 | This article'slead sectionmay be too short to adequatelysummarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead toprovide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article.(April 2025) |
 Taco Bell's logo used since September 2023 | |
 Headquarters inIrvine, California | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Genre | Fast food |
| Founded | March 21, 1962; 63 years ago (1962-03-21) Downey, California |
| Founder | Glen Bell |
| Headquarters | 1 Glen Bell Way, Irvine, California, U.S. (2009–present) |
Number of locations | 8,218 (2022)[1] |
Areas served | List
|
Key people |
|
| Products | |
| Revenue |  $1.988 billion (2015)[4] |
| Parent |
|
| Website | tacobell |
Taco Bell Corp.[5] is an American multinational chain offast food restaurants founded in 1962 byGlen Bell (1923–2010) inDowney, California.[6] Taco Bell is asubsidiary ofYum! Brands, Inc. The restaurants serve a variety ofMexican-inspired foods, includingtacos,burritos,quesadillas,nachos, novelty, and specialty items, and a variety of "value menu" items. As of 2023[update], Taco Bell serves over two billion customers each year, at 8,212 restaurants, more than 94 percent of which are owned and operated by independentfranchisees and licensees.[7][8]
PepsiCo purchased Taco Bell in 1978.[9] PepsiCo laterspun off its restaurants division as Tricon Global Restaurants; subsequently, it changed its name toYum! Brands.
Taco Bell was founded byGlen Bell, an entrepreneur who first opened ahot dog stand called Bell's Drive-In, inSan 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 itshard-shelled tacos. Bell attempted toreverse-engineer the recipe, and eventually the owners, along with head chef Gloria Hoyle, allowed him to see how the tacos were made. Hoyle (Mitla Cafe still has a special named after her today)[10] taught Glen Bell her version of the Dorado taco style which Mitla Cafe was known for.[11][12] Bell took what he had learned and opened ataco stand in 1951. The name underwent several changes, from Taco-Tia through El Taco, before settling on Taco Bell.[13]
Glen Bell opened the first Taco Bell on July 6, 1962[citation needed] at 7112 Firestone Boulevard inDowney, California.[14][15] The original location was a 400-square-foot (37 m2) building about the size of a two-car garage, and was built withmission-style arches that covered a walk-up window that served the original menu items:tacos,burritos,tostadas, Chiliburgers andfrijoles, all for 19 cents each ($2 in 2024 dollars[16]). The first restaurant closed in 1986,[17] while the building was saved from demolition November 19, 2015, and was moved 45 miles (72 km) to the Taco Bell Corporate Office at 1 Glen Bell Way inIrvine, California and is currently stored intact on the corporate parking lot premises and known as "Taco Bell Numero Uno".[18][19] Currently, there is a Taco Bell location across the street at 7127 Firestone Blvd, in Downey, which opened in 1996. The oldest operating Taco Bell location is store #2 (now operating as store #40400) at 1822 Santa Fe, in Long Beach, CA, which opened on August 7, 1962.[20] Initially designed exactly like "Numero Uno", the building has since remodeled extensively. Two former "Numero Uno" buildings still operate as other businesses, including another one in Long Beach, California (opened in early 1963),[21] and one in Hawaiian Gardens, California (opened as store #3 in September 1962).[22]
In 1964, the firstfranchise was purchased by former police officer Kermit Bekke. This location, located at 1654 West Carson Street inTorrance, California,[23] had its grand opening on May 28, 1965. Bekke sold his franchise a year and a half later.[24] This location closed in 1975 when it moved across the street to store #1130 at 1619 West Carson Street,[25] which itself would close in the late 1990s and subsequently be repurposed. On January 20, 1967, the 100th Taco Bell grand opening took place inAnaheim, located at 400 South Brookhurst (store #63[26]); this location would later be replaced by a new location at 324 South Brookhurst in 1993.[27] The first Taco Bell restaurant east of theMississippi River (the 270th to open,[28] store #258[29]) opened at 2050 East Main Street inSpringfield, Ohio, on September 20, 1968.[30][14] Original Taco Bells featured only walk-up window service without indoor seating or drive-thru service. Inside seating was added sporadically in 1968 and drive-thru service was not generally available until 1980. As of 2025, seven original mission-style operating Taco Bell restaurants still remain, located in California and Colorado. A mission-style location (opened in April 1976[31]) that operated in Honolulu, Hawaii (store #1281[32]) remodeled in 2024,[33][34] and another Mission-style location in Scottsdale, Arizona (store #31,[35][36] opened circa July 3, 1966[37]) closed on April 12, 2025.[38] Many former mission-style Taco Bell locations still survive which have been repurposed, frequently as other Mexican fast food restaurants.[39] In 1970, Taco Bell went public with 325 restaurants.
