The burrito likely originated in northern Mexico in the early 20th century with several competing origin stories pointing to the invention by a man named Juan Méndez in Ciudad Juárez during the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920). Méndez is said to have wrapped food in large flour tortillas to keep it warm while transporting it on his donkey, which inspired the name "burrito" (meaning "little donkey" in Spanish). Other theories suggest the burrito was created in Sonora, Mexico as a convenient travel food or by a street vendor in the 1940s serving schoolchildren called "burritos." The dish evolved from these humble beginnings into the modern burrito popularized in the U.S., especially in California from the 1940s onward.
Origin Theories
- Juan Méndez in Ciudad Juárez during the Mexican Revolution wrapped food in tortillas transported by donkey, naming it after the animal.
- A Sonoran origin theory posits burritos as a portable food for travelers with donkeys as companions, which influenced the name.
- A 1940s Ciudad Juárez street vendor made burritos for schoolchildren nicknamed "burritos".
Historical Context
- Corn tortillas wrapped around food date back thousands of years in Mesoamerican cultures, but the modern burrito with large flour tortillas probably emerged in northern Mexico in the late 19th or early 20th century.
- Burritos were first known in U.S. menus in the 1930s in Los Angeles and evolved into larger varieties like the Mission-style burrito in San Francisco by the 1960s.
Thus, while no single definitive creator is confirmed, the strongest historical evidence attributes the creation of the burrito to early 20th century northern Mexico, particularly attributed to Juan Méndez's innovation.
