Emma Richey - The Journey of Taco Bell

As a Taco Bell enthusiast, I looked into the journey of how my favorite fast food chain came to be from an article by PBS: https://www.pbssocal.org/food-living/transforming-the-taco-the-origins-of-taco-bell.


To begin, Taco Bell’s founder Glen William Bell Jr. was born in Lynwood, California in 1923. Growing up, he always helped his mother in the kitchen which created a love and talent for cooking. In the Lynwood area, he noticed that poorer people would spend their last dimes on a burger to eat, so after creating a small pie business with his Aunt and then being a marine, Bell’s Hamburgers opened in March of 1948. Since Bell’s Hamburgers was in a prominently Hispanic area, he added tacos to his menu for 19 cents—immediately becoming a sensation in the local fast food industry!


“His thoughts had to do with freshness, quick service and happy customers. The money didn’t matter to him. The customer came first. Business people need a product, and creative types like Glen provided it.”


Continuing his journey of serving those around him, Bell assisted in starting up other hispanic fast food businesses such as Del Taco. Later on, he created Taco Bell which he soon franchised due to its immense success and popularity. Bell’s business model for Taco Bell was based on his recipe for success:

  • You build a business one customer at a time.

  • Find the right product, then find a way to mass-produce it.

  • An innovative product will set you apart.


Overall, Glen Bell’s journey is truly unique; his creativity and attention to his community helped him to create one of the most successful fast food restaurants in current times.

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