Tito's Tacos

File:Tito's Tacos exterior.jpg

Tito's Tacos was established in 1959 by Benjamin Davidson. The menu was developed by Davidson's business partner, Benny Vizcarra, with additional input from the restaurant's first employee, Amado Madera (From Huejuquilla el Alto, Jalisco). A year after its opening, Vizcarra wanted to buy out Davidson but did not have enough money to do so. At that point, Davidson solicited funds from his ex-wife, a native of Mexico, and bought out Vizcarra. The business came under the ownership of Davidson's son, Norman Davidson, a few years later. The restaurant was managed for 20 years by his son in law from 1976 to 1996. (Married to Norman's daughter Wendy). Lynne Davidson did not assume ownership until her father got ill in the 2000's.

In 2016, the restaurant changed its long-standing cash-only policy to accept credit cards.{{cite web|url=https://www.welikela.com/titos-tacos-now-accepting-credit-cards/|title=Tito’s Tacos is Now Accepting Credit Cards For The First Time Since 1959|last=Champlin|first=Brian|date=May 18, 2016|work=We Like L.A.|accessdate=May 19, 2019}}

In 2016, Tito's Tacos successfully filed a cease and desist order against the owner of Tito's Tacos of Vermont for trademark infringement. The Brattleboro, Vermont taco stand, which had been in business for ten weeks, agreed to change its name; it renamed itself Tito's Taqueria.{{cite web|url=https://www.reformer.com/stories/titos-tacos-to-change-name-following-trademark-tangle,148910|title=Tito's Tacos to change name following trademark tangle|last=Audette|first=Robert|date=October 4, 2016|work=Brattleboro Reformer|accessdate=May 19, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.reformer.com/stories/tito-shares-entrepreneurial-advice-to-greenwood-students,525051|title=Tito shares entrepreneurial advice to Greenwood students|last=Mays|first=Chris|date=November 19, 2017|work=Brattleboro Reformer|accessdate=June 25, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.welikela.com/titos-tacos-now-accepting-credit-cards/|title=Tito's Tacos is Now Accepting Credit Cards For The First Time Since 1959|last=Champlin|first=Brian|date=May 18, 2016|work=We Like L.A.|accessdate=May 19, 2019}}

As of 2018, Tito's Tacos employs 95 workers. Full-time employees receive full medical and dental insurance coverage for themselves and their families.{{cite web |url=https://www.culvercityobserver.com/story/2018/09/27/news/skip-the-siesta-come-to-titos-fiesta/7777.html|title=Skip the Siesta, Come to Tito's Fiesta!|first=Sandra|last=Coopersmith|date=September 27, 2018|accessdate=May 19, 2019|work=Culver City Observer}}

Tito's Tacos can be seen in the classic 1989 film Gleaming the Cube.

File:Tito's Tacos' cheese, lettuce and beef tacos.jpg

The menu is notable for its use of hard-shell rather than soft-shell tacos, which is unusual for Mexican restaurants in Los Angeles, and for using cold cheese. Its salsa has also attracted attention.{{cite web|url=https://www.kcet.org/food-living/titos-tacos-famous-red-salsa-57-years-in-the-making|title=Tito's Tacos Famous Red Salsa, 57 Years in the Making|last=Trinh|first=Jean|date=December 16, 2016|work=KCET|accessdate=May 18, 2019}} The tacos are made to the same recipe introduced in 1959, and the menu has remained unchanged for decades.{{cite web |url=https://roadsandkingdoms.com/2012/electric-mexican-titos-tacos/|title=Plates of the Union: Tito's Tacos|first=Nathan|last=Thornburgh|authorlink=Nathan Thornburgh|date=August 26, 2012|accessdate=May 19, 2019|work=Roads & Kingdoms}}

Tito's Tacos is considered a Los Angeles-area icon.{{cite web |url= https://ktla.com/2018/10/04/celebrating-national-taco-day-with-titos-tacos/|title= Celebrating National Taco Day With Tito's Tacos|first=Pablo|last=Chacon Jr.|date=October 4, 2018|accessdate=May 18, 2019|work=KTLA}} Many of its customers have nostalgic memories of eating there as children.{{cite web |url=https://www.seriouseats.com/2011/12/los-angeles-titos-tacos-culver-city.html|title=Los Angeles: Tito's Tacos, a Nostalgic Hard-Shell Taco Stand in Culver City|first=Farley|last=Elliott|date=December 6, 2011|accessdate=May 18, 2019|work=Serious Eats}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2fzboe5BbE|title=How Tito's Tacos Became LA's Favorite Hardshell Taco (video)|date=December 23, 2018|work=Food Insider|accessdate=May 18, 2019}} The restaurant is known for its ubiquitous lines, although the lines "move quickly".{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-07-23-fo-3915-story.html|title=Man Bites Taco|first=Jonathan|last=Gold|date=July 23, 1992|accessdate=May 18, 2019|work=Los Angeles Times}}{{cite web|url=https://picky-palate.com/titos-tacos-review/|title=Tito’s Tacos Review|date=August 8, 2018|work=Picky Palate|accessdate=May 18, 2019}} Its high volume is reflected in its product use. On an annual basis, Tito's Tacos uses more than {{cvt|8000000|lb}} of tortillas and more than {{cvt|500000|lb}} of beef.

In 2015, Tito's Tacos' bean and cheese burrito placed #1 on The Daily Meal's ranking of the top 35 burritos in America.{{cite web |url= https://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/america-s-35-best-burritos-2015|title= America's 35 Best Burritos 2015|first=Kate|last=Kolenda|date=September 22, 2015|accessdate=May 18, 2019|work=The Daily Meal}} Also in 2015, Tito's Tacos was named one of the "20 Places Where You Can Get the Best Tacos in the U.S." by Tech Times.{{cite web |url= https://www.techtimes.com/articles/55849/20150527/20-places-where-you-can-get-the-best-tacos-in-the-u-s.htm|title=20 Places Where You Can Get the Best Tacos in the U.S.|first=Jan|last=Dizon|date=May 27, 2015|accessdate=May 18, 2019|work=Tech Times}} In 2014, Fox News placed the taco stand on its top-ten list of the "Best Tacos in America".{{cite web |url=https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/the-best-tacos-in-america|title=The best tacos in America|first=Dan|last=Myers|date=May 15, 2014|accessdate=May 19, 2019|work=Fox News}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://titostacos.com/}}

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Category:Fast-food Mexican restaurants

Category:Restaurants established in 1959

Category:1959 establishments in California

Category:Buildings and structures in Culver City, California

Category:Mexican restaurants in California

Category:Taco stands