The delicious snack was invented in 1943 by Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya, a maître d' at a restaurant in Piedras Negras, Mexico. He improvised a quick snack for a group of hungry US Army wives.
The very first nachos, known as "Nacho's Special," were simple: fried tortilla chips, melted shredded cheese (often cheddar), and sliced jalapeño peppers. No meat or sour cream yet!
Nachos were created in the Mexican border town of Piedras Negras, directly across the Rio Grande from Eagle Pass, Texas. This proximity fueled their rapid spread throughout the American Southwest and beyond.
Ignacio Anaya's son attempted to officially trademark the name "nachos" in the 1960s, but it was too late. The name had become a generic term, placing the beloved recipe in the public domain for all to enjoy.
A key moment in nacho history occurred in 1976 when concessionaire Frank Liberto popularised them at Texas Rangers baseball games. He introduced the pumpable, long-shelf-life cheese sauce for stadiums.
Nachos received a massive boost in popularity across the US when famous sportscaster Howard Cosell repeatedly mentioned "nachos" during his Monday Night Football broadcasts in the late 1970s.
In 2012, the University of Kansas set a Guinness World Record for the largest plate of nachos. It was an enormous 80-foot long platter, weighing in at nearly 5,000 pounds for the charity fundraiser.
While National Nachos Day is celebrated on November 6th, there is also an International Day of the Nacho on October 21st. This is observed in honor of Ignacio Anaya in his hometown of Piedras Negras.