BajaNomad - Taco Bell Celebrates Its 50th Aniversary This Week; 5 Ways the Bell Helped Mexican Food Become Better in the U.S.

Taco Bell Celebrates Its 50th Aniversary This Week; 5 Ways the Bell Helped Mexican Food Become Better in the U.S.

Gypsy Jan - 3-23-2012 at 06:22 PM

http://blogs.ocweekly.com/stickaforkinit/2012/03/taco_bell_5...

By Gustavo Arellano for the OC Weekly

"Taco Bell, the Mexican fast-food giant everyone loves to hate, celebrates its 50th anniversary this week and...yeah. Heaven knows it's an easy whipping boy for everything wrong with Mexican food in this country: the bastardized meals, the incessant appropriation (this week: I finally reveal the name of the restaurant whose taco recipe Glen Bell took for himself and subsequently became a millionaire while leaving the family behind), the bad food, the many bizarre crimes committed at its premises. They'll play a big role in my book on Mexican food in the United States (out April 10), and not always a positive one

But that's the easy part. Fact is, the Bell also immeasurably helped out the progress of Mexican food in this country. Yes, Virginia: there are nice things to say about Taco Bell--great things, actually, for without it, we'd be at a much-worse spot for Mexican food. So next time you want to slam the Doritos Loco taco...don't. At least for this week, out of respect for this taco titan.

1. Taco Bell Brought Mexican Restaurants to Places That Never Had One, Thereby Whetting Appetites for the Better Mexican to Come

Instead of me rehashing a point I've made before, check out my commentary above on the very subject for Marketplace in 2010, shortly after the death of Glen Bell.

2. Taco Bell Convinced Non-Mexicans that They, Too, Could Get Rich off Mexican Food

Bell was a fast-food Johnny Appleseed, giving a start to the founders of Del Taco and Wienerschnitzel, and helping out Dick Naugles of Naugles fame--and these were just his personal friends. The early success of Bell with El Taco launched a taco revolution--between Taco Bell, Del Taco, Naugles, and their imitators--TacoTime, Taco Tico, Taco John's, Taco Bueno, and other chains started by gabacho men in the 1960s, the country was awash in fast-food empires. Such success, in turn, convinced entrepreneurs to join the Mexican game. And while Americans getting rich on Mexican food is nothing news (read my book for more details), Bell did this at a time when franchising was exploding and further drove the point for Americans that they didn't need Mexicans around to enjoy or cook Mexican food.

3. Taco Bell Helped to Popularize the Burrito

The Bell gets all the attention for its proselytizing efforts regarding the taco, but usually forgotten was their pioneering role with burritos, which have existed on Taco Bell's menu since its 1962 beginning. Americans had at least the idea of a taco in the early 1960s, when the Bell and its imitators spread across the country, but burritos were as alien as the idea of a Mexican middle-class. This country wouldn't become burrito-crazy until the advent of Chipotle last decade, but like Mexican food and tacos, Taco Bell paved the road to the burrito's success.

4. Taco Bell Has Long Made Bilingualism Cool

Glen Bell could've easily unleashed his restaurants across the United States and left it at that, or given his offerings mock Spanish names like he did with his first all-Mexican restaurant, Taco-Tia (it was supposed to be "Tapatia," but the name got nixed by his business partner, who found the name too Mexican--true story!). Instead, Bell took out advertisements featuring pronunciation guides for his menu in the newspapers of markets Taco Bell was penetrating for the first time. Sure, the company sometimes lost its way with the name of certain products, but that ease with bilingualism still exists today--witness Taco Bell's new advertising slogan, "Live Más," complete with an accent on the a in "más" just like it's supposed to. In the annals of Spanish in the United States, Taco Bell is like John the Baptist, heralding the coming of the New Mexican Way.

5. Taco Bell is Proof that Mexican Food Isn't Static but Rather Evolutionary

If it were up to the Rick Baylesses and Diana Kennedy of the world, Mexican food would still be the same dishes served to Nezahualcoyotl (which would've meant no beef, lamb, pork, rice, or tequila--but don't tell that to them!). In fact, the ridiculous authenticity game largely arose as a counterpoint to Taco Bell's increasingly wacky creations, wackiest of which is now their foray into taco shells made with Doritos flavors (of which I'll have a review this week).

I don't like Taco Bell's offerings--never have. But every chalupa, every enchirito, every Doritos Loco taco is a spit in the eye of atavistic pendejos. If we paid attention to what Bayless, et al. preach as gospel, we would've never had the Korean taco, the pastrami burrito, the Sonoran dog and all other sorts of meal mestizaje. Taco Bell has shown innovative restaurateurs that consumers are always looking for something new--and it's that truism that has made Mexican food the juggernaut it is today."

