The founder was a guy Bell as I remember and he opened the first one in Downey CA in ‘62. We thought it was pretty good at the time.
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Close enough. That guy was Glen Bell. I met him long ago.
Taco Bell is pretty good if one orders the healthier selections. It depends on the franchiser. Near here (just south of Cleveland), one is terrific and another is just plain awful.
I worked at a Taco Bell in Santa Barbara in the 60s. Every taco was weighed to make sure that no more than one ounce of “meat” was on it. I write “meat” because it was really a hamburger/oatmeal blend. On the other hand everything on the menu, tacos, tostadas red and green burritos and cup of refried beans was 19 cents. Four tacos and a Pepsi (no Coke) for a dollar.