Taco Bell founder Glen Bell opened the first Taco Bell restaurant in Downey, California, in 1962.
Bell had previously operated hamburger and hot-dog stands in California. He became interested in Mexican food and opened a restaurant called Taco Tia before developing the Taco Bell concept. The original Taco Bell emphasized inexpensive tacos and other Mexican-inspired fast food.
The first location was in Downey, a city in Los Angeles County. It later became historically significant as Taco Bell expanded through franchising across the United States. The original building was moved in 2022 to the Taco Bell Cantina restaurant in Irvine, California.
A common mix-up is confusing Taco Bell's founding date with the opening of its first restaurant. The company was founded in 1962, while its growth into a major franchise system came afterward.