The corporate office has had a few locations, and previously maintained an office at 2516 Via Tejon inPalos Verdes, then at 2424 Moreton Street in Torrance before settling into Irvine (at 17901 Von Karman Avenue) in 1976.[24]
In 1978,PepsiCo purchased Taco Bell from Glen Bell.[14] In the 1980s, Taco Bell entered rapid expansion when it acquired several other fast food joints and turned those locations into their own. This included Taco Charley, aSan Mateo, California-based chain,[40] in 1982,[41]Pup 'N' Taco, aLong Beach, California-based chain in 1984,[42] andZantigo, aMinneapolis,Minnesota-based Mexican chain, in 1986.[43] These acquisitions (and later conversions) resulted in many early Taco Bell stores closing and moving to these newer facilities. Taco Bell also dropped its existing Mexican-based branding, replacing it with a more mainstream design in 1984.[44] In 1990, theHot 'n Now chain was acquired.[45] Taco Bell sold Hot 'n Now to a Connecticut company in 1997.[46]
In 1991, Taco Bell opened the first Taco Bell Express inSan Francisco.[47] Taco Bell Express locations operate primarily inside convenience stores, truck stops, shopping malls, and airports; this concept had been experimented with as early as 1984, with several test mall locations opening.[48] Taco Bell beganco-branding withKFC in 1995 when the first such co-brand opened inClayton, North Carolina.[49] The chain has since co-branded withPizza Hut[50] andLong John Silver's as well.[51]
In 1997, PepsiCo experimented with a new "fresh grill" concept, opening at least one Border Bell restaurant inMountain View, California, on El Camino Real (SR 82). Close to the time that PepsiCo spun off its restaurant business in 1997,[52] the Border Bell in Mountain View was closed and converted to a Taco Bell restaurant which was still open in 2018.[53]
In September 2000, up to $50 million worth of Taco Bell-branded shells wererecalled from supermarkets.[54] The shells contained a variety ofgenetically modified corn called StarLink that was not approved for human consumption.[55] StarLink was approved only for use in animal feed because of questions about whether it can cause allergic reactions in people.[56] It was the first-ever recall ofgenetically modified food (GMO). Corn was not segregated at grain elevators and the miller in Texas did not order that type.[57] In 2001, Tricon Global announced a $60 million settlement with the suppliers. They stated that it would go to Taco Bell franchisees and TGR would not take any of it.[58]
PepsiCo spun out Taco Bell and its other restaurant chains in late 1997 inTricon Global Restaurants.[59][60] With the purchase of Yorkshire Global Restaurants, the owners ofA&W andLong John Silver's chains, Tricon changed its name to Yum! Brands on May 16, 2002.[61][62]
In March 2005, theCoalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) won a landmark victory in its national boycott of Taco Bell for human rights. Taco Bell agreed to meet all the coalition's demands to improve wage and working conditions forFlorida tomato pickers in its supply chain.[63] After four years of boycott, Taco Bell and Yum! Brands agreed to make an agreement called theCIW-Yum agreement with representatives of CIW at Yum! Brands headquarters.[64]
Taco Bell began experimenting with fast-casual and urban concepts when it created U.S. Taco Co. and Urban Taproom in 2014 reflecting a market shift due to the popularity ofChipotle Mexican Grill. The menu consisted of tacos with American fillings, and did not sell the food sold in Taco Bell restaurants, such as burritos. It was launched inHuntington Beach, California, in August 2014.[65]
U.S. Taco Co. closed on September 15, 2015, so the company could focus on its new similar Taco Bell Cantina concept, which featured special menu items and served alcohol. It opened its first location a few days later in Chicago'sWicker Park neighborhood, followed by a location inSan Francisco about a month later, located less than a block away fromAT&T Park.[66] In 2016, Taco Bell launched the Taco Bell Cantina flagship store located on theLas Vegas Strip.[67] The 24-hour restaurant serves alcohol, unique menu items, and features aDJ. It was announced in August 2017 that the store would begin hosting weddings.[68] Taco Bell Cantina currently has locations inSan Francisco,Berkeley,Chicago (2 locations),Las Vegas,Austin,Fayetteville,Cincinnati,Cleveland,Atlanta,Newport Beach,San Diego,San Jose,Sacramento,Nashville, with them once having plans to open soon inSomerville, Massachusetts, but as of 2025, there are instead Taco Bell Cantinas inBrookline andAllston,Massachusetts.[69][70] In March 2020, Taco Bell announced that it would be converting 3 of its suburban stores into Cantinas this year as part of a test run.[71]
In March 2016, Taco Bell introduced private beta testing of an artificial intelligence bot on the messaging platformSlack designed to take orders of select menu items from local Taco Bell locations and have the orders delivered. Taco Bell planned to have a wider roll-out of this functionality in the coming months.[when?][72]
Previously, Taco Bell's hot sauces were only available in packets at the chain itself. In February 2014, Taco Bell made its hot sauces available at grocery stores, sold in bottles.[73] These would be followed by further grocery store products including chips in May 2018[74] and shredded cheese in 2019.[75] In September 2016, Taco Bell opened a pop-up in New York City in theSoHo, Manhattan area called the Taco Bell VR Arcade. Taco Bell and VR fans could demoPlayStation VR, games, and food.[76]
In 2016, Taco Bell built a restaurant out of fivecargo shipping containers for the Texas music festival,South by Southwest. Due to popularity, the franchise decided to move the restaurant to a lot inSouth Gate, California, and it opened to the public a year later. The restaurant features Taco Bell's full menu, with outdoor seating, a walk-up window, and a drive-thru, but no indoor seating unlike regular Taco Bell locations.[77] Taco Bell announced plans in November 2017 to open 300 more urban and Cantina-style locations by 2022, with 50 to be located about New York City's five boroughs.[78] In 2019, Taco Bell opened a pop-up hotel called "The Bell: A Taco Bell Hotel and Resort" for one weekend in August. Upon the announcement, the hotel was booked up in two minutes.[79]
