The first culinary evidence of fajitas with the cut of meat, the cooking style (directly on a campfire or on a grill), and the Spanish nickname comes from the 1930s in the ranch lands of South and West Texas.

Skirt steak was one of several scrap meats offered to vaqueros (cowboys) when cattle were slaughtered to feed ranch hands during roundups.

In September 1969, Sonny Falcón, an Austin meat market manager, operated the first commercial fajita taco concession stand at a rural 16 de septiembre celebration in Kyle, Texas.

[2] In southern Arizona, the term was unknown except as a cut of meat until the 1990s, when Mexican fast food restaurants started using the word in their marketing.

In many restaurants, the fajita meat and vegetables are brought to the table sizzling loudly on a metal platter or skillet, along with warmed tortillas and condiments, such as guacamole, pico de gallo, queso, salsa, shredded cheese or sour cream.