Who Invented Taco Bell? A Xennial Headscratcher

What does the "Bell" in Taco Bell stand for? Who invented the Crunchwrap Supreme?

If the $1 menu at Taco Bell kept you fed through college, you might be a Xennial. And we are too.

Join us today as Katie delves into the somewhat secretive founding of Taco Bell, and a few detours into the life of its founder.

Love fast food? Don't miss our McDonald's Happy Meal Toys episode!

This episode was made possible by the following sources:

Taco Bell (Wikipedia)

Taco Bell Fandom (Glen Bell)

Taco Bell Founder (Taco Bell official site)

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Transcript

Dani Combs: 0:00

How

Katie Parsons: 0:01

do you prefer fast food sauce packets that flirt with you? Are you a hard shell or soft shell taco fan? You have foundational memories of digging change out of your car's ashtray to pay for a late night burrito in college. Yes, you might be as enable and we are to. Hi, I'm Katie. And I'm Daddy. And today on generation in between this episode was suggested by absolutely no one. No one not one person except Katie except me. I got it in my brain that I really wanted to do an episode on Taco Bell.

Dani Combs: 2:07

Katie was so shamed like Hello, they're everywhere. The amount of pictures being sent through our social and directly to me texts. Hey, here's a row of star crunch. Hey, I'm at this Walmart. I'm at this target. I'm at this Publix tiff our listeners TIF let my daughter know while carpooling that she found them at our Publix, which I had gone to Oh, no way. Yeah. So here's what I think happened with some of that. I remembered seeing star crunch at our Publix a few times, you know, because like, Oh, I like those times walked on by. And they rearranged the store. Oh, I went to where I thought they were. And they weren't there. Did I like hunt down every aisle? No. So apparently I missed them. And I think the same thing with the gas station. I went to where I thought I'd seen them. I went to the end cap. Where I've seen them. They were not there. They just gave up. I guess we you know what, let me tell you a grocery store hack that I do all the time in Target and Walmart. And you can do it in public seat. You know how like every store has like an app now. You know? Because you can order order groceries online and all the things if you're looking for something and you can't find it because I can never find a worker when I need one. I see them all over until I need to ask you where the dang start crunches are exact go in the app. Type in what you're looking for. And then click it and I'll show you where to find it tells you like the aisle Yeah, everything. Okay, that's a grocery store. Heck, I didn't target I'll do all the time and Walmart, Target and Walmart. Rather than just wondering your been like 10 years ago, it was over here. Where did it go? Why? Why have they moved or in Walmart has happened me before I have asked kids like Kid worker, why is it kids but younger workers? Wear something isn't there? Like I don't know. And I'm like, Okay, it's like your literal job to like, find out. Yeah. Could you ask a gym? Maybe do that. So I just do that. All right. Well, anyway, I am accepting from all stores. In fact, my husband even came home with a box vote. Oh, nice. He's like, Hey, do you still need these? And I was like, No, we Yes, yesterday, but also in my life. I do need them. So thank you. And I think he got hit. I don't even know where I got them. Probably Dollar General and other story went to but anyway, thank you all star crunch forever. And then we have a new listener another Sara. Welcome, Sarah. This is an s a ra. Okay, no age. And she was listening to our Disney Renaissance episode. And told us about a little easter egg. Yeah, that we didn't know about. Maybe you all do. But somewhere in the Hunchback of Notre Dame, which is not a Disney Renaissance one, right? No. But we talked about it, did we? When did we talk about it? Oh, that was the one I said I hadn't seen because I went to the world premiere. Remember? So therefore in my brain No, so we didn't want to send that. Yeah, right. Sorry. Okay. Anyway, someone can someone can ask me about that. It is in the Disney Renaissance. And there is a scene where Quasimodo is looking out from the bell tower and Belle from Beauty and the Beast is in the scene with a book walking by so that's very, very fun. Where you can see those will and it's not the Renaissance but there's a scene in Frozen like that to where the coronation, where everyone's coming in for Alice's coronation. Yeah. Rapunzel from Tangled is one of the people walking in. What Yeah, she's on like a bridge. I've actually seen that one. look cute in her like purple dress and like, I love that Disney does easter eggs. It makes me so happy. Yeah, super fun. My kids pointed that one out to me a while ago, but anyway, welcome Sarah Heiser and Tiff. I don't know how long you've been listening, but also welcome because I don't think we've welcomed you before. And whatever your name Jennifer probably. Sarah most likely. Tiff, Carlos, Dominic, whatever. We're happy you're