Taco Bell announced plans to stay in its current corporate headquarters in Irvine until 2030.[80]
The first Taco Bell commercials premiered in 1968, featuring advertisements withMel Blanc,Pat Harrington, and the then-host ofTruth or Consequences,Bob Barker.[81][82]
In 1992,Johnny Cash starred in a television commercial for Taco Bell's value menu.[83]
In 1993, Taco Bell was part ofproduct placement for the movieDemolition Man and updated their currently used logo.[84][85]
From August 1997 to July 2000,Gidget the Chihuahua was the brand's advertising mascot, a campaign developed byTBWA. Voiced byCarlos Alazraqui, slogans included “¡Yo quiero Taco Bell” (I want Taco Bell!), “Drop the Chalupa,” and “¡Viva Gorditas!” All became catchphrases in popular culture.[86]
In 2000,Taco Bell: Tasty Temple Challenge was released forDOS by Taco Bell as the publisher and developed by BrandGames[87] as a kid-friendlyfirst-person 3D action shooter with gameplay similar to that ofDoom andWolfenstein 3D in terms of combat and exploration, serving as anadvertisement for the brand. The player controls Baja Bill, who explores a temple of a lost jungle civilization, battling snakes and scorpions withTaco Bell's hot and wild sauce. Food from the brand also appears in game and is used to replenish the protagonist's health.[88][89]
In March 2001, Taco Bell announced a promotion to coincide with the re-entry of theMir space station. They towed a large target out into the Pacific Ocean, announcing that if the target was hit by a falling piece of Mir, every person in the United States would be entitled to a free Taco Bell taco. The company bought a sizable insurance policy for this gamble.[90] No piece of the station struck the target.
In 2004, a local Taco Bell franchisee bought thenaming rights to theBoise State Pavilion inBoise, Idaho, and renamed the stadiumTaco Bell Arena.[91] Also, in 2004,Mountain Dew offered Taco Bell stores the exclusive right to carry Mountain DewBaja Blast, a tropical lime flavor of the popular soft drink.[92]
In 2005, Taco Bell released the menu item called theCrunchwrap Supreme as a limited-time offer. Due to its success, the Crunchwrap Supreme was made a permanent menu offering in 2006.[93]
In 2007, Taco Bell first offered the "Steal a Base, Steal a Taco" promotion—if any player from either teamstole a base in theWorld Series, the company would give away free tacos to everyone in the United States in a campaign similar to the Mir promotion, albeit with a much higher likelihood of being realized.[94] AfterJacoby Ellsbury of theBoston Red Sox stole a base in Game 2, the company made good on the promotion on October 30, 2007. The promotion has subsequently been offered in multiple World Series.
Taco Bell sponsors a promotion at home games for both thePortland Trail Blazers and theCleveland Cavaliers in which everyone in attendance receives a coupon for a free Chalupa if the home team scores 100 points or more.[95][96]
In 2009, Taco Bell introduced amusic video style commercial entitled "It's all about the Roosevelts"; the video was composed and produced by Danny de Matos at his studio for Amber Music on behalf of DraftFCB Agency. Featuring, Varsity Fanclub'sBobby Edner, therap music style commercial shows a group of friends gathering change as they drive toward Taco Bell. The commercial represents Taco Bell's first foray into movie theater advertising, featuring the ad during the opening previews ofTransformers: Revenge of the Fallen andPublic Enemies as well as screens in some movie theater lobbies.[97]
On July 1, 2009, Taco Bell replaced 20-year sponsorMcDonald's as the fast-food partner of theNBA. Taco Bell and the NBA agreed on a four-year deal allowing them to advertise onABC,TNT, andESPN, and NBA-themed promotions.[98] On July 21, 2009,Gidget, theChihuahua featured in Taco Bell ads in the late 1990s, waseuthanized after suffering a stroke.[99] She was 15 years old. 2009 commercials for the "Frutista Freeze" frozen drink featureSnowball, anEleonora cockatoo noted for his ability to dance to human music.[100] In an effort to promote its $2 Meal Deals, Taco Bell started a Facebook group in June 2010 to collect signatures on a petition that appeals to theFederal Reserve to produce moretwo-dollar bills.[101]
A large advertising push by Taco Bell had begun in late February 2011 in response to a consumer protection lawsuit filed against the company by an Alabama law firm. The promotion sought to counter allegations that the company falsely advertised the ratio of ingredients in its beef filling for its tacos. The spots featured employees and franchisees stating that the filling has always been a mixture of 88% beef and various spices and binders and nothing else. The ad followed several full-page print ads in theNew York Times and other newspapers that featured the headline "Thank you for suing us."[102] Additionally, the chain added a new social campaign usingTwitter andFacebook. The company invested heavily in the campaign, spending more than $3 million (USD) putting out its message—about 20 percent more than the company usually spends on an advertising program. The various campaigns came shortly before the company began its official response to the suit in theUnited States District Court for the Central District of California and were designed to bring public opinion into their camp. Various analysts stated that the company would have been better off using a grass-root campaign that involved in store advertising and other non-broadcast media.[103] The suit was eventually withdrawn,[104] and the company continued its advertising response by publicly requesting an apology from the suing firm of Beasley Allen. Analyst Laura Ries, of marketing strategy firm Ries & Ries, stated she believed Taco Bell's latest response was a mistake. She commented that reviving memories of a suit that the majority of the public had forgotten after the initial burst of publicity was the wrong strategy from Taco Bell.[105]
