Taco Bell, Lakewood

History

On March 21, 1962, Glen Bell opened the doors to the first Taco Bell in Downey, California. Back then, customers called tacos "tay-kohs," and they only had to shill out 19 cents for each one they ordered. In 1964, Taco Bell's first franchisee stepped forward, and by 1967, the company was celebrating its 100th store. A decade later, Taco Bell reached a new milestone with its first international location in Guam.

By the Numbers

Taco Bell's exponential growth over the years has helped the company accrue some impressive numbers. For instance, it serves more than 35 million customers every week at nearly 5,600 restaurants around the world. More staggering, perhaps, are Taco Bell's annual totals: the restaurant doles out more than one billion burritos and two billion tacos every year, enough to wrap around the globe numerous times or feed a single Andre the Giant.

On the Menu

The menu at Taco Bell has always been reliable, but never predictable. Classics like the Burrito Supreme and Crunchy Taco have stood the test of time, all while the company ushers in one innovative menu item after the next. The Crunchwrap Supreme, for instance, was so successful as a limited-time offer in 2005 that it became a permanent menu item by January 2006. Taco Bell also stole headlines with its creation of Doritos Locos Tacos in 2012, and its breakfast and FourthMeal menus ensure there's something tasty waiting no matter the time of day.