Who founded the Taco Bell chain?

Glen Bell founded the Taco Bell chain.

Bell was a California restaurateur who entered the food business after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps as a cook during World War II. He opened Bell’s Drive-In, a hot-dog stand in San Bernardino, in 1948, then experimented with Mexican food and taco stands. His work helped popularize hard-shell tacos in the fast-food market.

Before creating Taco Bell, Bell operated businesses called Taco-Tia and El Taco. He learned about the dorado-style taco associated with San Bernardino’s Mitla Café, including its method of frying a filled tortilla into a crisp shell. Those earlier ventures provided the experience and menu ideas that shaped his later chain.

Bell opened the first Taco Bell in Downey, California, on July 6, 1962. The company began franchising in 1964 and grew rapidly. The name can cause confusion because other restaurateurs founded similarly famous chains, but Taco Bell’s founder was Glen Bell—not Fred DeLuca, Tom Monaghan, or John Schnatter.