Taco shop that has served Seattle for over 50 years closing its doors after family tragedy

After 50 years in business, an iconic Seattle taco restaurant has closed following a family tragedy.

The Taco Time on North 45th Street in the Wallingford neighborhood served its last burrito on Monday.

Franchise owner Lyla Hanna said she inherited the store from her grandfather after he passed away in September.

“There’s something sweet in knowing it will die with him,” Hanna King 5 told.

The local supermarket also failed to regain its customer base after the Covid-19 pandemic, so it was time to move on, she explained.

According to Hanna, the closure was announced and the restaurant was packed with locals eager to enjoy their favorite tacos and burritos one last time at this “iconic” location.

“This is just a special place to us, it’s an icon that we grew up with,” one customer told King 5.

“We are from this area. We are happy that we have been given one last chance to go to this location,” they added.

The closest Taco Time for locals is now in Ballard at 2853 NW Market Street and in Interbay at 1140 Elliott Avenue West.

Vanishing Seattle, an Instagram page dedicated to commemorating the closures as the city changes‘Several generations of Seattleites have fond memories of growing up eating at this Taco Time.’

“The local franchise on 45th Street opened in 1974 and in 1990, owner Jon Hanna decided to tear down the building and replace it with a structure that would stand out from other Taco Time locations,” the post explained of the unique glass-walled building.

“Over time, it became a neighborhood icon thanks to its retro-futuristic 80s/90s glass cube design (like it or not) and giant cactus sign, earning it nicknames like Disco Taco Time, Blade Runner Taco Time, and Taco Time Global Headquarters,” the post reads.

The chain had much-loved quirks, such as a self-service touchscreen Coca-Cola machine with 106 flavor combinations that customers could create and match themselves.

The restaurant was such a well-known fixture in the community that in 2015, Historic Seattle proposed designating the building as a landmark, “to create greater awareness and appreciation for our fast food heritage,” as an April Fool’s joke.

“This one really hits hard,” one local wrote on the “Vanishing Seattle” post.

“This was where I spent my childhood,” wrote another.

The store will be replaced by a Chipotle, reports the Seattle Eater.

The first Taco Time Northwest location was opened in White Center in 1962 by Frank Tonkin Sr. Over the past 60 years, the chain has expanded to 77 locations in Western Washington.

Restaurants have found it increasingly difficult this year. Faced with higher costs, they have raised menu prices – but that has led to a drop in customers.

Customers rushed to get their last tacos and burritos before the store closed

Customers were informed of the closure via a sign on the door of the branch

Locals said they will miss the ‘iconic’ location where they grew up and ate

Larger chains like Applebee’s, TGI Fridays and Boston Market have all recently closed their restaurants, as have smaller chains like BurgerFi.

Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy in May and closed nearly 100 restaurants.

Chains have been hit hardest in California, where the minimum wage for fast-food restaurants increased to $20 an hour effective April 1.

In early June, Mexican chain Rubio’s closed 48 locations in the state and also filed for bankruptcy.

Small family businesses have also closed in America.

Earlier this month, for example, Fargo’s Pit BBQ in Texas closed its doors after more than two decades of serving brisket, ribs and other barbecue classics.