ROBERTO'S TACO SHOPS


HOME	LOCATIONS	MENU	HISTORY	COUPONS
Our History A brief introduction to Roberto's Taco Shops, and our founder, Roberto Robledo. Roberto Robledo, was born in Central Mexico, to a extremely poor family. As a child, his family home was made from hay and mud, and dirt served as the only floor. Roberto's mother had given birth to 18 babies, only 4 of which survived infancy. Their only income, was from gleaning firewood in the local countryside, to sell to fellow villagers. Roberto was forced to quit school at the first grade so he to help support his family. "That's as poor as you can get," Said Roberto, recalling the days he and his father would collecting dried branches on the hillsides, transporting it back to his village on the back of a donkey. In 1943, at the age of 17, Roberto moved to the United States, when drought in Central Mexico, made it impossible to survive in the agriculturally based economy. He worked for a Mexico City company on the Milwaukee Road near Seattle, Washington. He spent nine months working on the railroad, then went on to other jobs, mostly menial labor, where he made barely enough money to live. In 1948, Roberto moved back to Mexico and married. He then returned to the United States, where he continued to work as a laborer, as well as a migrant farm worker, sending money back home each month to support his growing family. By 1957, Roberto, and his wife Dolores, had seven children, ranging from infant to 8 years. In that year, He decided to move his family to the United States. Roberto took a job as a ditch digger in Lancaster, California, and found a second job waiting tables at a restaurant called The Mexican Village, often working up to 13 hours per day, just to provide food and clothing for his family. When work ran out after about a year or so in Lancaster, Roberto moved his family to San Diego, where he found work as a construction worker, and at a car wash. "I can remember working all the time, I never had just one job—I always had two or three," Roberto told once told an interviewer. "I had a lot of mouths to feed, and there was never enough money to make ends meet." In 1964, Roberto decided he needed to try something new. Borrowing an idea from his brother, who had previously started a small tortilleria near Santa Rosa, California, Roberto decided to start his one tortilleria in the San Diego suburb of San Ysidro. He felt it would be worth it, even if he only made enough tortillas to feed his family, which at this time had grown to 9 children. Roberto purchased a small tortilla machine, and for $30 per month, rented a 14 by 20 foot room on San Ysidro's main thoroughfare. With the whole family pitching in, he sold tortillas, made using Dolores' recipes, from a counter the fronted the busy street, often working as much as 18 hours per day. Later, Roberto seized an opportunity to expand his business, by purchasing a Ford station wagon for $40, and started delivering his tortillas to Mexican restaurants in the San Diego area, eventually expanding to three delivery routes. He also expanded the menu at his tortilla shop to include other items, such as beans, rice, and chili. In 1966, one of Roberto's clients convinced him to open his own restaurant, and even helped him find his first location. From there, he began opening new shops whenever and wherever he found a promising location, at the right price, as well as gradually expanding his menu to include more than 40 items. By 1991, Roberto had more than forty shops. He needed that many, he said, so he could set his children up in business for themselves. 11 of his 13 children operate taco shops in the San Diego area. The other two are not in the business. "Two of my children just don't want to work," Roberto once complained. Throughout his life, Roberto knew the meaning of hard work and determination. His success in becoming a restaurateur never let Roberto forget his humble beginnings, nor the people in his home village. He frequently sent money to the village, and employed many of his friends family in his restaurants, until they could make enough money to strike out on their own. "Roberto's food is like your Mom's food—it's fresh—it's cooked right there for you, and comes right to your plate," Roberto said. Roberto never worried about competition from other fast food restaurants, especially those specializing in Mexican food. He felt he had found his niche. Roberto Robledo passed away in June, 1999. His family proudly carries on Roberto's tradition of offering quality, fresh, and authentic Mexican food, at reasonable prices, at more than seventy locations in the South West—Perhaps, one day, even fulfilling Roberto's dream of bringing Roberto's Taco Shops to London, England.

Our History
A brief introduction to Roberto's Taco Shops, and our founder, Roberto Robledo.

Roberto Robledo, was born in Central Mexico, to a extremely poor family. As a child, his family home was made from hay and mud, and dirt served as the only floor. Roberto's mother had given birth to 18 babies, only 4 of which survived infancy. Their only income, was from gleaning firewood in the local countryside, to sell to fellow villagers. Roberto was forced to quit school at the first grade so he to help support his family. "That's as poor as you can get," Said Roberto, recalling the days he and his father would collecting dried branches on the hillsides, transporting it back to his village on the back of a donkey.
In 1943, at the age of 17, Roberto moved to the United States, when drought in Central Mexico, made it impossible to survive in the agriculturally based economy. He worked for a Mexico City company on the Milwaukee Road near Seattle, Washington. He spent nine months working on the railroad, then went on to other jobs, mostly menial labor, where he made barely enough money to live.
In 1948, Roberto moved back to Mexico and married. He then returned to the United States, where he continued to work as a laborer, as well as a migrant farm worker, sending money back home each month to support his growing family.
By 1957, Roberto, and his wife Dolores, had seven children, ranging from infant to 8 years. In that year, He decided to move his family to the United States.
Roberto took a job as a ditch digger in Lancaster, California, and found a second job waiting tables at a restaurant called The Mexican Village, often working up to 13 hours per day, just to provide food and clothing for his family.
When work ran out after about a year or so in Lancaster, Roberto moved his family to San Diego, where he found work as a construction worker, and at a car wash. "I can remember working all the time, I never had just one job—I always had two or three," Roberto told once told an interviewer. "I had a lot of mouths to feed, and there was never enough money to make ends meet."
In 1964, Roberto decided he needed to try something new. Borrowing an idea from his brother, who had previously started a small tortilleria near Santa Rosa, California, Roberto decided to start his one tortilleria in the San Diego suburb of San Ysidro. He felt it would be worth it, even if he only made enough tortillas to feed his family, which at this time had grown to 9 children.
Roberto purchased a small tortilla machine, and for $30 per month, rented a 14 by 20 foot room on San Ysidro's main thoroughfare. With the whole family pitching in, he sold tortillas, made using Dolores' recipes, from a counter the fronted the busy street, often working as much as 18 hours per day.
Later, Roberto seized an opportunity to expand his business, by purchasing a Ford station wagon for $40, and started delivering his tortillas to Mexican restaurants in the San Diego area, eventually expanding to three delivery routes. He also expanded the menu at his tortilla shop to include other items, such as beans, rice, and chili. In 1966, one of Roberto's clients convinced him to open his own restaurant, and even helped him find his first location. From there, he began opening new shops whenever and wherever he found a promising location, at the right price, as well as gradually expanding his menu to include more than 40 items.
By 1991, Roberto had more than forty shops. He needed that many, he said, so he could set his children up in business for themselves. 11 of his 13 children operate taco shops in the San Diego area. The other two are not in the business. "Two of my children just don't want to work," Roberto once complained.
Throughout his life, Roberto knew the meaning of hard work and determination. His success in becoming a restaurateur never let Roberto forget his humble beginnings, nor the people in his home village. He frequently sent money to the village, and employed many of his friends family in his restaurants, until they could make enough money to strike out on their own.
"Roberto's food is like your Mom's food—it's fresh—it's cooked right there for you, and comes right to your plate," Roberto said. Roberto never worried about competition from other fast food restaurants, especially those specializing in Mexican food. He felt he had found his niche.
Roberto Robledo passed away in June, 1999. His family proudly carries on Roberto's tradition of offering quality, fresh, and authentic Mexican food, at reasonable prices, at more than seventy locations in the South West—Perhaps, one day, even fulfilling Roberto's dream of bringing Roberto's Taco Shops to London, England.