Taco Time Northwest

Taco Time Northwest is a regional fast-food restaurant chain operating primarily in western Washington, with its restaurants concentrated in and around the Seattle metropolitan area and additional locations in central and eastern parts of the state. The chain is associated with the broader Taco Time restaurant system but developed as an independent regional operation under the Tonkin family. The Taco Time concept began in Eugene, Oregon, in January 1960. The brand subsequently expanded into Washington, and in 1962 Frank Tonkin Sr. opened a Taco Time restaurant in White Center, an unincorporated community near Seattle. That restaurant became the starting point for the Tonkin family's regional business. The Northwest operation eventually diverged from the original corporate Taco Time organization. In 1979, restaurants controlled by the Tonkin family became independent from the parent company, and Accord Inc. was established to franchise Taco Time restaurants in western Washington. Taco Time Northwest's menu is built around Mexican-style fast food, including tacos and burritos, while also offering burgers and related quick-service items. Its regional identity is reflected in its concentration of restaurants within Washington rather than a national expansion strategy. The business has operated a mix of company-associated and franchised restaurants. By 2001, the chain had 73 locations, including 43 franchised restaurants, and employed approximately 1,500 people according to the cited historical account. The chain has generally served local and regional customers through conventional restaurants, although it also experimented with an alternative mobile format. From 2012 to 2016, Taco Time Northwest operated the Taco Time Traveler food truck. The truck served a limited menu at weekday lunchtime stops in downtown Seattle and was also used for community and private-event catering. The chain has maintained a substantial Washington footprint. The cited reference describes 79 restaurants across western Washington, primarily in the Seattle metropolitan area, as well as two restaurants in eastern Washington. Individual locations have sometimes had distinctive architectural features. The Wallingford restaurant in Seattle was known for a reflective-glass facade installed in 1990; that location closed in July 2024. Taco Time Northwest remains a regional, privately held fast-food brand rather than a broadly international chain.

The Taco Time restaurant concept originated in Eugene, Oregon, in January 1960. It later expanded into Washington, where Frank Tonkin Sr. opened a location in White Center in 1962. This restaurant became the foundation of the Tonkin family's regional Taco Time business and helped establish the brand in the Seattle-area market. For much of its early development, Taco Time restaurants in the region were connected to the broader Taco Time corporate system. In 1979, however, the Tonkin family's restaurants became independent of the parent company. Accord Inc. was formed to franchise Taco Time restaurants in western Washington, creating the organizational basis for Taco Time Northwest as a distinct regional operation. Taco Time restaurants in eastern Washington, apart from those in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee, and restaurants in Oregon remained with the original corporation. The independent Northwest business expanded through a combination of franchised and other regional restaurants. By 2001, Taco Time Northwest had reached 73 locations, including 43 franchised units, and employed approximately 1,500 people. Its operating territory remained centered on Washington, particularly the Seattle metropolitan area, rather than developing into a national or international chain. The company later tested a mobile service format. Between 2012 and 2016, the Taco Time Traveler food truck offered a limited selection of menu items at downtown Seattle stops during weekday lunch periods. It also catered community activities and private events on weekends. This experiment supplemented, rather than replaced, the chain's conventional restaurant network. The cited account describes Taco Time Northwest as having 79 restaurants across western Washington, together with two restaurants in eastern Washington. The brand's locations have sometimes had locally recognizable designs. Its Wallingford restaurant in Seattle featured a reflective-glass facade added in 1990, but the location closed in July 2024. The available reference material does not identify a subsequent sale, major ownership change, public listing, national expansion, or formal discontinuation of the brand. Taco Time Northwest is therefore characterized as an active, privately held regional fast-food chain with roots in the Tonkin family's Washington restaurant operations.

• 2024

  Wallingford location closes

  [1]Taco Time Northwesten.wikipedia.org

  The Seattle Wallingford restaurant closed in July 2024.

• 2016

  Taco Time Traveler operation ends

  [1]Taco Time Northwesten.wikipedia.org

  The Taco Time Traveler food-truck operation, which had run since 2012, ended by 2016.

• 2012

  Taco Time Traveler begins operation

  [1]Taco Time Northwesten.wikipedia.org

  The chain introduced the Taco Time Traveler food truck, serving a limited menu at downtown Seattle lunch stops and private or community events.

• 2001

  Chain reaches 73 locations

  [1]Taco Time Northwesten.wikipedia.org

  Taco Time Northwest was reported to have 73 restaurants, including 43 franchised locations, and approximately 1,500 employees.

• 1990

  Wallingford restaurant receives distinctive facade

  [1]Taco Time Northwesten.wikipedia.org

  The Taco Time Northwest restaurant in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood received the reflective-glass facade for which the location later became known.

• 1979

  Tonkin family restaurants become independent

  [1]Taco Time Northwesten.wikipedia.org

  The Tonkin family's Taco Time restaurants separated from the parent company, and Accord Inc. was established to franchise restaurants in western Washington.

• 1962

  Frank Tonkin Sr. opens a White Center location

  [1]Taco Time Northwesten.wikipedia.org

  Frank Tonkin Sr. opened a Taco Time restaurant in White Center, Washington, forming the foundation of the Tonkin family's regional operation.

• 1960

  First Taco Time restaurant opens

  [1]Taco Time Northwesten.wikipedia.org

  The first Taco Time restaurant opened in Eugene, Oregon, establishing the restaurant concept that later expanded into Washington.

A locally concentrated, Mexican-style quick-service restaurant chain with a long-standing Pacific Northwest identity.

• Mexican-style fast food

  Tacos

  Tacos are one of the chain's core menu categories and form part of its Mexican-style fast-food identity. The available reference identifies tacos as a typical offering but does not provide a complete product specification or detailed list of variants.

• Mexican-style fast food

  Burritos

  Burritos are a principal Taco Time Northwest menu category. They sit alongside tacos within the chain's regional Mexican-style quick-service proposition. Specific recipes, ingredients, and current variants are not documented in the supplied reference.

• Quick-service restaurant food

  Burgers

  Burgers are also associated with Taco Time Northwest's broader fast-food menu. Their inclusion gives the chain a wider quick-service offering beyond Mexican-style items, although the supplied reference does not identify particular burger names or formulations.

• Mobile food service · 2012

  Taco Time Traveler

  The Taco Time Traveler was a food truck operated from 2012 to 2016. It served a limited Taco Time menu at downtown Seattle weekday lunch stops and provided catering for community and private events on weekends.

• 2012

  Launch the Taco Time Traveler food truckOther

  Background

  The chain explored a mobile format in addition to its permanent restaurant locations.

  Action taken

  Taco Time Northwest operated a food truck offering a limited menu at downtown Seattle weekday lunch stops and catering events.

  Aftermath

  The Taco Time Traveler operated through 2016 and was then discontinued.

  Source

• 1979

  Separate the Tonkin family operation from the parent companyStrategy

  Background

  The Tonkin family's Taco Time restaurants had been part of the wider Taco Time system before becoming independent regional operations.

  Action taken

  The restaurants separated from the parent company, and Accord Inc. was established to franchise Taco Time restaurants in western Washington.

  Aftermath

  The change created the organizational foundation for Taco Time Northwest as an independent regional Taco Time business.

  Source

1. 1Taco Time Northwesten.wikipedia.org