[Edited on 3-24-2012 by Gypsy Jan]

Bob H - 3-23-2012 at 07:01 PM

My wife told me that when she was going to college in the midwest back in the early 80's .... stealing the BELL from Taco Bell establishments was a very popular thing to do. This was when they really had a bell hanging above the entire building (even though I think it was made of a light weight material). I read somewhere that those old bells are very valuable today, if you can find one!

Here is a photo of an old Taco Bell location in Wausau, Wisconsin, showing the old bell above the building, and the new logo sign on a post in the front. You don't see these old TB's any more, huh? Brings back memories!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Taco_Bell...

[Edited on 3-24-2012 by Bob H]

Hook - 3-23-2012 at 07:01 PM

It's so true. Taco Bell probably IS the single biggest reason that Mexican food is worldwide.

Yeah, the fare is average at best. Living in Mexico, we all know of far better tacos at our local stands.

But I have to admit. About once or twice a year, I get a craving for a cheap, ground beef, 49 cent taco when I am NOB. And Taco Bell's are about the......well, "best", if that word can be used in this context. There is just something about those things that you cant completely shake, if you grew up eating them. It's like Kraft Mac and Cheese in the box. If it gets its hooks into you in childhood, it's tough to shake; no matter how mediocre the flavor. All one can hope is to beat down the cravings to a time or two each year.

The fast food Mex restaurants have come up with all kinds of new versions of "Mexican food" that their marketing arms have suggested.

But it's the basic ground beef taco that I always order when I go in. About five "CRUNCHES" and the thing is GONE. A meal for an average male is AT LEAST four of these. They are rather spare in content, no? The flavor is not great, right?

It must be the primal "crunch" of them, having grown up around Taco Bells in SoCal in the 60s and 70s.

I still remember buying many things that were NOT on the menu at the Taco Bell in Laguna Beach around 69-70, too. But that's another story.............

Woooosh - 3-23-2012 at 07:13 PM

"Yo quiero Taco Bell"? I didn't have my first Mexican food until I moved from CT to Denver early 70's for college. It was a deep fried Jack in the box taco, not from The Bell. I was surprised how many Mexicans currently enjoy the Taco Bells in San Diego. You 'd think they would hit any "Rober-to's" first. It's just different I guess. San Diego Mexican fast food is unique to the country, an pretty good as street food goes.

Connecticut Tacos..

EnsenadaDr - 3-23-2012 at 07:17 PM

I lived in Danbury, Connecticut while I was going to Western Connecticut State University and they had this funky little place with all these antique gadgets inside called Texas Tacos. I loved going there after classes to grab a snack of Tacos that were actually pretty darn good...of course back then Mexico and even Texas was a figment of my imagination...but I liked what I saw and ate!!!

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh
"Yo quiero Taco Bell"? I didn't have my first Mexican food until I moved from CT to Denver early 70's for college. It was a deep fried Jack in the box taco, not from The Bell. I was surprised how many Mexicans currently enjoy the Taco Bells in San Diego. You 'd think they would hit any "Rober-to's" first. It's just different I guess. San Diego Mexican fast food is unique to the country, an pretty good as street food goes.

Hook - 3-23-2012 at 07:50 PM

I remember eating those Jack in the Box tacos in the early 70s.......BACK WHEN THEY WERE OWNED BY RALSTON-PURINA, AS I RECALL. That meat definitely had a high cereal content, the whole thing seemed like it was deep fried (the lettuce kinda wilted in place) and that slice of AMERICAN cheese. What a horrible taco that was.........just the thing when drunk, coming out of a bar or something.

I saw one recently at a Jack in the Box and, dang, it seemed like they were little changed. How can it be that those things are still selling?

[Edited on 3-24-2012 by Hook]

J.P. - 3-23-2012 at 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook
I remember eating those Jack in the Box tacos in the early 70s.......BACK WHEN THEY WERE OWNED BY RALSTON-PURINA, AS I RECALL. That meat definitely had a high cereal content, the whole thing seemed like it was deep fried (the lettuce kinda wilted in place) and that slice of AMERICAN cheese. What a horrible taco that was.........just the thing when drunk, coming out of a bar or something.

I saw one recently at a Jack in the Box and, dang, it seemed like they were little changed. How can it be that those things are still selling?

