The Taco Revolution

This advertisement is form the early to mid 1970s.  High school and college years for this blogger.

I had a close friend that went to work for Taco Bell as a manager about that time.  And if I had nothing better to do on a day-off I would swing by and help him out at the store doing prep work.  Understand that Mexican fare in general was not a universal truth.  Unless you lived in a Hispanic neighborhood or a Mexican family most Americans didn't know the difference between a burrito and a rolled-up comic book.  Tacos were not on the school lunch menu in those days.

Taco Bell changed all of that with a revolving and evolving menu of south or the border-influenced fast food items.  The first Taco Bell menu featured frijoles, tostados, chili burgers, burritos (red or green) and tacos - all for .19.  To this day the bean burrito is a fast-food favorite of mine.  It will set you back $1.69  - tacos (crunchy or soft) will set you back $1.89.  That's the impact of inflation.

Taco Bell was not named for the Mission-style bell logo or atop their early adobe buildings but after founder Glen Bell who had the brilliant idea to sell tacos out of a walk-up window in 1962.  He wanted the experience to feel authentic to Mexican culture even if the food itself was not.  Taco Bell not only played a huge role in the fast-food revolution; more importantly it helped to introduce the idea of Mexican food to US diners.

Venison tacos and nachos are a game day favorite in our household.

The rest is history....