How a Determined Entrepreneur Turned a Simple Taco Stand Into a Fast-Food Powerhouse
If you grew up quoting “Yo quiero Taco Bell,” you already know the brand has always had a hold on pop culture. Once just a late-night stop for hungry young people, Taco Bell has grown into one of the world’s most beloved fast-food franchises. The Mexican-inspired brand is known for its tech-forward operations, unique menu offerings and fun, memorable marketing campaigns. Taco Bell is a cultural icon that has captured the hearts — and stomachs — of millions.
The man who started it all is Glen Bell, a determined entrepreneur who rose from humble Depression-era beginnings. Bell was always driven to succeed and became instrumental in turning the humble taco into a mainstream staple.
Below, we take a closer look at Bell’s early life and how his vision sparked the creation of the Taco Bell franchise.
Bell’s Early Life
Glen Bell Jr. was born on September 3, 1923, in Lynwood, Calif., to a construction worker father and a resourceful mother. The Los Angeles Times reports that during the Great Depression, the Bell family frequently moved in search of stability — first to a small Oregon farm, where young Glen sold cottage cheese door-to-door, and later to his grandmother’s orchard near San Bernardino, Calif., where he sold eggs, apples and flowers.
Restless and entrepreneurial from an early age, Bell would hop freight trains across the country, taking odd jobs on farms. While staying with a great aunt in Washington, he learned to bake blackberry pies and sold them under the name Mrs. Dye’s Homemade Pies. The venture, which earned a $3,000 profit, was a formative experience that inspired Bell’s lifelong dream of owning his own food stand, reports the Los Angeles Times.
After high school graduation in 1941, he worked for the U.S. Forest Service and for the military near Barstow, Calif., before joining the Marines in 1943. Serving food to top military leaders while deployed in the South Pacific would prove invaluable in his food service career.
Bell returned to San Bernardino after being honorably discharged in 1946 and worked in a brickyard and railroad yard before founding a hamburger drive-in in 1948. Bell eventually sold the business to his in-laws and built a second hamburger stand where he developed and sold his first taco, according to the Los Angeles Times.
While Bell found his niche in tacos, his long work days took a toll on his personal life. He and his first wife, Dorothy Taylor, divorced in 1953 after six years of marriage. Still driven by ambition, Bell continued opening new locations and partnering with others to launch early taco ventures such as Taco Tia and El Taco, laying the foundation for what would become Taco Bell.
Creating the Taco Bell Franchise
The first Taco Bell (above) opened in March 1962 in Downey, Calif. Bell opened eight more locations within two years, and by 1964, he began franchising the brand. When the first Florida location opened in 1967, Bell educated customers unfamiliar with tacos through ads that described the menu, ingredients and even pronunciation.
The Mexican-inspired food franchise’s rapid success led to a public stock offering in 1969, earning Bell about $1 million, the Los Angeles Times reports. He resigned as chairman of the board and sold more stock valued at $5.85 million by 1975. PepsiCo acquired Taco Bell for $125 million in 1978 and eventually spun off its restaurants into Tricon Global Restaurants Inc., known today as Yum! Brands.
Work Hard, Play Hard
Bell was known for his work-hard, play-hard lifestyle. His grand opening parties were so extravagant that they were compared to the World’s Fair, according to Taco Bell’s website. From spotlights and bands to dancers and free hats, Bell pulled out all the stops to ensure guests had a memorable experience at his gatherings. He was even often caught scaling the roofs of his buildings to make sure the balloons were in the right position.
It may surprise fans to learn that the king of tacos was originally fixated on opening a mini golf course. While that dream never materialized, Bell channeled his love of fun into another passion project: restoring and reopening the Westside & Cherry Valley Railway in Northern California. He turned it into a museum that featured vintage trains and cars, which operated for a year.
Bell was also philanthropic and bought 4-H animals at local livestock auctions and donated them for resale to provide youth scholarships, according to the Los Angeles Times. Additionally, he supported the YMCA, Boys & Girls Club and Salvation Army Scripps Hospital.
On January 16, 2010, Bell passed away from Parkinson’s disease in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. He was survived by his second wife, Martha, two sons, three sisters and four grandchildren.
Today’s entrepreneurs can learn a lot from the Glen Bell story: adversity can build strength and resilience, and a successful business thrives on a quality product and committed leadership.
Photos: Taco Bell