[Edited on 3-24-2012 by Hook]

I rember when the Jack in the box taco sold 3 for a dollar I thought they were good hangover medicine :lol:

It is sacrilegious To say Taco bell and Mexico in the same sentence, :barf:

[Edited on 3-24-2012 by J.P.]

[Edited on 3-24-2012 by J.P.]

JoeJustJoe - 3-23-2012 at 09:12 PM

I doubt any real Mexicans would consider what "Taco Bell" serves as real Mexican food.

I understand that "Taco Bell" doesn't even use "seasoned beef" like they advertise. Rather than real beef "Taco Bell" meat was made of some mixture called "taco meat filling" that is made with a mixture that contained less than 35 percent beef according to the attorneys that are suing "Taco Bell" for false advertising.

I eat at "Taco Bell" once in awhile, but I don't think of it as real Mexican food. I doubt "Taco Bell" is the reason why Mexican food is popular in the US.

I just think Gustavo Arellano is just having a little fun with this article, and his OC audience as usual.

DavidE - 3-23-2012 at 09:14 PM

Dr Marco A. Molina Collins in 1983 told me in Ensenada

"I told my wife that if she ever brought that stuff home from San Diego, it was the end of the marriage"

Ateo - 3-23-2012 at 09:50 PM

It's all about Naugles.

wessongroup - 3-23-2012 at 09:56 PM

' I rember when the Jack in the box taco sold 3 for a dollar I thought they were good hangover medicine :lol:

"

Ditto's... :biggrin:

Bajatripper - 3-23-2012 at 11:16 PM

I know it has nothing to do with real Mexican food, but I've always liked Taco Bell. I remember their "Bell Burgers," which had a scoop of their taco concoction. My favorite is their Burrito Supreme, but it isn't the only thing I'll eat there.

My Mexican wife, who'd never heard of Taco Bell before I took her to one, will insist that we stop at least once per trip north to eat there. She, too, doesn't confuse the food with her native cuisine but likes it for its own qualities.

My all-time favorite gringo taco was the Jack-in-the-box Monster Taco. It was a real nasty, greasy thing, but sure could hit the spot.

Santiago - 3-24-2012 at 05:44 AM

Just recently they've started serving Breakfast Burritos in our area and I must admit to getting some at least once-a-week. For a drive-thru bb they are not too bad.

baja1943 - 3-24-2012 at 06:56 AM

It sure helped the sales of Mylanta.

DENNIS - 3-24-2012 at 07:45 AM

Taco Bell is awful. Everything has the same flavor and, according to my most gracious Mexican friends, if it does have a classification other than "barf in a bag," it would be "Tex Mex."

Give me a Jack Taco any day.....you know, the ones that have the meat stuff extruded onto them with a caulking gun?
Those are pure YUMMY.
Is "Jack in The Box" in Mexico? I'm getting a craving.

Bob H - 3-24-2012 at 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
Taco Bell is awful. Everything has the same flavor and, according to my most gracious Mexican friends, if it does have a classification other than "barf in a bag," it would be "Tex Mex."

Give me a Jack Taco any day.....you know, the ones that have the meat stuff extruded onto them with a caulking gun?
Those are pure YUMMY.
Is "Jack in The Box" in Mexico? I'm getting a craving.

I'll go there for a Burrito Supreme, maybe every other year... lol

My wife calls the place "Taco Hell" !!! :fire:

watizname - 3-24-2012 at 09:03 AM

After way to much fun on a Saturday Night. UMMMMMMMMMMM Taco Bell Tacos.

bajajazz - 3-24-2012 at 10:24 AM

I've always thought my liking for their crispy tacos was my dirty little secret. Glad to see I've got a lot of company. I like their Mexican Pizzas, too.

durrelllrobert - 3-24-2012 at 10:33 AM

When I moved to Columbia Maryland in the early 70s the only Mexican food in the area was a small cafe in someones house in Baltimore and the only tortillas sold at the markets came 8 in an over sized tuna can. Finally El Torrito opened (in 1976 I think) at Beltway Plaza and had a record opening day crowd.

rhintransit - 3-24-2012 at 12:04 PM

Taco Bell...yum! I can't go N.O.B. without a fix or two, and I always bring back their seasoning mix for ground beef tacos here. can't be any other brand, it's gotta be Taco Bell. perhaps it's the crunchy shells, perhaps it's the mystery meat/filler stuff, but there's something addictive about that crunchy regular taco.
one of my first food memories was a new family moving to our little Mississippi town (where food in my house was midwest cooked to mush canned stuff) and the mother made the most fabulous dinners: tacos! she even fried the taco shells. amazing mana from another world. musta been that in the blood, or the two for one margaritas that turned my first trip to Mexico into a year long stay. been here almost ever since.