here. If you're a new listener, definitely reach out to us. Leave us a review if you want. And we will shout you out. Yes, we're happy you're here. Okay. Taco Bell. Taco Bell. First of all, Danny? Yeah. What is your favorite old one? Do you eat Taco Bell? And if you do, what is your favorite meal or menu item? Okay, so I'm sitting here I do not remember for the life of me the last time I've eaten talk about because I don't eat a lot of fast food. And the older I get, the less my stomach can handle it. So I have to plan it very strategically when I do eat it. Okay, so I haven't had a long time. But I used to eat it in college, like you mentioned in the intro all the time. For two reasons. Number one are actually three reasons one cheap to openly and three. It was close to my dorm. Yes, convenient. I mean, yeah. And what was that question? Yes. Your favorite your favorite food from there? Whoa, well, and I ate it in high school all the time. And in fact, one of my talk about memories. You know, like when you'd go to school? Middle school, high school, you'd have half days they do here they call them early release. Yeah. But when I was in school is literally a half day. It wasn't just you got out an hour early. It was like a half day school. So all of us who are latchkey kids back in the day, your parents were at work, you took the bus home where you walked home, we would walk to like fast food plate like wherever was close by and the Taco Bell was quite far. I remember having to walk a long way. Like I would freak out. If my kid did this. We would all walk to the Taco Bell because like when you're in middle school, yeah, that you could get a whole bunch of food for cheap cheap. So my favorite thing to order back then middle school, high school days was a Mexican pizza. And I don't even know if they have these anymore. Do you remember when they had into retos? Yes. Do you know what I'm talking about? Do I don't think they do have those. They don't have any more. Right? And then when they came out with the cinnamon twisty things, what are those called cinnamon twist so I hated really cinnamon. Oh, it's too much hate cinnamon fried dough and cinnamon and no, it's a no for me. It's a no. Well, because I think it was supposed to be like their shout out to like churros. Maybe. But um, which I obviously assume you don't enjoy. But I will be honest with you when they came out with tumor when they had the Fredo burritos. Okay, yeah, those were good. Those were delicious. And I remember when I was pregnant with one of my kids, they came back out with them for like a brief time they still have them I don't even know don't have that one. Other similar things we'll get into but Oh, okay. I can't wait. But I remember waiting in line and talk about very pregnant to get that thing free. Gives me 10 them over. So what about you? What's your go to wash? Okay, so I kind of said like, traditionally I was like a soft taco. Oh, taco with like a hot or fire same packet on it. And I'll still eat that sometimes. But then I was like a more modern one. And then I looked up when this came out and it was literally like 2005 or 2006 Sounds like I guess it's not that much anymore. But like the new thing that I like from 2005 is the crunchwrap supreme Oh yeah, it has both and same thing I remember eating those when I was pregnant. I guess with any of my kids because they were all born after and like dipping it in the fire saw by and I always like they don't have it any more. But I was like the seven layer burrito to that one. I don't remember that. Yeah, like seven layer dip but a burrito. Yes. And it was vegetarian. Not vegan but vegetarian, which I mean, doesn't matter that much but you know sometimes like that's one of the things I've always liked about Taco Bell. I don't want me Yeah, cuz I don't want a burger or chicken. I don't have to just like give salad I can get like burrito that has a bunch of stuff in it. I'm trying to think okay, let's see if I can remember the seven layers. They don't have any more. They have a five layer beefy one now but it has beef in it. So it's kind of not the same thing. But it had Okay. Guacamole, sour cream cheese, tomato lettuce. That's only five. Oh, refried beans. And I think I said cheese. Oh, you said that? I think so. And then like a sauce. I think that was it. Like a like a red sauce or something like their tacos. Bell sauce. Yeah, something like that. Oh, now I'm starving. It had rice in it. Oh, let me try again. Okay, here we go. Sour cream. Cheese. Okay. All right. Rice refried beans. Oh my god. No, I'm only at five. lettuce tomato. There. Okay. That's what it was. And I loved those. And my mom loved those which is funny because she didn't eat a lot of fast food. But I just remember being like high school and even college age. Like if she would come visit me in college or something. We'd be out I don't know getting stuff from my dorm or just hanging out. We would always go get Sevenly burritos. That's okay. I don't have them anymore. But I could probably make that. Well, you know what's funny is I'm thinking about talking about like, basically everything