The origin story of Taco Bell (founded by a guy actually named Bell who found a way to cash in on his name) is a fascinating one. While my own modern experiences with Taco Bell (vs. the other full-featured Mexican restaurants in town) are, well, to say the least, disappointing, there’s little question that the restaurant chain helped create a popularized, fast-service Mexican food for Anglos that actually laid the groundwork for that cuisine to become nationally popular.
There’s a Taco Bell across the street from my office that I have visited one time, and that was one time too many. But I can still appreciate the gumption of Glen Bell, Jr., and the restaurant chain he founded — and the distinctive architecture that’s still visible even in locations that have changed hands multiple times.