In March 2012, Taco Bell teamed up withFrito-Lay and created theDoritos Locos Tacos, which is a taco with a Dorito Nacho Cheese flavored taco shell.[106] In May 2012, Taco Bell released a drink namedMountain Dew A.M, a mixture of Mountain Dew and orange juice.[107] On June 6, 2012, Taco Bell announced it would be testing a new "Cantina Menu" with upscale items in their Kentucky and California restaurants. The new menu was created bycelebrity chefLorena Garcia, and featured the addition of:Black Beans; Cilantro Rice; Citrus & Herb Marinated Chicken; andCilantro Dressing.[108][109]
TheCool Ranch Doritos Taco, became available to order on March 7, 2013.[110] Shortly before its release, Taco Bell launched a promotion advertising that fans could get the new flavor at its stores a day early if they "just asked" on March 6. However, they neglected to inform the majority of their stores of this – leading to numerous complaints on its social media accounts and news sites from disappointed consumers who were unable to obtain the new taco.[111][112]
On July 23, 2013, Taco Bell announced they were discontinuing the sale ofkids' meals and accompanying toys at all of their U.S.–based restaurants by January 2014. Some outlets ceased their sale as early as July 2013.[113]
On August 6, 2013, the chain announced it was expanding its test market of "Waffle Tacos" to ≈100 restaurants inFresno, California,Omaha, Nebraska, andChattanooga, Tennessee, beginning on August 8 of that year. The Waffle Taco included scrambled eggs, sausage, and a side of syrup. It was the top–selling item during breakfast hours at the fiveSouthern California restaurants where they had been test–released earlier in 2013.[114] The breakfast menu started on March 27, 2014. Other items include: the A.M. Crunchwrap,Cinnabon Delights, Breakfast Burrito, A.M. Grilled Sausage Flatbread Melt, Hash Browns, Coffee and Orange Juice.[115] The ad–campaign, which began March 27, used twenty-five men who were named Ronald McDonald, a reference to the famousclown mascot ofMcDonald's.[116] Another commercial advertisement for the Waffle Taco features the narrator singing, "I've been eatingEgg McMuffins since 1984. But when I saw Taco Bell made a Waffle Taco, I figured I would get with the times" set to the tune of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm"— another shot at McDonald's.[117]
On April 28, 2014, Taco Bell ridiculed McDonald's for its "out–dated muffins", in a breakfast campaign devised by Taylor.[118] The advertisement stated the claim that the McMuffin belonged in 1984.[117][119][120] In October 2014, Taco Bell launched thePink Strawberry Starburst Freeze beverage for a limited time.[121] In August 2016, Taco Bell brought back its Pink Strawberry Starburst Freeze.[122] In October 2015, Taco Bell launched a certified vegetarian menu.[123]
In August 2016, Taco Bell announced it would begin testing a mashup known asCheetos Burritos at select Taco Bell restaurants[124] On September 19, 2016, Taco Bell launched Airheads Freeze, a drink inspired by the candyAirheads White Mystery, and allow people to guess its flavor on social media.[125] On September 15, 2016, Taco Bell introduced the Cheddar Habanero Quesarito, a quesadilla shelled burrito.[126] In April 2017, Taco Bell announced that it would begin testing the Naked Breakfast Taco in Flint, Michigan in mid-April. The breakfast taco, which uses a fried egg as the shell for potato bites, nacho cheese, shredded cheddar, and bacon or sausage crumble.[127][128]
In 2017, the company released the Naked Chicken Chalupa that uses a chalupa shell made from chicken, using a similar idea to theDouble Down and later that year the Naked Chicken Chips, which are chicken nuggets shaped like chips with nacho cheese.[129] In July 2017, Taco Bell announced a partnership withLyft in which Lyft passengers inOrange County, California, can request "Taco Mode" on their way to their destination from 9 PM to 2 AM, having a stop at Taco Bell. The program was cancelled after much negative feedback from drivers.[130]
On September 21, 2018, Taco Bell announced National Taco Day celebrating its global reach outside of the United States, to be celebrated in 20 countries.[131]
In January 2019, Taco Bell nearly doubled its television advertising spending to US$64 million.[132] In September 2019, Taco Bell revamped its menu for the fall season.[133]
In July 2020, Taco Bell announced the Grilled Cheese Burrito.[134] The burrito is a recurring menu item that occasionally reappears for a limited time.[135]
In January 2021, Taco Bell announced the return of potatoes to the menu after a brief discontinuation in August 2020 in efforts to streamline processes in their restaurants in response to theCOVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the potatoes, the company had announced plans to expand their vegetarian menu by introducingBeyond Meat as a plant-based vegetarian customization option.[136] In April 2021, Taco Bell said that it would start reusing hot sauce packets in partnership with the recycling companyTerraCycle, aiming to reduce the environmental pollution.[137] In August 2021, Taco Bell announced the Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco.[138][139]
On January 6, 2022, Taco Bell launched a digital tacosubscription service called the Taco Lover's Pass through the company app. For the cost of $10, a customer can order one of seven different tacos each day for 30 consecutive days.[140] On April 18, 2022, Taco Bell announced thatMexican Pizza would return to its menu on May 19, after its having previously been discontinued in November 2020.[141]
From July to August 2022, filmmaker Sam Reid ate nothing but Taco Bell for 30 days, testing the nutritional content of the food in a similar vein toSuper Size Me.[142] The stunt gained widespread national attention for both Sam and the fast food chain, including multiple news stations covering his diet[143] and a mention byJimmy Fallon onThe Tonight Show.[144] Reid published a documentary about the challenge on hisYouTube channel in October the same year. While the 30-day stunt was not an officially endorsed marketing campaign by Taco Bell, then CEO Mark King later invited Reid to Taco Bell's headquarters in Irvine, California.[145] Reid was also a guest on an official Taco Bell podcast in 2023,[146] discussing the stunt and its effect on his physical health.