taco bell

captkw - 3-24-2012 at 12:10 PM

HOLA< my baja dog would have made a hell of a better ad-dog... and the logo "run for the border" is spot on,, causs that's not mexican food,,dosnt even look like mexican food..K&T

[Edited on 3-24-2012 by captkw]

woody with a view - 3-24-2012 at 12:35 PM

taco bell is gross. now if you want some drunkage food the 2/$1 tacos (4-5 of em) or the old style filet-o-fish with nothing but a slice of cheese product, secret sauce and a square piece of "fish" samitched between a steam bun that jack in the box slings....mmmmm!

if i want Mexican food i just go to the corner Robertos/Rigobertos/Adalbertos/Woodybertos! the only difference is a burrito in Mexico is a rolled taco in America. kinda like a pinner joint!

[Edited on 3-24-2012 by woody with a view]

think 'thai stix'

captkw - 3-24-2012 at 12:42 PM

Bajahowodd - 3-24-2012 at 03:54 PM

Once upon a time, way back in the 60's, Jack In The Box was a national chain. My actual introduction to "Mexican" food was at a Jack In The Box on Long Island. At that time, there were no Mexican Restaurant in the New York area.

Those of you lamenting Naugles, I'm with you. It was Del Taco that acquired Naugles, and fundamentally downscaled the quality of the food.

One other thing of note. Taco Bell is one of the companies under the corporate umbrella of Yum Brands. Two other Yum Brands companies, KFC and Pizza Hut have a significant presence in Mexico. However, Taco Bell does not, but not for trying.

From the Yum wiki page:

"Taco Bell has attempted to enter the Mexican market twice. After a highly-publicised launch in Mexico City in 1992, all the restaurants were closed two years later. In September 2007, Taco Bell returned to Monterrey, this time promoting itself as selling American food, but closed in January 2010 due to low patronage."

dtbushpilot - 3-24-2012 at 04:21 PM

I like some of the stuff at taco bell and my wife loves jack in the box tacos....go figger....dt

Pompano - 3-24-2012 at 04:54 PM

Fifty years, or the "gold year" is an amazing accomplishment in and of itself for a business these days in America..congratulations on a successful venture.

Happy Anniversary, Taco Bell.

Hi Pompano

Gypsy Jan - 3-24-2012 at 05:13 PM

Regardless of the naysayers, I think that the bottom line (earnings) speaks for itself.

This has nothing to do with "appreciating authentic food", it is just about what sells.

dean miller - 3-24-2012 at 09:20 PM

In the early 1960s on Firestone blvd in Downey California there was a large up-scale restaurant called the Silver Spur..Directly across the street was a Mexican food stand owned by Glen Bell and next to it was a SCUBA Shop, called "Lee's Skin and SCUBA" where I taught occasional SCUBA diving classes.

I always stopped in at Glen's establishment before or after class for a pick me up...Had a number of conversations with Glen..even at that early date he was thinking BIG...and Big he became. However as I recall he went into chapter 11--don't know disposition of this action.

His early offerings were great -- after he opened the fast food chain, Taco Bell, his offerings were a good substitute for food...

sdm

Remembering "inside the bun"

tripledigitken - 3-25-2012 at 04:28 AM

My Taco Bell guilty pleasure was the "BellBeefer". Hamburger bun with a scoop of the ground beef mixture and some shredded lettuce.

But for taco's, when I'm alone, Jack-in-the-Box $.99 for two taco's is my go to for junk food.

paranewbi - 3-25-2012 at 05:18 AM

Had one across from the house in high school.
My mom let me take over the garage for surfboard making in the '70s. Guys always hanging out working on boards. Made over 250 boards in that garage, totaly ruined it and blew the mind of my rooster I locked in it's cage at night in the garage...can't believe the water heater never blew up the neighborhood.
Anyways...mom would always spring for bean burrito's for all the guys. Cheapest thing on the menu. Mom was a Saint, when I finished a new board for myself...she'd let me stay out of school the next day, drive me up to Del Mar, drop me off, come back in afternoon to pick me up.
I know this isn't about moms...so thanks for the memories Taco Bell.
Thanks for the life, mom.

Bajahowodd - 3-25-2012 at 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tripledigitken
My Taco Bell guilty pleasure was the "BellBeefer". Hamburger bun with a scoop of the ground beef mixture and some shredded lettuce.

