Taco Bell
Taco Bell was founded by
Glen Bell who first opened a hot dog stand called Bell’s Drive-In in
San Bernardino, California[2]
in 1946 when he was 23 years old. Six years later, he sold the stand
and opened a new one two years later, this time selling tacos under the
name of Taco-Tia. Over the next few years Bell owned and operated a
number of restaurants in southern California including four called El
Taco. Bell sold the El Tacos to his partner and built the first Taco
Bell in
Downey
in 1962. In 1962, he sold Taco-Tia. Kermit Becky, a former Los Angeles
police officer, bought the first Taco Bell franchise from Glen Bell in
1964,
[2] and located it in
Torrance. The company grew rapidly, and by 1967, the 100th restaurant opened at 400 South Brookhurst in
Anaheim. In 1970, Taco Bell went public with 325 restaurants. In 1978,
PepsiCo purchased Taco Bell from Glen Bell.
[2]
Taco Bell first opened in Australia in September 1981, but Taco Bell was
ordered to change its name after the owner of a local restaurant
successfully sued Taco Bell for misleading conduct.
[32]
The local restaurant was called "Taco Bell's Casa" and had been
operating in Australia since the 1970s. The owner successfully argued
that Sydneysiders would confuse the takeaway chain with his restaurant,
and this would damage his reputation. Taco Bell later opened in 1997 in
Australia with a store in the cinema district on George St in Sydney and
a year later in 1998 within a few KFC stores in the state of New South
Wales, but by 2005, the Taco Bell brand was pulled out of the country.
Taco Bell first opened in Australia in September 1981, but Taco Bell was
ordered to change its name after the owner of a local restaurant
successfully sued Taco Bell for misleading conduct.
[32]
The local restaurant was called "Taco Bell's Casa" and had been
operating in Australia since the 1970s. The owner successfully argued
that Sydneysiders would confuse the takeaway chain with his restaurant,
and this would damage his reputation. Taco Bell later opened in 1997 in
Australia with a store in the cinema district on George St in Sydney and
a year later in 1998 within a few KFC stores in the state of New South
Wales, but by 2005, the Taco Bell brand was pulled out of the country.
Originally known as Casa Del Taco ("House of the Taco"), the first Del Taco restaurant was founded in 1961 in Yermo, California by Ed Hackbarth and David Jameson. On the first official day of business, Del Taco made $169.[3] Success of the first restaurant led to two in Barstow, one in Needles, and a fifth restaurant in Corona
(the first Del Taco with a drive-thru window). Dick Naugle, who
installed the kitchen equipment in the Corona store, was impressed by
the design and joined Hackbarth and Jameson in the fledgling business.
In 1966, the trio founded Red-E-Food Systems, Inc. with the idea of
franchising the Casa Del Taco brand.[4]
That same year, the original Del Taco sun logo was created and in 1967,
Del Taco introduced their famous bean and cheese burrito with green or
red sauce to their menu.[3] Before long, the restaurants were being founded throughout Southern California.
Naugle left the company early in the decade to start his own Mexican fast food chain, Naugles.
In 1973, the company dropped “Casa” from its name and Red-E-Food
Systems became Del Taco, Inc. By that time, the company was enjoying a
remarkable growth spurt; during one period, they were opening a new
restaurant every month. However, in 1976, Hackbarth and Jameson sold Del
Taco to a group of investors. The new owners sold the exclusive rights
to use and develop the Del Taco name throughout the United States
(excluding California; Eugene, Oregon; and Yuma, Arizona) to W. R. Grace and Company. Grace, primarily a chemicals company, founded a new company, Del Taco Restaurants Inc. of Dallas, Texas, and a new subsidiary, DTG Inc., to oversee the various fast food chains it was acquiring.[4]
Nonetheless, the franchise continued to expand. In 1977, there were 50
Del Taco restaurants. A year later in 1978, there were 100.