In 2023, the company test-marketed a vegan Crunchwrap Supreme in Los Angeles, New York, and Orlando to gauge the potential of a national roll out.Bon Appétit tested a vegan Crunchwrap alongside a non-vegan Crunchwrap purchased at the store in midtown Manhattan and said "the differences between the two were also genuinely difficult to discern."[147]
On August 29, 2025, the company announced that it would be abrogating its artificial intelligence-powereddrive-thrus due to technical difficulties and "trolling," including one instance where a customer ordered 18,000 waters. According to reports, the AI would erroneously tell customers that the store was out of all ingredients except for soda and sauce packets. There were also reports of the AI bots simply disallowing customers to modify their orders, such as replacing meat with beans. The phenomenon quickly became aninternet meme. One video onTikTok appeared to show a customer attempting to order McDonald's food items from Taco Bell, which was allowed by the system. Dane Mathews, the chain's Chief Digital and Technology Officer, told theWall Street Journal: "We’re learning a lot, I’m going to be honest with you. [...] I can tell you it's a very active conversation inside Taco Bell in partnership with our franchisees. I think at the end of the day, it's really, really early. And we feel that. And I think other brands feel that, too." Taco Bell stated that it was seeking to address the situation with a "hybrid approach."[148][149]
On August 18, 2014, Taco Bell launched a newvalue menu calledDollar Cravings. Replacing the old Why Pay More menu, Dollar Cravings featured thirteen food items all priced at aUnited States dollar.[150][151]
It was renamed "Cravings Value Menu", when prices were increased on some of the items. In April 2019, they introduced a "loaded nacho taco" for a dollar.[152][153] As of January 2024, the company featured 10 items.[154]
One of Taco Bell's original 1962 menu items was the Chiliburger, renamed the Bell Burger in 1969, then the Bell Beefer in 1979; this was aloose meat sandwich originally filled with taco-seasoned ground beef in mild red sauce with shredded lettuce and diced onion served on a steamed hamburger bun. Later, shredded cheese and diced tomato were added to the sandwich. Taco Bell discontinued the Bell Beefer around 1986 to maintain a more typicalTex-Mex-inspired menu.[155]
Other discontinued Taco Bell menu items include theEnchirito (name revived for a different menu item); Taco Lite; Taco Grande; Chilito (Chili Cheese Burrito); Beefy Crunch Burrito; Beefy Melt Burrito; Seafood Salad; Chicken Fiesta Burrito; Potatorito; Volcano Taco; BLT Taco; Cheesarito; Cinnamon Crispas; Nacho Crunch Grilled Stuft Burrito; Chicken Caesar Grilled Stuft Burrito; Grilled Stuft Nacho; Fully Loaded Nachos; Crunchwrap Sliders;[156] Blackjack Taco; Bean Burrito Especial; Border Ices; and the Meximelt.[157]
In September 2019, Taco Bell made new changes to its menu. Items discontinued include the Beefy Mini Quesadilla; Chips and Salsa; Chipotle Chicken Loaded Griller; Double Decker Taco; Cool Ranch and Fiery Doritos Locos Tacos; Double Tostada; Power Menu Burrito, and the XXL Grilled Stuft Burrito.[133]
As of August 13, 2020[update], the menu underwent another update as part of their efforts to streamline processes in their restaurants in response to theCOVID-19 pandemic, discontinuing the following items: Grilled Steak Soft Taco; 7-Layer Burrito; Nachos Supreme; Beefy Fritos Burrito; Spicy Tostada; Triple Layer Nachos; Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes; Loaded Grillers, both Cheesy Potato and Beefy Nacho; Chips & Dips; and Mini Skillet Bowl.[158]
Between 2010 and 2023 the number of outlets grew every year:[159]
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,896 | 5,945 | 5,980 | 6,053 | 6,206 | 6,413 | 6,612 | 6,849 | 7,072 | 7,363 | 7,427 | 7,791 | 8,218 | 8,564 |
In 2003, Taco Bell entered the Chinese market by opening a restaurant in the ShanghaiPeople's Square, named "Taco Bell Grande".[160][161] Three more TBG restaurants opened before they were closed in 2008.[162] Taco Bell relaunched in the Chinese market when a store opened inPudong,Shanghai, in late 2016.[163] As of March 2024, Taco Bell has 90 outlets in China.[164]
India's first Taco Bell outlet opened at theMantri Square mall inBangalore in 2010.[165] Taco Bell announced an exclusive national master franchise agreement with Burman Hospitality on May 15, 2019. The chain operated 35 outlets across India as on the same date.[166] Yum! Brands stated that it planned to open 600 new Taco Bell outlets in India by 2029.[167]
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Taco Bell opened its first Indonesian restaurant inSouth Jakarta on December 18, 2020.[168] As of 2022, Taco Bell has since opened three more restaurants in Indonesia, all located inJakarta.
