He’s one of the most recognizable men in Provo. He’s been a staple of BYU off-campus housing for as long as we can remember. You know him as the tamale guy, famous for his top-notch tamales that can be yours for just a few dollars. While he may be short in stature, his influence is far-reaching, and some major players in the tamale industry are not happy.

“He’s really disrupting our business, acting like he can just walk in and make the best tamales north of the border,” said Greg Creed, CEO of Yum! Brands. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for small business. Unless it’s affecting our business, then I can’t stand it.”

The Alternate Universe reached out to the tamale guy as well as his wife, the so-called “tamale tandem,” for comment. They chose to remain anonymous, but provided some insider information about their business. The tamale guy is currently in the process of trademarking his signature “hello, would you like to buy tamales today?” greeting. He also said he has no intention of letting apartment complexes’ “no soliciting” signs stop him from selling his famous food.

The aspiring entrepreneur will be holding a special Black Friday deal later this month. Instead of the usual $7 for four tamales price, customers will be able to buy six tamales for the same price. Sources say Edge Pest Control recently contacted him to see if he was interested in doing door-to-door summer sales in 2020.