Sunday, April 26, 2020

Naugles 24-Hour Mexican Fast Food Restaurants of Illinois.

Naugles Sign - Location Unknown
The fresh-made food at Naugles set them apart from other fast-food Mexican restaurants in addition to the drive-thru being open 24 hours. 

The Southern California chain was founded in 1970, closed in 1995, and was rebooted in 2015 when the original trademark expired.

There was a Naugles on the southeast corner Western and Addison in Chicago across the street from Lane Tech High School along with other Chicago stores. There were other restaurants in Orland Park, Addison, Hoffman Estates, Palatine, Joliet, Bolingbrook, Glen Ellyn, Elmhurst, Aurora, and one in southern Illinois in Belleville.

My sister managed the Orland Park Naugles from 1982 to 1984. Although the brownies were packaged, they were the best and in my opinion, the best item Naugles sold.

It was bought out by Del Taco in 1988. After the buyout, all the Naugles restaurants were co-branded as Del Taco/Naugles restaurants for a few months before eventually becoming only Del Tacos.

There is one original "Naugles Tacos" still in business at; 18471 Mt. Langley Street, Fountain Valley, CA. 

If you have any info on other Illinois locations or just a story about Naugles, please comment below.

INDEX TO MY ILLINOIS AND CHICAGO FOOD & RESTAURANT ARTICLES.

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.

6 comments:

  1. The Fountain Valley location is not really an "original". In around 2012, when the original trademarks expired, Christian Ziebarth ultimately won the right to use the trademarks and resurrect the brand. The Fountain Valley location, opened in 2015, was the first location for the resurrected brand. There is currently one additional location in Stanton, CA. Unfortunately franchise has been very very slow to get off the ground, and it's not clear how long it is going to survive.

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  2. Omg, my sister and I used to hit the one on 95th St (Chicago) to scarf down a burrito, taco salad or burritos after getting out of the bars. We used to love that place!!!

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  3. There was one on the northeast corner of Tyler Rd. and route 64 in St. Charles as well, we used to eat there when I was a kid.

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  4. Used to love getting the burgers late night after drinking at the 1505 Elmhurst Rd Des Plaines location!

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  5. I lived in Glen Ellyn, IL from 1989 to 1990, and I seem to recall a Naugles on Roosevelt Road, in Glen Ellyn during that time.

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    1. Yes! I remember going there a few times back in the day.

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