on their menu is like the same ingredients just made different. So seven things I just said plus beef or maybe chicken now. And do you maybe you'll talk about this in a second when you go down some research. Do you remember when they came out with the different levels of sauce? Like they didn't always have like the levels and I was so excited because you were like me like spicy food. And I was like, yes, fire bring it fire. Yes. Fire sauce. I know. Yeah. I loved those two, I think yeah, I think they just had like a taco bell song. Yeah, I think before that. They I think yeah, I don't remember what they had. Honestly, and I Well anyways, I don't remember my life before very. Sauce packets didn't exist. I don't know. But um, and you mentioned this already, like Taco Bell was I think it's still pretty affordable compared to other fast food. But like it was cheap. Like, literally, you could get something for $1. Like their dollar menu was was was literal. You could get like fire a full like bean burrito, or a taco or whatever, or cinnamon twist or whatever, for $1. And I remember that I would say like, I remember now I have a big family, or seven people in my family. I remember the first time I paid like more than $20 for Taco Bell. I was like, what, what they were like 2257 or whatever. And I was like, what for? Like, I want to talk in five cinnamon toast. Are you kidding me? Like, and I mean, there is like, I was reading recently about inflation at fast food, like how McDonald's has gotten so expensive and how people are kind of getting priced out right kind of cheaper access to food. And I'm sure Taco Bell is part of that. But generally speaking, it's always been like the cheaper of all the alternatives. Yeah, I think it has. Yeah, still is. Okay, so Taco Bell, right now has more than 7000 restaurants. And their site was like that accounts for 220,000 jobs serves billions of people worldwide every year. And it is worldwide worldwide. Okay, there I was reading. It's kind of like with other fast food depending on where you're at. So in Japan, for example, you can get tacos with shrimp and yeah, that sounds good. So there's a Taco Bell in Japan do I would imagine, I don't know if it's like just translated to that exactly. Or if it has a different name, but they have them everywhere. That's neat. That's pretty cool. Okay, so where did the Speaker Oh, I'm ready. Here we go. So, I sent you a picture earlier, huh? Okay, so get ready because I need to have it. Okay. Probably should. But I'll start while you're grabbing it out. I texted her a picture. I said, just just save this for later. So our story begins in the 1940s San Bernardino, California. And there was a man named Glenn Bell got him. Okay, describe the picture of Glenn that you're looking at. He's a older man. He looks kind of like a grandpa. I I can't tell his age. He just looks older. That's an older picture of him in the 40s he was probably not okay. This was like it's just like your average like average ya that's next door looks like an average white man, Grandpa you'd see in suburbs. Absolutely. Nothing very exciting. And you'll learn as we talk about him. That's kind of he's just sort of this just a normal regular worker dies white businessman. Okay, exactly. So he worked at hamburger stand in San Bernardino, San Bernardino, California. And he saw All it was called he was so inspired by it. I don't know what your what it was called where he worked that he opened his own hamburger and hotdog stand, okay called bells drive in. But then he noticed long lines at a Mexican restaurant called Mitla cafe, okay, and like always busy, whatever. So he kind of became friends with those owners and learned the secrets of making tacos. Now were the owners Mexican, it was an authentic, Okay, second restaurant. So he stole their ideas, or he went out of business with them. He just felt he did not go into business with them. He went in and learned how to kind of make the food. Right? So he was like, Hey, tell me how to make all your delicious food. And then let me take it. I see capitalism already. i Here we go. So then he opened his own taco stand in 1954 called taco Tia and was instantly busy. So this white man took the Mexican family secrets and opened his own stand. And now he's making money off Correct? America everyone. Yes. And so that was 54. So then by like, 1962, he actually opened the very first Taco Bell. So Bell is literally just named after him. Taco Taco Bell is named after a white man. Correct? I think you guessed that earlier was earlier. And I don't know if it was like subconsciously somewhere that I knew that. But I don't think so most of this information. Yeah, search was like totally new to me, as far as I could tell. So he opened the first talk about in Downey, California. And it was pretty simple. Tacos burritos for holies tostadas. And they were everything on the menu was 19 cents. Okay. That was back then. And the restaurant had a mission to offer affordable, fast Mexican inspire, I was gonna say because it's not authentic Mexican food. So it's Mexican inspired food to the masses. And so it grew rapidly