As successful as fast food chains appear on the outside, there are quite a few instances in which major chains have tried and failed to do something new. From donuts for breakfast at Shake Shack to burritos at Burger King, it just goes to show that even the most successful fast food businesses can make missteps.
Carl’s Jr. had its own blunder back in 1972 when it opened a Mexican food themed spin-off known as Taco de Carlos. The spin-off had its own unique menu featuring California-inspired Mexican eats, as well as Carl’s Jr. burgers. However, unlike Carl’s Jr., Taco de Carlos proved to be unsuccessful and came to an end a decade later.
While Carl’s Jr. itself has stood the test of time to this day, its short lived Mexican spin-off has long since faded into little more than a memory. Much like how pizza at McDonald’s used to be a thing, the only people who seem to remember Taco de Carlos are those who just so happened to be around at the right place and right time to try it.
The history of Taco de Carlos
By the time Taco de Carlos opened, Carl’s Jr. had already been in business and quite successful for several decades. However, founder Carl Karcher wanted to expand beyond burgers, and opened Carl Karcher Enterprises in 1964. A decade later, Taco de Carlos was born.
However, Taco de Carlos was not invented solely on a whim. At the time, Taco Bell was starting to dominate the country, and Mexican food was becoming quite trendy. Taco de Carlos was Carl’s Jr. ‘s attempt to capitalize on the trend and hopefully compete with Taco Bell for a foothold in the Mexican fast food market.
After a decade of business, there were 17 Taco de Carlos locations in operation, none of which were widely successful. While chains like Taco Bell and Del Taco continued to dominate the market, Taco de Carlos continued to shrink. Eventually, all the locations were sold, ironically to competitors like Del Taco.
