El Torito
El Torito is an American full-service Mexican casual-dining restaurant chain founded in California in 1954.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
El Torito is an American restaurant brand specializing in Mexican food and full-service casual dining. The chain was founded in California in 1954 by Larry J. Cano and developed into one of the early large-scale Mexican casual-dining concepts in the state. Its name, meaning “the little bull” in Spanish, reflects the brand’s Mexican-themed identity rather than a single packaged-food product line. El Torito’s business is centered on sit-down restaurants serving Mexican dishes, beverages, and related hospitality experiences. Cano entered the restaurant business after military service, business studies, and work as a bartender. In 1954, he was managing a Polynesian restaurant when its owner died and ownership passed to the owner’s widow, who in turn transferred control to Cano. Cano began serving Mexican food at the establishment, creating the first El Torito location. The early business was not immediately easy: at one point Cano experienced financial difficulties and moved into the restaurant. Within approximately three years, however, the restaurant had become successful enough to support expansion. El Torito grew through the opening of additional California locations. By 1976, the chain had reached 20 restaurants, at which point Cano sold the business to W. R. Grace and Company for approximately $20 million. W. R. Grace retained Cano as president and directed the business toward rapid expansion. This transaction marked the transition of El Torito from a founder-led local operation into a corporate restaurant business. The brand subsequently passed through several ownership structures. W. R. Grace sold its restaurant interests in a leveraged buyout in 1986, producing Restaurant Enterprises Group, Inc. That company later filed for bankruptcy in 1993. In 1994, Foodmaker acquired the business out of bankruptcy; the parent organization subsequently used the names Family Restaurants, Koo Koo Roo Enterprises, and Prandium. Acapulco acquired El Torito from Prandium in 2000, renamed its parent company Real Mex Restaurants in 2004, and moved the headquarters to Cypress, California. Real Mex Restaurants entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in October 2011, citing difficult economic conditions and announcing that it would seek a sale. The filing did not announce an immediate program of restaurant closures or layoffs. A group of noteholders acquired the company through a bankruptcy auction in 2012. In 2018, FM Restaurants HoldCo, LLC acquired Real Mex Restaurants out of bankruptcy, after which the restaurants operated under the Xperience Restaurant Group structure. Randy Sharpe, previously an operations vice president for the El Torito division, led the group at that time. El Torito remains a California-focused restaurant chain within Xperience Restaurant Group. The reference material describes approximately 25 operating restaurants, all in California, while also noting a 2020 renovation program involving 19 of the group’s 31 Southern California locations. The brand’s positioning is therefore regional rather than global: it competes as an established, full-service Mexican casual-dining chain with a long California history. El Torito also has an unusual connection to computing history. Engineers working on an extension of the CD-ROM specification visited an El Torito restaurant in Irvine in February 1994 and later used the restaurant’s name for the specification.
History
El Torito began in California in 1954 when Larry J. Cano converted the food concept of a restaurant he managed into a Mexican restaurant brand. Cano had served in the U.S. Army in Europe and Korea, earned a business degree, and worked as a bartender before managing a Polynesian restaurant. Following the death of that restaurant’s owner, the owner’s widow transferred control to Cano. He introduced Mexican food and established the first El Torito. The early operation faced financial strain. Cano reportedly moved into the restaurant while struggling financially, but the business became successful within three years. He then opened further locations, establishing El Torito as an expanding California restaurant chain. By 1976, the business had 20 locations. Cano sold the company that year to W. R. Grace and Company for about $20 million and remained as president under a mandate to accelerate expansion. In 1986, W. R. Grace sold its restaurant operations in a leveraged buyout. The resulting Restaurant Enterprises Group, Inc. later filed for bankruptcy in 1993. Foodmaker acquired the business out of bankruptcy in 1994. The parent company subsequently operated under several names, including Family Restaurants, Koo Koo Roo Enterprises, and Prandium. In 2000, Acapulco purchased El Torito from Prandium. Acapulco changed its corporate name to Real Mex Restaurants in 2004 and relocated its headquarters to Cypress, California. Real Mex Restaurants filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on October 3, 2011. The company attributed the filing to adverse economic conditions and announced that it would be offered for sale. At that point, it did not announce restaurant closures or employee layoffs. A group of noteholders bought the company in a 2012 bankruptcy auction. In 2018, FM Restaurants HoldCo, LLC acquired Real Mex Restaurants out of bankruptcy, and the restaurant portfolio began operating under the Xperience Restaurant Group name. Randy Sharpe, who had previously served as vice president of operations for the El Torito division, led the group. The chain remains a California-based Mexican casual-dining brand. The available reference describes 25 El Torito restaurants, all in California. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the broader group began renovating 19 of its 31 Southern California locations. El Torito’s historical significance extends beyond restaurants: engineers developing an extension of the CD-ROM specification visited an El Torito restaurant in Irvine in February 1994, and the specification was later named after the restaurant.
- 2020
Southern California renovation program begins
[1]During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group began renovating 19 of its 31 Southern California locations.
- 2018
FM Restaurants HoldCo acquires Real Mex Restaurants
[1]FM Restaurants HoldCo, LLC acquired Real Mex Restaurants, which then operated under Xperience Restaurant Group.