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Taco Bell opened its first Malaysian store inCyberjaya,Sepang on April 2, 2021. It then opened its second store inBandar Sri Permaisuri,Kuala Lumpur followed by Tropicana Gardens Mall andSetiawangsa outlets. In early 2022, Taco Bell opened up inWangsa Maju,Sunway Pyramid,Puchong and has continued in expanding to other states as well.[169][170] It currently has 13 stores scattered acrossKlang Valley.
Taco Bell once operated shops inTokyo andNagoya in the 1980s but withdrew several years later.[171] Since then, there were shops only atUnited States Forces Japan bases.[172] In 2015, Taco Bell returned to the Japanese market with a new shop in the downtown area ofShibuya, Tokyo.[171] It had "Taco rice" and "Shrimp and avocado burrito" on its original menu.[173]
Taco Bell opened its firstPhilippine branch in October 2004, at theGateway Mall inCubao, Quezon City.[174][175] As of 2023 there are some outlets in the Manila/Quezon City area.[176]
Taco Bell inSingapore existed for a number of years, mostly as combination stores with KFC such as the one that operated at the Funan Digital Life Mall, but in 2008, Taco Bell completely pulled out of Singapore.[177]
There are currently two locations inSeoul, in theItaewon andHongdae districts, which attract the most foreigners and college students. The two branches opened in the summer of 2010, Itaewon's branch coming first. A Taco Bell had long been a presence at the U.S. Army'sYongsan Garrison, which is off-limits to non-military personnel, and for a time there was a tongue-in-cheek grassroots campaign by non-Korean, non-military foreigners in Seoul to get another Taco Bell location.[178]
In July 2017, Taco Bell opened an outlet inColombo, Sri Lanka.[179]
There are branches in Bangkok and Pattaya.[180]
First Taco Bell opened inIlidža near Sarajevo on October 17, 2024. As of December 2024, there is another branch located inSarajevo City Center.[181]
A Taco Bell opened inCyprus in December 2009 inLimassol in theMY MALL Limassol.[182] Additionally there are stores inPaphos,Nicosia andLarnaca.[183]
On June 15, 2017, Finnish restaurant companyRestel announced that it is bringing Taco Bell to Finland.[184] The first restaurant opened in centralHelsinki on November 9, 2017. Restaurants inSello andIso Omena malls inEspoo opened later in November 2017. Finland is the first country to include pulled oats (a meat substitute) in the menu.[185] In 2019, the Taco bell expanded outside theHelsinki metropolitan area toLappeenranta andTurku. In July 2021, a new branch was opened inOulu.[186] As of November 2022 there are 16 Taco Bell restaurants in Finland, most of them in the Helsinki metropolitan area.[187]
Taco Bell planned to open its first German location inBerlin in July or August 2024. Once established, the franchise company İş Holding (ISH) planned to open 100 to 150 Taco Bell restaurants in Germany within the next five years.[188] Initially, the opening of the first locations in Berlin were delayed until the summer of 2025. In early May 2025, the planned opening of Taco Bell in Germany was canceled after Yum! Brands had already decided to terminate the franchise agreement with ISH back in January after difficulties were experienced in how ISH operated in the German and Turkish markets. The operations of KFC and Pizza Hut Germany remain unaffected after being transferred back directly to Yum!.[189][190]
The first and only Taco Bell store in Gibraltar was opened in 2024.[191]
Greece's first Taco Bell opened inAthens upon the grand opening of the newly constructed Athens Metro Mall on November 30, 2010.[192][193] The restaurant closed in August 2012 and the chain withdrew from the Greek market due to the country's recession.[194]
However, Taco Bell has returned to Greece and the first new location in the country opened on September 3, 2025, inChalandri, a suburb inNorth Athens in theAttica region, with more locations to follow.[195][196][197]
On May 13, 2025, it was announced that the first Taco Bell restaurant inIreland would open in the summer of the same year in partnership withApplegreen, with more locations to follow. The first restaurant opened on 16 September 2025 in a new motorway service station off Junction 6 on the M3 inDunshaughlin,County Meath.[198][199]
On April 4, 2017, Taco Bell opened its first restaurant inEindhoven, Netherlands.[200][201] On October 12, Taco Bell opened another restaurant inTilburg. A third restaurant has opened inBreda.[202]
The 10th Taco Bell restaurant in the Netherlands opened inLeidsche Rijn,Utrecht on January 11, 2024. This Taco Bell is also the first Taco Bell restaurant worldwide to use batteries to store energy in case the demanded energy is higher than the power grid is able to handle.[203]
In July 2025, Taco Bell was declared bankrupt in the Netherlands for the second time in seven years, which resulted in the immediate closure of all 10 of its restaurants in the Netherlands.[204]
The first Taco Bell store was opened in 2019, with 11 restaurants spread across the country in 2021.[205]
The first Taco Bell store opened inRomania's capital,Bucharest, on October 12, 2017, and by the end of 2024, it had expanded to 16 locations nationwide.[206]
Taco Bell opened its first store inSerbia, in the capital city ofBelgrade, on November 20, 2025, at theUšće Shopping Center. Serbia is the second country of the formerYugoslavia in which Taco Bell is present.[207] Second opened in Novi Sad.
