Though Cuautla is in the Mexican state of Jalisco 2,000 miles from Seattle, the rural community holds a special place in the Puget Sound economy. An estimated 300 Mexican restaurants in Washington have been started by entrepreneurs from Cuautla, a town with a population of roughly 1,000.

The list of Cuautla chains reads like a who’s who of the local Mexican restaurant industry: Azteca, Mazatlan, Las Margaritas, Torero’s, Jalisco, El Tapatio, Tacos Guaymas, Maya’s, Acapulco, and many more.

Azteca Restaurants are probably the biggest Mexican restaurant chain in the Puget Sound area.

As a result, Cuautla now drips in American dollars. A group of 30 or so Mexican-restaurant owners regularly pays for municipal improvements, including roads, a town plaza, a health clinic, church renovations, and a $1 million bullfighting ring used just 10 days in December and three days in May each year.

Seattle/Mexico Connection from Seattle Business Journal