by so that was 62. By the late 1960s. He had developed this franchise system. And so it was and he was inspired by McDonald's. And he had expanded across the United States. So basically all through the 60s franchise, franchises were opening Yeah, over the country. And then Glenn Bell was kind of at the helm of all of that. So then in 1978, and I did not know this, maybe I did, maybe you'll know this Taco Bell caught the attention of PepsiCo. And Pepsi Co acquired Taco Bell. I didn't know that because it always annoyed me that you could only get Pepsi at Taco Bell you couldn't get because I'm not a Pepsi fan. Only like Coke products. Right back when I used to drink soda regularly, even now, I don't drink soda often. But when I have it, I'm gonna cope with valium, Pepsi and Pepsi. That's why do you remember like this would have been late 90s, early 2000s When they started serving CRMs Yeah, which it was still Sierra Mist until recently, they rebranded it to starry, oh, really didn't get Sierra Mist anymore. And I don't know if that's like, an appropriation thing where they're like, oh, maybe we shouldn't, or if it was just like, Well, time for a rebrand story. That's what it's called. Sorry. It's the exact same thing. It's like a lemon lime. And it's yeah, you have to look up the logo for it. And is it owned by Pepsi? It's owned by Pepsi. Okay. And Taco Bells have that now, instead of CRMs? Yeah. So Pepsi Co buys them. And they bring obviously, all their resources, all their marketing power, right. So the 80s and 90s them were a huge time of significant expansion for Taco Bell, and some new menu items. Right. And obviously, by this point, things weren't 19 cents anymore. I don't know what they were in the late 70s, early 80s. But they were still pretty cheap. And they introduced new things taco supreme, throughout the 80s and 90s. We got the gordita Oh, we got a loop up. And this is where our little friend get to the dog with the you know, very famous commercials, and ads and bobblehead dolls that you could buy low of her. Bless her heart. We've talked already on the dogs and cats episode about the issues with that stereotyping and all of that. But essentially, even when they were creating these new menu items, they weren't like they I guess they were consulting chefs, maybe in the field, but it was just kind of like what sort of like cultural stamp can we put on these things to make it seem more authentic? Right. So it wasn't true. Like that's what I'm wondering like they're it's Mexican inspired. But are they speaking to genuine people and a Mexican culture like are they speaking to Mexican chefs? I think by this time from what I read, yes, they were. But that's because it's Pepsi. Then they can like hire right then it's like they are but then is that person getting compensated? Equally? Probably not equally, I wouldn't think they're probably I would guess they were maybe paid as a consultant or something. And then once that was done, they were like, on their way. I don't know I feel icky about that. Now, maybe not gonna get a taco bell today made, maybe not, maybe not. And then into the 2000s they launched and if you remember this, they still have at the fresco menu. Do you remember that? No. Okay. So the fresco menu was healthier. Oh, yeah. So you could get like lower calorie, lower fat, whatever. They actually partnered have the name in here somewhere. But it's basically this this huge vegetarian and vegan organization to have like, certified vegetarian and vegan offerings around this time. You know what I just thought about speaking of vegetarian, maybe no, this. Are there. Refried beans. Vegetarian? They are? Because they're not made with the animal fat? Yeah, that's correct. I never thought about Yeah, they actually do have certified vegan, vegetarian. Beans. Interesting. Yeah, that's pretty cool. So then Glenn, threw all of this he lived into 2010. How old was he 86 When he died. So like, the Empire growing, growing, growing even past get the dog all of that he was alive for all of that. Like he died. Again. It was a while ago now, but relatively recently. So really, like when I was reading this history, that's like, the basic history. I was like, okay, like, what's up with this gun guy? Is there more to know, this is kind of boring. No wonder I've never heard about any of this. So I did find his official bio on the Taco Bell site. And it was okay. Like, it was just like, he's so innovative. And he was an entrepreneur. And basically, like, this guy's so great. And really, then I tried to look not on the official site, and almost everything I found was pretty vanilla. Like, no major controversies. However, I did find a Taco Bell fandom page. And I had to kind of verify a few things on there. But what I was able to verify was, okay, so what I'm about to say is not funny. And if this is something that you have, I am not laughing at you. I am laughing at the presentation of this information. Oh, boy. So he was listed on this fandom page as a survivor. And I'm like, Oh my gosh, like, did he serve in a war? Did he have cancer? have chlamydia? Oh, bless literally