Spain is the most important market for Taco Bell inEurope. The outlets are in various towns on the mainland, onMallorca and on theCanary Islands.[208] There are 119 Taco Bell branches by early 2024, more than twice than in 2017 when Taco Bell had 32 branches in Spain.[209] The first Taco Bell in Spain was opened atNaval Station Rota in 2004 and is available only to those authorized to access the naval base.[210] The first Taco Bell for the public was opened in the Islazul Shopping Mall,Madrid, in December 2008.[211] Yum! Brands announced that it would open additional restaurants in Spain in early 2009 as part of a test trial for the European market.[212][213] The second location of Taco Bell in Spain was opened at the La Vaguada Shopping Mall, Madrid in March 2010.
The first Taco Bell store in Sweden was opened on November 27, 2025, marking the second Nordic country to receive a Taco Bell.[214]
The United Kingdom was the first European country with a Taco Bell. In 1986, a location was opened in London onCoventry Street (betweenLeicester Square andPiccadilly Circus) followed by a second location inEarl's Court near theEarl's Court tube station. One other store opened inUxbridge but all closed in the mid-1990s.[215] In 1994, the university food providerCompass announced plans for outlets on itsuniversity andcollege sites. However, only one store was opened atBirmingham University, which is now closed.[216][217]
After the Birmingham University branch closed, there were only two Taco Bell branches in the UK, at theStrategic Air Command andUnited States Air Force bases atRAF Mildenhall andRAF Lakenheath. Access is restricted to relevant service personnel.[218]
In the late 2000s, Yum! Brands announced that it was reopening Taco Bell locations in the United Kingdom as part of a large, planned expansion into Europe. Yum! took advantage of the recentgreat recession which led to increasing sales at other fast food outlets; it also said that there was now a greater awareness of Mexican food in the UK and that it can be successful with improved menu offerings and marketing.[212][213] The first new store opened at theLakeside Shopping Centre in Essex on June 28, 2010.[219] Another store opened inBasildon, Essex, on November 29, 2010, and a third in theManchester Arndale Food Court on November 7, 2011.
On March 1, 2013, it was announced that trace amounts ofhorse meat from a European supplierhad been found in various food products, including Taco Bell's beef in the UK.[220] By August 2017, there were 17 Taco Bell branches in the United Kingdom, all of which were in England and outside of London.[221] The first Scottish branch was opened in Glasgow in December 2017.[222] As of June 2019 there are 39 branches in Scotland and England, including three in London.[223] Beginning in October 2019, Taco Bell locations in the UK began serving Doritos Locos Tacos.[224]
On March 2, 2020, the firstWelsh Taco Bell branch was opened inCardiff.[225]
More recently, in November 2021, Taco Bell opened its 77th UK store, and a return to the British Midlands with a store inThe Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield,Birmingham.
In August 2022 a Taco Bell was opened inTorquay, Devon, the second in the county afterPlymouth. As of 2024 there are now more than 130 locations in the UK.[226]
A Taco Bell opened in theUnited Arab Emirates in November 2008 inDubai at theDubai Mall.[227] A fourth UAE location was also planned forBawadi Mall in the city ofAl Ain. The locations at Dubai Mall, Deira City Centre, and Mirdif City Centre have all closed and Taco Bell has completely pulled out of the Emirati market.[228] Taco Bell is still open inKuwait and has not been pulled out ever since from the Kuwaiti market, as the chain is franchised in this region byKout Food Group.[229][230][231]
Taco Bell has been present inCanada since 1979, with the first store opening inWindsor, Ontario.[232] There are currently Taco Bell locations in 8 of the 10 Canadian provinces:British Columbia,Alberta,Saskatchewan,Manitoba,Ontario,New Brunswick andNova Scotia,Newfoundland and Labrador.[233] Taco Bell had operated in the province ofQuebec for close to 15 years, however announced its withdrawal on January 6, 2022.[234] For some time it was possible to order draft beer with one's order. Taco Bell offers free soda refills in its stores.
On March 31, 2011,Priszm, who was the largest franchisee for Taco Bell locations in Canada, went into bankruptcy protection in Ontario and British Columbia.[235] On May 6, 2011, Priszm Income Fund was delisted from theToronto Stock Exchange for failure to meet the continued listing requirements.[236] Since then, some Taco Bell restaurants have been closed down including those in Guelph, Hamilton, and Cambridge, Ontario, among others.
