The Secretive Billionaire Who Runs a Fast Food Empire All by Himself
California’s highways are lined with fast food giants run by corporate boards, but one chain’s journey is a little unconventional.
Ed Hackbarth, now in his nineties, founded Del Taco in the Mojave Desert more than 60 years ago. Today, the brand has grown into nearly 600 corporate-owned restaurants nationwide. However, Hackbarth himself still owns and runs only three locations in Barstow, known as the Original Del Tacos. These restaurants are separate from the larger chain and continue to follow his personal recipes and way of doing business.
A Taco Stand in the Desert
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Mobilus In Mobili
The story began in 1961, when Hackbarth, an Air Force veteran, opened a small stand in Yermo, California, called Casa del Taco. He had already spent years learning the business while managing restaurants tied to Glen Bell, the man who would go on to create Taco Bell. Hackbarth saw an opportunity in the new interstate cutting through the Mojave. Cars heading toward Las Vegas needed a quick stop, and tacos were the perfect answer.
The first stand earned about $169 on opening day, the equivalent of selling around 900 tacos. By 1964, Hackbarth had expanded into Barstow, where one location still operates today. Customers were drawn to hard-shell tacos, tostadas, and something called the bun taco, essentially a taco served inside a hamburger bun.
These early recipes, combined with low prices and quick service, built a following strong enough to push Del Taco into wider expansion across Southern California.
The Deal That Changed Everything
By the mid-1970s, Del Taco had around 50 stores. In 1977, Hackbarth and his partners decided to sell the growing chain. However, as part of the agreement, Hackbarth kept control of his Barstow restaurants. It was an unusual carve-out that left him with a miniature empire of his own.
The corporate Del Taco grew into hundreds of stores and eventually landed in the hands of Jack in the Box, while Hackbarth maintained his three desert locations as a parallel universe of the brand.
The differences between the two are clear.
Instead of waiting for a number to be called, the food in the desert locations is brought to your table. The dining rooms are unusually large, the walls are lined with vintage photos, and the sauce packets feature an old-school logo you won’t see anywhere else. Most importantly, there’s a section of the menu labeled “Barstow Classics.” These items include the bun taco, the combo cup, and the original tostada, and only exist in Hackbarth’s restaurants.
A Founder Who Never Really Left
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Epolk
Despite selling the company decades ago, Hackbarth never stopped working. Managers talk about how he insists on speed and teaching employees to shave off seconds by shortening phrases or using single letters to label drinks.
He greets customers, corrects small mistakes, and still laughs at his own jokes. His philosophy has always been the same: serve plenty of food, keep prices fair, and treat every customer like they matter.
That attitude has made him a mentor to others in the industry. Dick Naugle, who once worked for him, went on to start the Naugles chain.
Hackbarth also kept ties with Glen Bell, even as Taco Bell and Del Taco grew into competitors. Speaking of, it’s no coincidence that so many fast food innovators came out of Southern California in the 1950s and 1960s. The region’s car culture and booming highways made it the birthplace of drive-thru dining.