listed survivor of chlamydia. Again, well, but honestly, if you had chlamydia back, I mean, earlier in the earlier years, I mean, it can cause some pretty severe any 86 so he might beat it or managed it or something, too. I mean, I guess it is curable, isn't it when it's STD that is fairly common, fairly common. So I don't want to make light of it. But I want to read you exactly what this fandom page said about this. Oh, god. Are you read look at me looking at the typing chlamydia on my Google right? I know why it's all over this document. So I put I put protect yourself, but chlamydia happens. Okay, it's a fine. No big deal. But okay, so this is what this fandom page Okay, I'm ready. Belk tracted the sexually transmitted infection while indulging in temptation of the flesh in a Tijuana brothel. According to this page, temptation of the flesh, Tijuana brothel, okay. But, but Bell's indomitable spirit propelled him forward. But he read the chlamydia. I got. He recognized the importance of seeking proper medical care and with determination and probably medicine, that's just me and certainly nice antibiotics. He overcame the physical and emotional hurdles, hurdles that accompany the disease. While simultaneously navigating his own health journey, both fearlessly pursued his dream of establishing Taco Bell as a prominent fast food chain. Okay, so we're trying to make this white man seem so heroic for basically stealing an idea. Stealing an idea from a culture also picking up chlamydia supposedly in Tijuana which is a I mean fairly common STD or STI because yeah, is what we're Yeah, infection. It's a bacterial infection. That is fairly common. Whatever. Okay. Yeah. So I just was like, No, I did not expect that. Now. I'm saying I'm not trying I mean, it can be a pretty fatal thing. Mostly for women I think because it can't was reproductive. That One where men are carriers. And they don't. I guess I don't know enough about chlamydia. Sorry, everyone. It says many who, alright, this is the more you know, we go. Many who have chlamydia don't even develop symptoms, it says, but they can infect others. But it affects people of all ages most common in young women. Yeah. So, so for him to even know he had it, I'm not really sure when and how or maybe he was one of the, like, not rare, but like people who did have symptoms, right. Unable to identify it. I mean, it's a bacterial infection. So you get on antibiotics, strong antibiotics to take care of. Well, you can have other symptoms are kind of not nice. So are they tell me now? Okay. I mean, you can have pain in in various areas, you can have some abnormal discharge, men and women. Okay. So maybe, okay, I don't want to, man. All right. Anywho. So with that you heard it here first. Inventor of Taco Bell, Chlamydia survivor. Oh, my God. All right. All right. But now for now, we're a little bit of a dark turn. Honestly. Not dark, but a little more serious. And not the company's not serious. But you know what I mean? He actually was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1985. Oh, and he lived to two yeah, that's all 10. So 25 years, sorry, I'm gonna do 1525 years still. And he obviously had it until his death. And he did donate a lot of money to Parkinson's Disease Research. And kind of advanced the cause, like a lot. And, you know, interacted with Michael J. Fox, because Michael J. Fox was diagnosed before Glenn Bell died and, you know, kind of interacted on that level. Well, that's interesting. That is really interesting. Taco Bell inventor and Michael J. Fox. were buddies. Okay. Yeah, there you go. So, now for some fun trivia. Some of this is kind of dumb. I deleted some of them. Like I looked up all this trivia. And then I was like, some of these are really dumb. So guess what, guys? You only get the least of the dumb Well, before we do that, and before we get funny, let me ask you more serious. What do you what are your feelings on the whole Taco Bell franchise? Idea? Considering that it is? I mean, not benefiting the culture? It's stealing from? Exactly. I'm either way on it. I feel like it really isn't authentic. And I don't view it that way. So I don't know it. Maybe it doesn't bother me as much. Because it is kind of just known as being cheap. Americanized food. At least that's how I view it. Yeah. I don't know. I don't know what to think. And I think he stole it at a time when, again, not excusing. It was just more common that, oh, this is a good idea. I'm gonna take it. I'm a white businessman. You know, again, not an excuse for that. But like, I think it was common. Oh, yeah. Well, I mean, it still is still is but much more common, then. Yeah. What do you think I, you know, I feel like I feel icky about it. Like, because so much in our country is based on stealing things from other people. Yeah. And not only stealing, but not lifting up and honoring and giving the power and advantages to those who we are stealing from? Yeah. So to me, it's like, okay, so he lived into the 2000s. All right. So like, Okay, I don't like it when people not not that you said this, but I don't like it when people like, Oh, they're