When people think of Mexican fast food, Taco Bell tends to dominate. However, there are plenty of Mexican restaurant chains that aren’t Taco Bell out there, like Del Taco. This California-based chain is considered by many to be a worthy contender in the world of Mexican fast food. One thing that surprises people about Del Taco is that it is actually older than you would think, dating back to the ’60s. In fact, there’s actually still operating locations from its earliest days. The oldest Del Taco, located in Barstow, California, has been operating since 1964.
On top of being the oldest operating Del Taco, this location also still serves its original menu. Of course, the current menu prices are quite different from what Del Taco prices looked like on its opening day, but it is still a fun historic aspect of this specific Del Taco location.
Is it the original Del Taco?
One point of contention about this Del Taco location is whether or not it’s actually the first Del Taco. While this location is definitely historic, as it is one of the first Del Taco locations, it isn’t the original. The first Del Taco location was opened in Yermo, California, and is unfortunately no longer operating.
Granted, the Yermo and Barstow locations both opened in the same year, so it’s easy to see how confusion may arise. As a whole, California is the unofficial birthplace of fast food, so its history gets convoluted. Myths about the Barstow Del Taco being the oldest are still often perpetuated online, but unfortunately that is not true. While you can absolutely visit the oldest operating Del Taco, it is important to know that it is not the original.
One of the men who established the Yermo location is Ed Hackbarth, one of Del Taco’s founders. At the time of this writing, he is still alive and can sometimes be found at the Barstow restaurant. While the very first Del Taco may be long gone, there’s still plenty of history to be found in Barstow, California.
