Taco Bell is an American-based chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell (1923–2010) in Downey, California. Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. The restaurants serve a variety of Mexican-inspired foods, including tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, novelty and speciality items, and a variety of "value menu" items. As of 2018, Taco Bell serves over two billion customers each year, at 7,072 restaurants, more than 93 percent of which are owned and operated by independent franchisees and licensees.
Del Taco Restaurants, Inc. is an American fast food restaurant chain which specializes in American-style Mexican cuisine as well as American foods such as burgers, fries, and shakes. Del Taco is led by CEO John D. Cappasola, Jr., and is headquartered in Lake Forest, California. On December 6, 2021, Jack in the Box announced that it was acquiring Del Taco for $12.51 per share. The acquisition was finalized in March 2022. Del Taco has approximately 600 locations in 16 US states.
Anna's Taqueria is a chain of fast-service Mexican-fusion restaurants in the Boston area.
Moe's Southwest Grill, referred to informally as Moe's, is an American fast casual restaurant franchise chain that was founded in Atlanta, Georgia, in December 2000 by Raving Brands. The name "Moe's" originated as an acronym for "Musicians, Outlaws and Entertainers," and this theme led to the music-related artwork found in the original design.
Rubio's Coastal Grill, formerly known as Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill and Rubio’s Baja Grill is an American fast casual "Fresh Mex" or "New Mex" restaurant chain specializing in Mexican food, with an emphasis on fish tacos. As of 2013, Rubio's operates, licenses, or franchises more than 200 restaurants in Arizona, California, Florida, Colorado, Nevada, and Utah. It is headquartered in Carlsbad, California.
Maui Tacos is a fast casual franchise restaurant that serves Maui-Mex food with a fusion of Hawaiian flavors. The first Maui Tacos was opened by Mark Ellman in 1993 in Nāpili, Maui, Hawaiʻi. Ellman opened six more locations in Hawaiʻi before opening his first store in the mainland in 1998. Maui Tacos now has 21 restaurants in 11 states and recently opened its sixth Maui location, in Kalama Village, Kihei. In June 2009, the company's eight Hawaii locations were sold to Maui Tacos International, the New York-based company that operated the mainland locations under a franchise agreement.
Surf Taco is a chain of Mexican-Californian cuisine-style restaurants located primarily in the Jersey Shore area. The food served is also described as Coastal Cuisine. It was founded by Robert Nagel, in 2001. There are presently fourteen restaurants.
California Tortilla, also known as Cal Tort, is an American chain of franchised fast casual Mexican-style restaurants, the first of which was opened in August 1995 in Bethesda, Maryland by business partners Pam Felix and Alan Cohen. The chain's menu is comparable to that of its competitors, such as Baja Fresh and Chipotle Mexican Grill. A typical restaurant has 2,500 square feet (230 m2) with seating for 75 people. California Tortilla was voted by readers of Washingtonian magazine as having the best burritos in both 2009 and 2010, and "best Mexican" in 2014 and 2015. In 2019, it was awarded Best Fast Casual by Washington City Paper readers.
Tijuana Flats Tex-Mex is a privately-held American restaurant chain serving Tex-Mex cuisine. It has over 135 locations throughout Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and Indiana. Tijuana Flats restaurants are fast-casual hybrids with fresh food, hot sauce bars, art murals and off-beat culture. Customers order at the front counter and are served after taking a seat.
Cafe Rio, or Cafe Rio Mexican Grill, is an American fast casual restaurant chain based in Salt Lake City, with branches in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. The company specializes in Mexican cuisine. Its menu includes appetizers, tostadas, salads, burritos, desserts, enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, soups, and beverages. The company also provides catering services. In October 2017, the chain had 120 locations. In April 2022, it has grown to 146 locations.
A burrito is a dish in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine that took form in Ciudad Juárez, consisting of a flour tortilla wrapped into a sealed cylindrical shape around various ingredients. The tortilla is sometimes lightly grilled or steamed to soften it, make it more pliable, and allow it to adhere to itself. Burritos are often eaten by hand, as their tight wrapping keeps the ingredients together. Burritos can also be served "wet", i.e., covered in a savory and spicy sauce, when they would be eaten with a fork and knife.
A French tacos or matelas is a fast food dish which usually consists of a flour tortilla grilled and folded around a filling of French fries, cheese, and meat, among other deli ingredients. More similar to a burrito than to a taco, and claiming inspiration from Mexican cuisine, it originated from the region of Rhône-Alpes in France in the early 2000s, before becoming popular among teenagers and young adults in all of France and abroad.
Salsarita's Fresh Mexican Grill is a chain of fast casual Tex Mex restaurants in the United States serving Mexican-style cuisine. Restaurant service consists of: dine-in, take-out, online ordering, 3rd Party Delivery with some locations offering Drive Thru options. The company is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and operates over 80 company-owned and franchised restaurants throughout United States.
BarBurrito Canada is a quick-serve Mexican chain that focuses on burritos. Founded in 2009 by Alex Shtein, it has grown from its original Toronto location to more than 200 franchises located in Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. The affiliated American restaurant, Burritobar, is located in Howell, Michigan with plans to expand to more locations.
Papi Chulo's is a restaurant with two locations in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. The original taqueria in the Pearl District was opened by restaurateur Ramzy Hattar in December 2019, with Antonio Javier Palma Caceres as the chef and Davide Bricca overseeing cocktails. The trio had previously worked together at River Pig Saloon and Two Wrongs, two neighboring establishments also owned by Hattar. A second location opened in northeast Portland in 2023. Papi Chulo's serves Mexican cuisine, such as tacos, burritos, nachos, birria, margaritas, and micheladas.
Tacos El Gavilan, Inc, also known as Tacos Gavilan or formerly Tacos El Gavilan, is a Mexican fast food restaurant chain founded in Los Angeles, California in 1992., Its headquarters are in Vernon, California. Tacos Gavilan serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, sopes, tortas, platos, mulitas, nachos, large group platters, and Mexican drinks, aguas frescas, including Horchata, Tamarindo, Agua de Jamaica, and Piña. As of 2021, Tacos Gavilan has 14 restaurants located in California, all of which are family-owned.
La Bonita: Food for the People, or simply La Bonita, is a small chain of Mexican restaurants in Portland, Oregon, United States. The family-owned business operates three locations in north, northeast, and southeast Portland, serving burritos, chilaquiles, tacos, tamales, and other traditional cuisine. The restaurant has a good reputation, and has been included on two Thrillist lists of the country's best burritos.
Tacos Chukis is a chain of Mexican restaurants with multiple locations in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington.
Carmelo's Tacos is a Mexican restaurant with two locations in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington.
Rancho Bravo Tacos is a small chain of Mexican restaurants in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington. Owner Freddy Rivas started the business as a food truck in Kent in 2002, before relocating to Wallingford in 2007. The business also has a restaurant in Capitol Hill and previously operated in the University District. Serving cuisine such as tacos, nachos, burritos, tamales, and tortas, the business has garnered a generally positive reception as an inexpensive and late night option for diners, with the tacos and burritos receiving the most praise.
