IRVINE CALIF. Taco Bell quick-service chain and the driving force behind the success of tacos as a fast-food staple, has been selected by Nation’s Restaurant News as the 2008 Pioneer Award winner. –Glen Bell, the founder of the 5,600-unit
Bell will be honored during NRN’s 49th Annual Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators Conference, or MUFSO, from Oct. 12-15 at the Gaylord National Resort Hotel & Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., just outside of Washington, D.C. –Glen Bell, the founder of the 5,600-unit
The award recognizes an individual for dedication and contributions to foodservice, including creativity and innovation that have advanced the industry. It will be presented during the MUFSO Awards Banquet sponsored by American Express. –Glen Bell, the founder of the 5,600-unit
“It is a great honor to recognize Glen as the 2008 Pioneer Award winner and very fitting to his many accomplishments,” said Greg Creed, president of Irvine, California-based Taco Bell Corp. “When Glen founded the Taco Bell brand 45 years ago, his passion for people, customer-centric focus and visionary recipes for success were the building blocks of the business and are still used throughout the organization to this day.” –Glen Bell, the founder of the 5,600-unit
“Glen Bell is a remarkable businessman who enjoyed bringing an idea to life and pushing the envelope,” said Tom Larranaga, publisher of Nation’s Restaurant News. “His vision and spirit helped introduce America to the taco and launched one of the world’s largest fast-food chains. We look forward to honoring him at MUFSO 2008.” –Glen Bell, the founder of the 5,600-unit
Curtis Wilson, vice president and general manager, Restaurant Industry for American Express, said: “American Express is proud to join with Nation’s Restaurant News in honoring Glen Bell as this year’s Pioneer Award winner. Glen’s entrepreneurial spirit and long-term vision in the early days of fast food had an extraordinary impact on this segment. It is a privilege to recall and celebrate the achievements of this foodservice pioneer.” –Glen Bell, the founder of the 5,600-unit
Bell was 23 when he left the Marine Corps and came home to San Bernardino, Calif., after World War II. He began his foodservice journey by opening a hot dog stand called Bell’s Drive-In. Coincidentally, when he sold it in 1952 to develop a stand that would sell both hot dogs and hamburgers, the McDonald brothers had also started their first unit in San Bernardino. –Glen Bell, the founder of the 5,600-unit
Increasingly interested in alternative menu items for his stands, Bell began experimenting with tacos. In his next unit, he began selling various hot dogs, including chili dogs, formulating a special sauce that would later be used throughout the Taco Bell chain. It was one of many taco-related innovations from Bell in those early days of fast food. Another was his idea for commercially frying shells for speed and efficiency, something that was eventually picked up by the manufacturers of packaged shells. –Glen Bell, the founder of the 5,600-unit
After tweaking his tacos until he was satisfied with the ingredients and proportions, Bell began selling them for 19 cents from a small side window in his hot dog stand. They moved so fast that he decided to devote a stand solely to tacos, eventually gaining a partner and building three Taco Tia units between 1954 and 1955. –Glen Bell, the founder of the 5,600-unit
When Bell’s partner nixed the idea of expanding into Los Angeles, Bell sold him his interests in the restaurants in 1956. “At that time,” he said, “the [National Football League’s] Los Angeles Rams trained in Red-lands, where we had a Taco Tia. We became kind of a hangout for them, and two of them bought the Taco Tia in Los Angeles.” –Glen Bell, the founder of the 5,600-unit
Bell formed a partnership with four of the players and started El Tacos. –Glen Bell, the founder of the 5,600-unit
“We were off to a great start,” said Bell, “but I’ve always been independent and was ready to launch out on my own.” –Glen Bell, the founder of the 5,600-unit
He sold the El Tacos to his partners and opened the first Taco Bell in 1962 in Downey, Calif. The concept took off from there. –Glen Bell, the founder of the 5,600-unit
“Once we got up to 100 restaurants, it changed for me,” Bell said. “I hated the day when we had to start numbering the units. The business issues became financial. We had really won the war as far as I was concerned. The stock market began to smile on fast food, and we were on the road to success.” –Glen Bell, the founder of the 5,600-unit
In 1975, Bell resigned as chairman of Taco Bell. Three years later he sold the company’s 868 units to PepsiCo Inc., and Bell became a major PepsiCo shareholder. Today, Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Louisville, Ky.-based Yum! Brands Inc. Taco Bell operates or franchises approximately 5,600 restaurants worldwide and had systemwide sales of $6.1 billion in 2007 from all franchise and company units. –Glen Bell, the founder of the 5,600-unit
For information about MUFSO and to register, call (212) 756-5201 or visit