On Friday, March 27, 2026, the City of Glendale approved the demolition of Acapulco Restaurant to make way for a car wash. 

This isn’t just another building.  Located off the 134 Freeway and Pacific Ave, this local landmark is now one of only two remaining Acapulco restaurants in the world.  For years, the Glendale location has consistently ranked as the chain’s #1 restaurant in sales and stands as the oldest surviving Acapulco restaurant, operating since 1969—the year the first man walked on the moon.  

We still have time to act.

Several residents have already submitted official appeals to the City before the April 13th deadline, which will buy us some time.

 •  SIGN and SHARE this petition 
 •  SIGN and SHARE the *NEW* SISTER PETITION:  BOYCOTT THE CAR WASH REPLACING ACAPULCO
 •  Email Parent Company:  info@xperiencerg.com
 •  Email Property owners:  ATTN:  Laura Worchell:  sandra@worchellproperties.com, robert@worchellproperties.com
 •  Email citycouncil@glendaleca.gov asking the Glendale City Council to put it on the agenda to nominate Acapulco for historic preservation.  
 •  Email the city planner: SYepremian@GlendaleCA.gov

This demolition would be a significant downgrade to the surrounding neighborhood and a broader loss for Glendale.  In recent years, the city has already lost most of its main Mexican restaurants, as well as the recent loss of Conrad’s Restaurant.  These closures have steadily eroded the character and community identity of our city. 

Acapulco is still a popular, thriving, and profitable restaurant, and the managers would like to renew their lease in June.  The only problem is that Acapulco does not own the building.  Its demolition would not only remove a cherished gathering place, but also further endanger a historic Southern California restaurant chain that has dwindled from 39 locations to just two remaining today. 
 
 I respectfully urge Glendale's Design Review Board (DRB) to reconsider or delay this decision for another year, to allow for further review and community input.  If demolition must proceed, the City should work proactively with ownership to help secure a relocation within Glendale, or help plan to rebuild something new on this lot while allowing Acapulco to still occupy the first floor of the new structure.  Or even better, help find a solution that gives the property owners an exit strategy while preserving the restaurant as is. 

City leadership plays a vital role in preserving the places that bring communities together.  We cannot continue to lose the establishments that define Glendale’s shared history and identity.  Restaurants like Acapulco serve generations of residents and provide a cultural and social value that cannot be easily replaced.

Historical Significance of 722 N. Pacific Ave (Acapulco Restaurant & Cantina) 

 •  Oldest surviving Acapulco location by seven years, operating continuously since 1969 
 •  Built in 1938, reflecting Glendale’s pre-war development era 
 •  One of only two remaining locations of a once 39-location regional chain 
 •  Long recognized as Acapulco’s #1 restaurant in sales (Glendale location) 
 •  Prominent Glendale businessman and developer Elwood M. Ingledue was the developer and first owner of Acapulco Glendale, circa 1969 (see the 1977 dedication plaque to the right of the front doors)  
 •  Over 57 years of continuous operation, serving generations of Glendale residents 
 •  Regional landmark: Believed to be Glendale’s oldest continuously operating Mexican restaurant 
 •  A trailblazer of “Cal-Mex” cuisine, influential in American dining 
 •  Named "First authentic Mexican dinner house chain in America" by Restaurant Business Magazine 
 •  Award-winning legacy, including signature dishes recognized at major competitions
 •  First Acapulco Restaurant founded in 1960 in Pasadena by Ray Marshall, a pioneer of California-Mexican cuisine 
 •  A longstanding community gathering place with deep local roots in Glendale, CA

Acapulco’s signature crab meat enchilada won the gold medal at the 1970 Fisherman’s Wharf Seafood Competition in San Francisco.  Acapulco's food also earned additional gold medals in New York, California, and Germany, along with the 1977 President’s Award from the American Culinary Federation.

While the building may not be officially designated, it represents a rare surviving piece of Southern California’s cultural and culinary history.  I urge the property owners, the City of Glendale's Design Review Board (DRB), and the City Council to all visit Acapulco and experience firsthand its atmosphere, food, music, service, and community significance before moving forward.  It represents an era of neighborhood dining that has largely disappeared from Southern California.  Once it is gone, it cannot be replaced. 

4/03/26 This petition in the news:  Glendale Approves Acapulco Demolition Project (Glendale News Press)

4/08/26 Instagram Video Response from Glendale City Council:  "We're working on it."

5/06/26 Public Response from Property Owner:   "Acapulco Can Return if Car Wash Proposal Gets Denied  
 5/08/26 Sister Petition Launches:  Boycott the Proposed Car Wash Replacing Acapulco  
 5/08/26 BREAKING NEWS:  Acapulco NOT closing on 5/10, Will Remain Open Until Further Notice, While Parent Company Fights to Stay    
 5/12/26 This Petition in the News:  Hoodline Los Angeles  
 
5/14/26 Economic Times: ‘We will remain open’: California’s beloved Acapulco restaurant delays closure following massive support from fans 
   

   Photo by Tim Leaton 

  Photo by John Vincenti  

   Photos by Tim Leaton