BATON ROUGE — Monday is Cinco de Mayo and Mexican restaurants across the capital area are preparing for big crowds. 

Cinco de Mayo marks the day Mexico beat back the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1892. Believe it or not, the fifth of May is not widely considered a holiday in Mexico. 

A manager of Mestizo, a Mexican restaurant on South Acadian Thruway, told WBRZ's Abigail Whitam that Americans make it a bigger day than it is for people in Mexico. 

"For us, it's a great day to come out and get your fix of Mexican or margaritas or queso or guacamole or fajitas," Jim Urdiales said. "We have it all at Mestizo Restaurant for you to take."