Taco Bell first opened inAustralia 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.[237] 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 onGeorge Street, Sydney and a year later in 1998 within a fewKFC stores in the state of New South Wales, but by 2005, the Taco Bell brand was pulled out of the country.[238]
On September 13, 2017,Collins Foods announced that Taco Bell would return to the Australian market, with their first store being situated in theBrisbane suburb ofAnnerley inQueensland using a refurbishedSizzler restaurant which had closed earlier that year.[239] The Annerley store opened on November 4, 2017.[240] In 2018, Collins Foods signed a development deal with Yum! Brands to open over 50 Taco Bell restaurants across Australia between January 2019 and December 2021.[241] A legal dispute withVictoria-based restaurant chainTaco Bill was resolved in February 2020.[242]
As of February 2024, there are 39 Taco Bell restaurants across Australia; 12 inNew South Wales, 13 inQueensland, nine inVictoria, and four inWestern Australia.[243] There are also plans to open restaurants in other locations, such asCanberra,[244][245] theCentral Coast,[246][247]Port Macquarie[248][249] andToowoomba.[250] While the chain has grown nationwide, both of its two outlets inNorth Queensland closed in November 2022, which were previously locations inCairns[251] andTownsville.[252] In April 2025, Taco Bell owner Collins Foods announced to exit the Australian operations.[253]
Taco Bell officially opened its firstNew Zealand location on November 12, 2019, in the suburb ofNew Lynn,Auckland.[254]
As of January 2023, there are 14 Taco Bell restaurants across New Zealand; 10 on theNorth Island and four on theSouth Island.[255] By city, there are seven inAuckland, three inChristchurch and one each inDunedin,Rotorua,Taupiri andWellington. There are two outlets at airports in New Zealand, one atAuckland Airport and the other atChristchurch Airport.
Taco Bell operates several stores inGuam.[256]
Taco Bell operates one restaurant in theNorthern Mariana Islands, located on the island ofSaipan.[257]
In 2005 Taco Bell started the permitting process to set up a restaurant inAmerican Samoa inPago Pago.[258]
Taco Bell also operates stores inPuerto Rico.
There are outlets in Brazil in theSão Paulo area,Campinas,Rio de Janeiro andBrasília.[259][260][261]
Taco Bell has stores in Chile, which many of them are operated in conjunction (and in the same facilities) with Pizza Hut.[262] All Taco Bell stores are in shopping malls located mainly inSantiago.[citation needed]
Peru has branches inLima.[263]
There were four outlets in theBogotá area inColombia, but these closed in late 2018.[264]
Taco Bell operated inEcuador between 1993 and 2009, it returned to operate on October 7, 2025, inQuito.[265][266]
Taco Bell is present in theDominican Republic,[267]Aruba,[268]Costa Rica,[269]Panama[270] andPortugal.[271]
Taco Bell inIceland was operated as a part of the KFC establishment inHafnarfjörður, suburb ofReykjavík. It was established in late 2006, after the departure of the U.S. Navy fromNaval Air Station Keflavik. A second location opened in the Ártúnshöfði part of Reykjavík in November 2008.[272] Taco Bell closed its Hafnarfjörður location in late 2023.
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 toMonterrey, projecting an American image with an Americanized menu that included french fries, but it closed in January 2010 due to low patronage.[273][274][275]
The first Polish Taco Bell store was opened in 1993. Following an aggressive campaign of expansion, Taco Bell's efforts soon withered, and the chain withdrew from Poland shortly thereafter.[276]
In the early 1990s, PepsiCo opened several Taco Bell locations inside theMoscow Metro on, for example,Park Kultury andKomsomolskaya stations.[277] This experiment lasted only a few years.[278] These locations live on under different ownership and a different name.
TheAAFES provides Taco Bell for military bases inBahrain,[279][280]El Salvador,[281]Germany,[282]Guatemala,[283]Iraq[284]Italy,[285] andKosovo.[286]
Taco Bell is subject to theanimal welfare standards of its parent company, Yum! Brands.
In 2016, Taco Bell stopped sourcing eggs from egg-laying hens raised inbattery cages in their US restaurants.[287]
In 2024, Taco Bell announced that it would publish benchmarks on moving away fromgestation crates in pork production by the end of 2024. However, no such benchmarks were published that year.[288]
In 2017,Forever 21 produced a clothing line in partnership with Taco Bell, featuring brandedT-shirts and sweatshirts, as well asbodysuits made to look like Border Sauce packets.[289][290]
In November 2019, Taco Bell announcedTaco Bell's Taco Shop, an online store with Taco Bell branded merchandise including hoodies and tees, holiday ornaments, inflatable sauce packets, and wedding-related items.[291]
In late 2025,Hollister Co. partnered with Taco Bell for a limited-edition, Y2K-inspired capsule collection.[292] The drop, the first Hollister × Taco Bell collaboration, includes 11 pieces: vintage-style graphic tees, baggy denim, soft “Feel Good Fleece” hoodies and sweatpants, cozy socks, and a hot-sauce packet keychain accessory. The collection officially launched in Hollister stores and online on December 1, 2025, with prices ranging from US $14.95 to US $79.95, and sizes offered from XS to XL.[293]
{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Other chains wouldn't do a tie-in with an R-rated movie
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