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Tacos arrived in the United States long before they became mainstream, carried by Mexican migrants in the late 1800s. The earliest known sales date back to around 1905 in cities like Los Angeles, where street vendors—often called “chili queens” or taqueros—served simple tacos filled with meats like beef or offal to working-class communities. These early tacos were sold from carts and small stands, bringing authentic Mexican flavors to American streets for the first time.

As Mexican immigration increased during the early 20th century, especially during the Mexican Revolution (1910–1920), tacos became more visible across the Southwest. By the 1920s and 1930s, small family-owned restaurants began offering tacos more formally, helping the dish gain a foothold in American food culture.

The real turning point came in the mid-20th century, when entrepreneurs like Glen Bell helped commercialize tacos for the mass market. In 1962, he founded Taco Bell, adapting tacos to American tastes with crispy shells and standardized ingredients. From that moment on, tacos moved from street food to a nationwide phenomenon—eventually becoming one of the most popular foods in the United States today.