Where was the first Taco Bell restaurant located?

Taco Bell is an American-based chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell (1923–2010) in Downey, California.

As of 2018, Taco Bell serves over two billion customers each year, at 7,072 restaurants, more than 93 percent of which are owned and operated by independent franchisees and licensees.

Glen Bell was an entrepreneur who first opened a hot dog stand called "Bell's Drive-In" in San Bernardino, California, in 1948. Bell watched long lines of customers at a Mexican restaurant called the Mitla Cafe, located across the street, which became famous among residents for its hard-shelled tacos. Bell attempted to reverse-engineer the recipe, and eventually the owners allowed him to see how the tacos were made. He took what he had learned and opened a new stand in 1951. The name underwent several changes, from Taco-Tia through El Taco, before settling on Taco Bell.

The original location was a 400-square-foot (37 m2) building about the size of a two-car garage, and was built with Mission-style belled arches, that covered a small walk-up window that served the original menu items: Tostadas, burritos, frijoles, chili burgers, and tacos, all for 19 cents.

The first restaurant closed in 1986, while the building was saved from demolition November 19, 2015, and was moved 45 miles (72 km) to the Taco Bell Corporate Office in Irvine and is currently stored intact on the corporate parking lot premises and known as "Taco Bell Numero Uno".