, once you see her- you can’t run away!
A recent Facebook post reignited the legend:
Don’t come to the Circle K on Darrington! Lady selling empanadas straight up force you to buy some.
From there, the comments EXPLODED! And the wild part? Everyone immediately knew who it was. No picture. No description. Just vibes.
El Paso’s Parking Lot Empanada Legend: The Vendor Who Can Outsell, Outrun, Out-Compliment… and Maybe Out-Scam Anyone?
One person said she charged them $38 before they could even process what was happening, all while calling them “mi amor” and “mi niño.” So, you’re telling me that a simple compliment is all it takes? Okay, it would probably work on me!
READ MORE: The Northeast Eggroll Lady Would Never Betray You Like the Empanada Lady
Another said she chased them to their car, complimenting their eyebrows for 10 straight minutes before attempting to open the passenger door. Someone else said she convinced them a “special” was 12 empanadas for $8, only to end up paying $12 for eight. Math? Optional.
And then came the other warnings- the ones that shift the story from funny to shady.
Multiple commenters claim she’s a “known thief” in the area, famous on FitFam for allegedly overcharging people, switching prices mid-sale, or taking off the second someone questions her intentions. According to longtime locals, she’s been “forcing empanadas on people for 15 years” and changes locations whenever suspicion gets too high.
READ MORE: Here’s Why to Buy Empanadas at Your Own Risk in El Paso
Yet somehow, we still collectively treat her like our unofficial, uninvited, endlessly determined parking-lot mascot. As one commenter put it:
If you’re not hustling like the empanada lady, what are you doing?
And then there’s the best line in the entire thread:
Legend says if you say ‘empanada’ three times, she will APPEAR.
The comment section basically became a support group for those who have fallen victim to the empanada lady!
Now, I’ve had my fair share of vendors in parking lots being aggressive, but I don’t think I’ve ever encountered anyone quite like the empanada lady. I am however from the Northeast and absolutely loved the eggroll lady; her tactics weren’t quite as aggressive, but I would also get finessed into buy more than I intended! I guess you just have accept your fate when you see her in the parking lot.
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