Lolita’s Mexican Food claims to have originated carne asada fries in the 1990s.
More specifically, the San Diego restaurant dates its claim to the late 1990s. The story says the dish was inspired by a suggestion from the restaurant’s tortilla distributor. Carne asada fries are generally understood as a Mexican-American specialty that emerged from San Diego’s Chicano food culture rather than from a traditional Mexican regional cuisine.
The usual plate combines French fries with chopped carne asada, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and sometimes salsa. Shoestring fries are common, and the beef is usually cut small enough to eat without a knife. Variations differ by restaurant and region; Los Angeles versions, for example, may include refried beans.
The wording “claims to have originated” matters. Lolita’s has a recognized origin story, but restaurant-origin claims are not the same as independently proven invention. The 1990s answer is still the canonical choice because the source specifically places the claim in the late part of that decade.