Unfortunately, the sleek new Taco Bueno website offers no history of the company, except for such monumental achievements as “Muchaco is invented” and “Iconic Bueno Bubble makes its debut.”

The man behind the company – Señor Bueno, I think his name was – brought the recipes and drive-thru windows to Tulsa sometime in the early 1970s. The location near the Farm shopping center at 51st and Sheridan was one of the pioneer spots. It was within walking distance when the kids were young. It had a game room.

Games may be confined to iPads and cellphones these days, and the architecture has changed over the years as well. As reported in the Tulsa World, and already likely known to many Owasso Bueno aficionados, a second location has been opened in that city. Probably a great relief to the staff of the only other Taco Bueno in Owasso, reducing the taco load. The building design has been updated to feature a stone entryway.

Bueno has had a long-term relationship with the Tulsa area, and while it is true that they’ve added and taken away some menu items over the years, the primary offerings have not changed much. Taco. Soft taco. Chilada Platter. (Why they are chiladas at Taco Bueno and enchiladas everywhere else, I don’t know.) There’s that fry-bread-like muchaco. Mexidips and chips.

And we’ve not grown bored of them after forty years…

Other chains have come and gone. There used to be Steak and Ale, which was a special occasion dining stop for a lot of people. A big salad bar lure for others. That group is gone, having Chapter 7nd into history back in 2008 after a 42-year run. Some of you may remember Shotgun Sam’s, a pizza place that dusted the pans with corn meal before spreading the dough and baking. That chain is no longer.

Part of it is the food and part is presentation, when it comes to diner loyalty. Those Steak and Ale filets were pretty tasty but the management never updated the stodgy old stores, which were reminiscent of a medieval alehouse. When they finally saw the edge of the precipice, remodeling just wasn’t enough to save them. Red Lobster has just announced a big menu shakeup, adding non-fishy items to attract the non-seafood lover in you. The change was spurred by a downturn in sales.

As for the Bueno-heads in line at Owasso – it is clear that the tacos are still a favorite with us here in Oklahoma… even after 40 years, Taco Bueno is still writing the book on Tex-Mex.