Zantigo

Zantigo was (and is) a chain of fast food Mexican restaurants in the Midwestern portion of the United States. The original chain of that name was a division of KFC. In 1986, KFC was sold by its then-owner, RJR Nabisco, to Pepsico. Since Pepsi already owned a national Mexican food chain, Taco Bell, the decision was made to close or convert all existing Zantigo restaurants.

In many cases, the existing Zantigo assets were in better locations or in better physical condition than nearby Taco Bell locations. Thus, most Zantigo locations continued to remain in business as Taco Bells, with the nearby Taco Bell locations being closed. This led indirectly to the Taco Bell chain as a whole adopting many of the distinctive architectural details of the old Zantigo restaurant buildings.

Zantigo also had several unique menu items - the Chilito, the Taco Burrito, Chips 'n' Cheese, the Cheesarito, and the Mucho Tostada. Of these, the Chilito and Cheesarito were carried over by Taco Bell after the purchase in former Zantigo markets. The Chilito was promoted to a chain-wide item, and was later renamed "Chili-cheese Burrito". The Cheesarito makes occasional special appearances during the Christian holy season of Lent except in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where it is a secret menu item available year round.

A new Zantigo chain, under new ownership consisting of former Zantigo managers, had opened three restaurants in Minnesota by 1999 and currently has eight locations in Minnesota. There was one location in New Richmond, Wisconsin, which was a franchise location. It opened in May 2005, however they closed in August 2007 when the owner decided to convert the building into a 1950s style diner. The menu is virtually identical to that of the original Zantigo chain, with numerous additions.

Currently Zantigo is most famous for its Chilitos, a chili sauce and cheese melted in a flour tortilla, which is much different from the new Taco Bell variation. Among its most popular items is the Taco Burrito, Chips 'n' Cheese, Enchiladas, and Grande Burritos. [1] Zantigo.com offers the full menu on their website, along with listings of the current locations.

In the late 1970s, after years of complaints by Mexican-American activist groups, the Zantigo chain changed the name and signage of all its restaurants. Previously, it had been known as Zapata, and the signage featured a silhouette of a tall Mexican wearing a sombrero, presumably Emiliano Zapata. The new Zantigo chain was also known as Zapata for the first few years of its existence, and changed its name for similar reasons.

External links

• zantigo.com