 Taco pizza from Casey's | |
| Type | Pizza |
|---|---|
| Course | Main |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Region or state | Midwest |
| Created by | Joe Whitty potentially |
| Invented | 1974 potentially |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Part of a series on |
| Pizza |
|---|
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Taco pizza is a pizza that uses taco ingredients. The owner of pizza chain Happy Joe's claimed to have invented taco pizza. The pizza has been served by other locations.
The pizza parlor chain Happy Joe's in Davenport, Iowa, claimed to have invented taco pizza. After refusing to allow a franchisee to add tacos to their menu, Happy Joe's owner Joe Whitty decided to make something better than tacos. Whitty claimed that the taco pizza was created in December 1974 when he topped his pizza with taco chips, lettuce, and tomatoes. Whitty's daughter, Kristel Whitty-Ersan, said, "At the time, no one was making specialty pizzas." [1] In 1979, restaurant chain Pizza Inn wanted to patent the name taco pizza, but competitor Pizza Hut disagreed by saying that the creation is not special and not worth rights to its name. Previously, Pizza Inn had trademarks for the name in eight states and then tried to receive a national trademark. Pizza Hut came up with their version of taco pizza while using the name in their menus and advertisements. Pizza Inn sent a letter to Pizza Hut claiming that they have exclusive rights to the name and Pizza Hut responded that taco pizza is only a description. [2] Happy Joe's partnered with Pizza Hut in court and agreed that taco pizza is only a generic name of the food. [3]
Gas station chain Casey's is known for their taco pizza. Author Chuy Renteria said, "Taco pizza, the second thing that makes Casey's stand out, is a little harder for outside folks to wrap their heads around. Casey's taco pizza consists of ground beef, lettuce, and tomato on a crust lined with a bean dip spread." [4] Taco pizza has also been served at the pizza chain Godfather's Pizza. [5] Taco Bell sells a version named Mexican Pizza. [6] In 1995, The Pillsbury Company created a taco pizza recipe using Totino's frozen pizzas. [7] A 2020 study by Zippia of each state's favorite pizza concluded that taco pizza is the favorite pizza of Iowa. [8]
Pizza Hut is an American multinational restaurant chain and international franchise founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas by Dan and Frank Carney. They serve their signature pan pizza and other dishes including pasta, breadsticks and dessert at dine-in, take-out and delivery chain locations. They also serve chicken wings on their WingStreet menu.
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.
A fast-food restaurant, also known as a quick-service restaurant (QSR) within the industry, is a specific type of restaurant that serves fast-food cuisine and has minimal table service. The food served in fast-food restaurants is typically part of a "meat-sweet diet", offered from a limited menu, cooked in bulk in advance and kept hot, finished and packaged to order, and usually available for take away, though seating may be provided. Fast-food restaurants are typically part of a restaurant chain or franchise operation that provides standardized ingredients and/or partially prepared foods and supplies to each restaurant through controlled supply channels. The term "fast food" was recognized in a dictionary by Merriam–Webster in 1951.
Yum! Brands, Inc., formerly Tricon Global Restaurants, Inc., is an American fast food corporation listed on the Fortune 1000. Yum! operates the brands KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill, except in China, where the brands are operated by a separate company, Yum China. Yum! previously also owned Long John Silver's and A&W Restaurants.
Happy Joe's is an American pizza parlor chain based in Bettendorf, Iowa. The restaurant chain was founded in 1972 by Lawrence Joseph "Happy Joe" Whitty, a former Shakey's Pizza manager. Their United States locations are spread out across the Upper Midwest and Florida, with a location in Egypt, which opened in October 2022. In 2022, Happy Joe's has declared an intent over 10 years to open at least 25 locations across the Middle East and North Africa, including in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. The idea for Happy Joe's came from a combination of a pizza parlor and ice cream palace.
Casey's Retail Company is a chain of convenience stores in the Midwestern and Southern United States. The company is headquartered in Ankeny, Iowa, a suburb of Des Moines. As of April 30, 2019, Casey's had 2,146 stores in 16 states. Following 7-Eleven's purchase of Speedway, Casey's is the 3rd largest convenience store chain in the United States and the largest that is wholly American-owned. It is one of two Iowa-based Fortune 500 companies.
D'Angelo Grilled Sandwiches is a chain of 83 neighborhood-style sandwich shops found throughout New England, in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Founded in 1967 in Dedham, Massachusetts, D’Angelo Grilled Sandwiches serves various kinds of grilled, hot and deli sandwiches, rice & grain bowls, lobster rolls, grilled topped salads, wraps and hot soups. Famous for its Steak & Cheese sandwiches, the company's grilled sandwich Number 9 was called “the finest fast-food sandwich in the land” in a Bloomberg News column.
Eagle Boys was an Australian fast food pizza chain. The chain was acquired by Pizza Hut in November 2016 and was officially closed on 1 May 2017.
Taco rice is a popular example of modern Okinawan cuisine. It consists of taco-flavored ground beef served on a bed of rice, frequently served with shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato and salsa.
Restaurant Brands New Zealand Limited, trading as Restaurant Brands, is a New Zealand fast food company. Restaurant Brands currently operates and owns the master franchising rights for the Carl's Jr., KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell brands in New Zealand. Restaurant Brands operates most of New Zealand's stores for the brands they own rights to and provides management and support services to New Zealand's independent franchisees of the remaining stores.
In 2006, there were several outbreaks of foodborne illness from spinach and lettuce contaminated by E. coli O157:H7.
Tasty Tacos is a Des Moines, Iowa based Mexican-inspired restaurant founded in 1961 by Richard and Antonia Mosqueda. It is family owned and operated and has five restaurants in the central Iowa area. Their motto, Nothing Is Impossible has been the driving force behind the Tasty Tacos operation. The flour taco is their signature dish and features a homemade fluffy flour shell, filled with choice of meat, lettuce and cheese.
The presence of pizza restaurant chains has contributed to a significant increase in pizza consumption in Mainland China & Hong Kong. This also had an effect of introducing cheese as a culinary ingredient and everyday food in China, which was relatively uncommon in Chinese cuisine prior to the emergence of pizza chains. Pizza Hut opened its first store in China in 1990, and several pizza restaurant chains exist in China today.
The Mexican Pizza, originally called the Pizzazz Pizza, is a menu item at the U.S.-based chain Taco Bell. It consists of two tortillas with a filling of seasoned beef and refried beans, topped with tomato sauce, three cheeses, and diced tomatoes. It is not found in Mexican cuisine and it does not particularly resemble pizza.
