Taco Bell's Founder: Glen Bell Glen Bell founded Taco Bell, turning a simple idea into a fast-food empire. He launched the first location in Downey, California, in 1962.

Origins Story

Glen Bell started small in 1948 with a hot dog stand called Bell's Drive-In in San Bernardino, California. Inspired by crowds at the nearby Mitla Cafe's hard-shell tacos, he learned their recipes and pivoted to tacos with stands like Taco Tia in 1954. By 1962, he opened Taco Bell, franchising it in 1964 and selling to PepsiCo in 1978 for $125 million.

Key Milestones

  • 1948 : Bell's Drive-In hot dog stand opens.
  • 1954 : First taco venture, Taco Tia, sells tacos for 19 cents.
  • 1962 : Debut Taco Bell in Downey, CA, pioneering crispy-shell tacos for mass appeal.
  • 1964 : Franchising begins, rapid U.S. expansion.
  • 1978 : PepsiCo acquisition fuels growth to 868 locations.
  • Innovations : Crunchwrap Supreme, Doritos Locos Tacos boost popularity into 2026.

Growth and Legacy

From humble beginnings, Taco Bell revolutionized Americanized Mexican fast food, now with thousands of global spots. Bell passed in 2010 at 86, leaving a craveable legacy—think late-night runs that started in SoCal. As of 2026, it thrives under Yum! Brands, with menu hits like Nacho Fries keeping fans hooked.

TL;DR : Glen Bell created Taco Bell in 1962 after taco stands and hot dog ventures, inspired by Mitla Cafe.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.