But for taco's, when I'm alone, Jack-in-the-Box $.99 for two taco's is my go to for junk food.

Not to mention... Enchirito.

But, seriously, how can you refer to that stuff on the bellbeefer as ground beef? Was it not the same mysterious mix of whatever that they put in their tacos? :lol:

Bajahowodd - 3-25-2012 at 03:05 PM

On a slightly different note, do y'all remember the gas flame fire pit all the original stores had. There was no inside eating back in the day.

Then, the oil embargo hit and bye bye gas flames. Same thing for the "free dry" at the laundromats.

David K - 3-25-2012 at 03:27 PM

The guy who used to fly Glen Bell in 'Taco Bell One' is Larry Hahn... who has been flying to Baja since the 1950's. He has great old photos of Bahia de los Angeles, Punta San Francisquito, Mulege, and Bahia San Luis Gonzaga at his site: http://www.bajadreams.com/flybaja.htm

Got to meet Larry when he flew to Oceanside from Texas for Viva Baja #3.

Mexitron - 3-25-2012 at 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
On a slightly different note, do y'all remember the gas flame fire pit all the original stores had. There was no inside eating back in the day.

Then, the oil embargo hit and bye bye gas flames. Same thing for the "free dry" at the laundromats.

Yeah, especially the one in Laguna in the 60s where the hippies would hang out. Bean/cheese burrito was my mainstay in high school there in the 70s. Stopped at a Taco Bell in King City about seven years ago for old times sake and it was the worst dried up bean burrito I ever ate. Didn't even go to one in Fort Worth, Texas which is saying something because that area is still lacking in quality Mexican food.

Hook - 3-25-2012 at 03:52 PM

I still think "Think outside the bun" was one of the best conceived advertising slogans ever, in the face of the ascendancy of the fast food hamburger in the 60s and 70s.

dean miller - 3-25-2012 at 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mexitron

Quote:

Yeah, especially the one in Laguna in the 60s where the hippies would hang out. Bean/cheese burrito was my mainstay in high school there .....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I recall the Laguna Beach Taco Bell as if it was yesterday--the corner of PCH & Cleo Street.

An ocean going transport barge had sunk off Cleo in a winter storm in 1958...A few years later it was a "Lobster Hotel." Great diving during the day but fantastic during at night.

All was great until the hippies moved into the large building on PCH directly across from Taco Bell. Things would disappear, so during the night dives we always had a watchman.

One night we were ordering at Taco Bell after a dive and suddenly all hell broke out..Several undercover PD had caught several of the hippies dealing narcotics and were in the process of cuffing them..by the light of the fire pit..

That had to be in the mid 1960s...

sdm

The Taco Bell Riot in Laguna

Gypsy Jan - 3-25-2012 at 05:16 PM

Hey Dean,

It was reported in the news as an anti-war protest.

You probably have better information.

durrelllrobert - 3-25-2012 at 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Once upon a time, way back in the 60's, Jack In The Box was a national chain. My actual introduction to "Mexican" food was at a Jack In The Box on Long Island. At that time, there were no Mexican Restaurant in the New York area.

Although this pic was taken in 1961 (note the Corvair) it was the first Jack in the Box, opened in 1951, and was on El Cajon Blvd in San Diego

Hook - 3-25-2012 at 06:13 PM

I think that was the Hotel Firenze, if I recall, Dean. Or, at least it became the Hotel Firenze.

805gregg - 3-25-2012 at 06:44 PM

I ate taco's in TJ in 1957, we had a Taco Tio in Hawthorne Ca, where I grew up, that's where we ate.

dean miller - 3-25-2012 at 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook

I think that was the Hotel Firenze, if I recall, Dean. Or, at least it became the Hotel Firenze.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We just called the area and the hotel "Hippy Hollow..."

What ever it was there was always and over abundance of long haired, unkept, unwashed humanity in, around and possibly on top of the building

SDM

Mexitron - 3-26-2012 at 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook
I think that was the Hotel Firenze, if I recall, Dean. Or, at least it became the Hotel Firenze.

The Hotel Firenze was the place on PCH and Cress (across from the infamous "Little Shrimp" restaurant)...but I know the building you're thinking of, can't remember the name.

dean miller - 3-26-2012 at 08:36 AM

Good gosh!

Little Shrimp!
Memories lost in the recesses of what I have remaining of my mind.

What a reputation it had! I had totally forgotten about it and its "customers" (for lack of a better word)

SDM