The First Taco Bell Opened in 1962
Taco Bell, the popular Mexican-style fast food chain, opened its first restaurant in 1962. The first location was in Downey, California and was founded by Glen Bell. The restaurant quickly gained popularity and began to expand across the United States.
Growth of Taco Bell
By 1978, Taco Bell had grown to over 700 locations across the country. In 1978, PepsiCo purchased Taco Bell for $125 million. This allowed for even more growth and expansion of the brand. Today, there are over 7,000 Taco Bell locations worldwide.