Del Taco

There are still hundreds of Del Tacos - particularly in California. Its basically "slightly better" Taco Bell; nothing more, nothing less.

no it isn't. They offer "real" tacos in addition to American style hard ones.
They also have a parallel burgers and fries menu, both quite good for being in the cheap category.

I think Del Taco is edible where as Taco Bell is not.

Though I rarely eat there, I do make a habit when I walk by to walk up and ask what Tacos del Carbon means.
I started this a few years ago when they put up a poster in the window.
No one knew including the manager and this was clearly their native language.

So every few months I figure the staff has changed and I ask again.
I get more blank stares, tell them all to have a nice day, and walk out.

The only thing I could guess is The Coal's Taco but I don't know Spanish.
I wished I could be in that room, or any room where they come up with these names.

I can just see Bob or Stacy jumping up, I've got it, I've got, how about Tacos Del Carbon.

quote:

Originally posted by uncledaveyo

There are still hundreds of Del Tacos - particularly in California. Its basically "slightly better" Taco Bell; nothing more, nothing less.

A little Del Taco history:


Del Taco originally began in California in 1964. The founder was a man named Ed Hackbarth and he began his fast food career as an employee of Glen Bell, the founder of Taco Bell. Hackbarth later had an employee by the name of Dick Naugles who in turn founded a very good Taco chain called Naugles. Naugles in my opinion was the very best of the fast food taco/burrito chains in California for many years and eventually had about 200 locations. Dick Naugles eventually sold his company to Del Taco which retained the "Macho Burritio", a Naugles invention. But for anyone who remembers; the Naugles Macho burrito was way better than the Del Taco version.

Good info Baconheart. My first fat burrito in the '70's was at a Calif. (I assume) chain called Tijuana Taco, but they were gone by about 1990 and I can't find anything on the web about them.

quote:

Originally posted by Guilty One

Good info Baconheart. My first fat burrito in the '70's was at a Calif. (I assume) chain called Tijuana Taco, but they were gone by about 1990 and I can't find anything on the web about them.

Wow! You made me stop and think about my "first burrito" as well.

I think my first was burritio was in 1963 at a little stand on Figuroa Blvd, in Highland Park, CA at a place called Ralph's Burrito Stand. I remember they had one they called 'the Mexican Hamburger Burrito' which was pretty much seasoned ground beef with shredded lettuce tomato and a spicy salsa. I wonder what ever happend to that place?

Strangely enough, the first burrito I ever bought myself was at a Taco Bell near the pier in Hermosa Beach, CA. I remember I was about 8 years old and I rode my bike to Taco Bell and ordered a bean & cheese burrito... and too me at the time it was delicious.

Hi! I just registered--I registered the second I saw this thread. "OMG, I must register!" I thought.

When I was a kid (in Houston, where I still am), we had a Del Taco down the road a ways. It was one of our favorite fast food stops. I keenly recall the Del Nachos, actually, a good 20 years after the fact.

What I also remember is when the Taco Bell opened up further down that same road. I don't think my parents took me there, but my friend's parents did. I really didn't "get it." The food was so substandard, so not-DT. Yet Taco Bell was packed to the gills. I don't think I understood then that it was all about the almighty dollar. I ate TB's nachos, and they were as nothing compared with DT's. Nothing. It was distressing. Also, that particular TB location had a "backwards" drive-thru--as far as I could tell, the passenger would have to do the transacting at the window.

Anyway, Del Taco was driven out, and I lamented for decades. To this day, I mourn it. I have my favorite Mexican restaurant (non-fast food) about a block away from me, but I wish Del Taco would come back.

I was in San Diego and taking a bus out to La Jolla, and as we drove down some road, we passed--of all things--a Del Taco. But the bus moved on past it, and I just stared out the window in disbelief. I later looked online and found that they still exist--just not here.