Taco Comfort Solutions history

1926, Water heater innovation begins with the introduction of the Taco Heater.

1928, The company name changes from Thermal Appliance Company to Taco Heaters, Incorporated

1929, Taco develops the tankless water heater and tempering valve to mix hot and cold water

Early 1930's, Taco Heaters of Canada, Limited is formed

1936, John H. White Sr. joins the company

1942, Elwood White dies, John Hazen White becomes President of Taco Heaters, Inc

1953, John Hazen White purchases the United Trolley Company trolley barn in Cranston, RI, which becomes the Taco Cranston Facility

Del Taco's founder, Ed Hackbarth, joined the world of fast food in 1954 after his discharge from the United States Air Force.

1958, Taco is the first to produce the wet rotor circulator into the US market with the launch of "Perfecta", the precursor to the legendary 007

1961, John Hazen White opens Taco Heizungen AG in Zurich, a European trading company for Taco, Inc, which is later sold off and becomes Taconova

1963, The company name changes from Taco Heaters Incorporated to Taco, Inc

By 1964, Hackbarth had partnered with real estate broker David Jameson, who opened the fourth Casa Del Taco in Corona, California.

In 1966, Hackbarth, Jameson, and Naugle founded Red-E-Food Systems, Inc. with the idea of franchising the Casa Del Taco brand.

In 1972, Casa Del Taco opened its largest store to date in Newport Beach, California.

In 1973, the company dropped "Casa" from its name and Red-E-Food Systems became Del Taco, Inc.

1974, Taco introduces the 007 wet rotor circulator – the ceramic hollow shaft and dirt barrier greatly extends product life and propels Taco into the market leader position

1976: Hackbarth and Jameson sell Del Taco.

1977: New owners sell exclusive rights to use and develop the Del Taco brand outside California to W.R. Grace & Co., which forms Del Taco Restaurants Inc. in Dallas and incorporates it into DTG Inc, its fast food subsidiary.

Nonetheless, by 1981 the New York Times could report that competition between Del Taco and segment leader Taco Bell was "very intense." However intense it might have been, the competition was mismatched.

1983, Taco purchases the Fall River, MA facility, greatly expanding the company's fabricated products capabilities, including expansion tanks and heat exchangers

Del Taco planned to launch 35 new units by the end of 1987.

1988: Anwar Soliman purchases Del Taco and Naugles restaurants and merges them into single chain of Mexican fast food restaurants.

In June 1990, GE Capital pressured Del Taco to close 80 outlets which were unprofitable.

By September 1991, it had spent about $5 million to acquire 100 percent ownership of the chains.

1992, Taco opens the Taco Learning Center, providing education and training for employees, Taco Reps, and Customer

In March 1993, Del Taco startled the financial world when it filed for protection under Chapter 11 in United States Bankruptcy Court.

By November 1994, the company had signed a deal to open 15 franchise stores in the Northeast as well as setting up new outlets in the Southeast, where the Del Taco name was already recognized.

1996: Del Taco's world headquarters settles in Laguna Hills.

By spring 1997, Del Taco's total sales had reached an estimated $250 million, minuscule compared to Taco Bell's $4.8 billion but second in the field nonetheless.

In 2000, the average unit had $927,000 in sales, one of the tops in the fast food industry, beating out giant rival Taco Bell by almost $10,000 per store.

Although they sold Del Taco, Inc., Hackbarth and Jameson retained the rights to develop Del Taco stores of their own, and Hackbarth continued to operate his as late as 2001.

In February 2002, a group of former Del Taco employees, all of whom were black, brought a discrimination suit against the chain.

2003: Del Taco outlets top $1 million in annual average sales.

2012, Taco opens new Innovation & Development Center, a LEED Gold state-of-the-art learning and training environment

2015, Taco acquires Askoll Sei, an early pioneer of high-efficiency ECM pump technology in Europe

2016, Taco wins its second "E" Award from the US Department of Commerce, one of only a few companies to have achieved this honor