- 2012
Noteholders acquire the company
[1]Real Mex Restaurants was acquired by a group of noteholders through a bankruptcy auction.
- 2011
Real Mex Restaurants enters Chapter 11
[1]The parent company filed for Chapter 11 protection and announced plans to seek a buyer.
- 2004
Parent company becomes Real Mex Restaurants
[1]Acapulco renamed its parent company Real Mex Restaurants and moved its headquarters to Cypress, California.
- 2000
Acapulco acquires El Torito
[1]Acapulco purchased El Torito from Prandium.
- 1994
Foodmaker acquires the business
[1]Foodmaker acquired the restaurant business out of bankruptcy. Engineers also visited an El Torito restaurant in Irvine before naming a CD-ROM specification extension after it.
- 1993
Restaurant Enterprises Group files for bankruptcy
[1]The corporate restaurant operator associated with El Torito filed for bankruptcy.
- 1986
Restaurant operations enter a leveraged buyout
[1]W. R. Grace sold its restaurant operations in a leveraged buyout that produced Restaurant Enterprises Group, Inc.
- 1976
Business reaches 20 locations and is sold to W. R. Grace
[1]El Torito had grown to 20 locations when Cano sold the business to W. R. Grace and Company for approximately $20 million.
Products and positioning
A long-established California full-service Mexican casual-dining chain, positioned around approachable Mexican food, sit-down service, and a recognizable regional restaurant heritage.
Restaurant meals · 1954
El Torito Mexican cuisine
El Torito’s core offering is full-service Mexican food served in a casual-dining restaurant setting. The brand’s identity was established when founder Larry J. Cano introduced Mexican food to the restaurant he managed in 1954. The available reference identifies the cuisine and dining format but does not provide a complete current menu or individual dish list.
Full-service casual dining · 1954
El Torito restaurants
The principal branded product is the El Torito restaurant experience: sit-down Mexican dining operated through a California-focused chain. The chain expanded from its first location into multiple restaurants and is described in the reference material as operating approximately 25 locations, all in California.
Brand decisions
2020
Southern California restaurant renovation programStrategyBackground
The restaurant group undertook property improvements during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Action taken
The group began renovating 19 of its 31 Southern California locations.
Aftermath
The available reference does not report the program’s final results or its effect on individual El Torito locations.
2018
FM Restaurants HoldCo acquires Real Mex RestaurantsM&ABackground
The restaurant group remained associated with the El Torito chain after its earlier bankruptcy and auction process.
Action taken
FM Restaurants HoldCo, LLC acquired Real Mex Restaurants out of bankruptcy and placed the operations under Xperience Restaurant Group.
Aftermath
El Torito continued as one of the Mexican restaurant brands in the Xperience Restaurant Group portfolio.
2012
Noteholder acquisition through bankruptcy auctionM&ABackground
Real Mex Restaurants was offered for sale during its Chapter 11 proceedings.
Action taken
A group of the company’s noteholders acquired it through a bankruptcy auction.
Aftermath
El Torito continued within the reorganized restaurant group.
2011
Real Mex Restaurants files for Chapter 11OtherBackground
Real Mex Restaurants cited poor economic conditions when it sought bankruptcy protection.
Action taken
The company filed for Chapter 11 on October 3, 2011 and announced that it would put itself up for sale.
Aftermath
No immediate restaurant closures or layoffs were announced, and the company was later sold through a bankruptcy auction.
2000
Acapulco purchases El ToritoM&ABackground
El Torito was part of the restaurant portfolio controlled by Prandium.
Action taken
Acapulco acquired El Torito from Prandium.
Aftermath
El Torito became part of the corporate group that later adopted the Real Mex Restaurants name.
1976
Sale of El Torito to W. R. Grace and CompanyM&ABackground
After reaching 20 locations, founder Larry J. Cano sold El Torito to W. R. Grace and Company.
Action taken
W. R. Grace acquired the business for approximately $20 million and retained Cano as president with instructions to pursue rapid expansion.
Aftermath
The transaction moved El Torito from founder ownership into a corporate expansion phase.
Acquisition price. $20 million (1976)
Recent events
- 2020
Xperience Restaurant Group begins Southern California renovation program[1]
Other
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant group began renovating 19 of its 31 Southern California locations, including locations associated with its Mexican restaurant brands.
- 2018
FM Restaurants HoldCo acquires Real Mex Restaurants[1]
M&A · Bankruptcy
FM Restaurants HoldCo, LLC acquired Real Mex Restaurants out of bankruptcy. The restaurant businesses subsequently operated under Xperience Restaurant Group.
- 2012
Noteholders acquire Real Mex Restaurants through bankruptcy auction[1]
M&A · Bankruptcy
A group of Real Mex Restaurants noteholders acquired the company through a bankruptcy auction, preserving the corporate structure that included the El Torito chain.
- 2011
Real Mex Restaurants files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy[1]
Bankruptcy
Real Mex Restaurants, the parent organization associated with El Torito, filed for Chapter 11 protection and announced that it would seek a sale, citing difficult economic conditions. The company did not announce plans to close restaurants or lay off staff at the time of the filing.
Sources1 sources
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