The first nachos were served to women whose husbands were stationed at Fort Duncan.
The story dates to 1943 in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, a Mexican border city near Eagle Pass, Texas. A group of American military officers’ wives crossed the border after spending time in the area and stopped at the Victory Club restaurant. The kitchen was short-staffed or the cook could not be found, so maître d’ Ignacio Anaya prepared something himself.
He cut freshly fried corn tortillas into triangles, added cheese and jalapeño slices, and heated the pieces until the cheese melted. The women liked the improvised dish, which Anaya named after his nickname, Nacho.
Fort Duncan was a U.S. Army post in Eagle Pass, Texas, and its connection explains why the guests were in the region. It is sometimes confused with Fort Sam Houston or other Texas installations, but the standard origin story specifically identifies Fort Duncan. The dish itself was created in Mexico for American customers.