a product of their times, blah, blah, blah. Yes, that's a reason but not an excuse. Right? It's because he lived long enough to have some evolution of his beliefs and practices. Right. Yeah. So I think maybe if he would have done something along the way to lift up the culture he was snatching from, yeah, maybe I feel and maybe he has, but I feel like you would have seen that I dug so deep. Yeah. Mainly because he was boring. I was like, there's gotta be something and then I was like, ding ding, ding ding chlamydia. Chlamydia is his most interesting thing about I even looked up philanthropic stuff, and all I could find was like very vague stuff about the Parkinson's disease, but nothing about Mexican culture. And I didn't put it in here. But do you remember we probably in the 80s and 90s what their tagline was, what their like slogan will run for the border. Oh, that Oh, cheese and pizza. And that hit me when I was looking at this and I was like, Oh my god. Ah, it's like, you don't have to go to Mexico. Just come to Taco Bell. Oh, yeah. might have even been into the 2000s when They finally got that one. And then they changed it to live moss. Yep. Which is still not great. Yeah, I agree. Like he and I didn't find anything that was like, you know, and I guess I'd have to, like wrap my brain around what that would look like, like what you're talking about? Of course, it's possible. But, you know, I didn't find anything like that. I mean, you know, I think they're, I mean, me just sitting not like, I'm some business person. I know zero about business, even though I have my own business. So yay, that's a great commercial. But but not franchise, not franchising, and definitely not anything related to food or restaurants. But just thinking of ways, there's so much I mean, there's so many things he could have done, you know. And, like I said, he lived long enough to have an evolution of his belief system and to grow his view a little bit wider. And looks like he didn't do that. Unless he was just a ver and well, unless someone tells me differently, unless he was just like a quiet donor of some sort. Let's see, I feel like without you help, either. No, it doesn't, because that's not enough. Like, I just feel like if you're going to, first of all, we shouldn't be stealing ideas from any culture. PS. If you see something and you have a business idea that involves another culture, then your job is to contact someone from that culture. Tell them your idea, and let them be the ones who are leading the way. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? No, I totally do. So I feel like he could have pulled it. Maybe he did. I don't know. I just feel like you would have found it. i He could have pulled up Mexican chefs literally could find nothing on this man. And I he didn't want to be in commercials. He didn't want his like name, I suppose. I think he literally just wanted to like make the money and write move on. Or do you think maybe he didn't want him to be in the commercials and such because he didn't want people to know he was a white man? Probably. Yeah, probably. That's even luckier. That's really yucky. Like, like I said, going into this. I was like, I have no idea who's who I'm gonna find. Right. Bounded this. How do I not know that's weird. We you had a good guess. And you were right. Yeah. Had a good guess. But anywho Okay, well, sorry. So I had to go down that path for me. I think that's good. And listeners, we would love to hear what you think. Yeah, for sure about that. Okay, so now the fun trivia that maybe some of it's not so fun. Okay. He's giving when I gave you GM information, and I thought was really cool. And it really wasn't. But that's okay. Listen to her candy episode if you don't know what I'm talking about. Okay. So by now, can you guess what the bell in Taco Bell is for? What's his last name? Yeah, obviously. Yeah, but that is supposed to be like a Liberty Bell two. Yeah, it's weird. That's what I always thought was so strange. Cuz I always was like, why I was doing the I remember the singing that I used to be on the commercials. Should I google that real quick. So I get chlamydia off my Google search. Your phrasing so I get chlamydia off. Of Yeah, and it says it's not just a nod to the taco. I'm like, What do you mean? Like how not to a taco taco. Oh, wait, the initial taco because remember, they had a rebranding of the logo. It's you. Yeah, like when we were kids? It was it was the original stock talk about logo said it use four colors. And a repeating pattern. A dark red, a deep forest green, orange and yellows. Oh, yes. Remember that? And then they changed it to the purple and the thing like more bright one now. Okay, so I don't know. I'm trying to see. I'm trying to see if it has anything about the the bell? I don't see. Yeah, like why it was I don't know. Anyway, keep going. Okay, so sorry, sauce packets, which we've talked about. They just started featuring those quirky sayings and jokes in the early 2000s and those that still remains today. That's you know, a signature element of the brand. Taco Bell hotel. What? Yes, in 2019 Taco Bell opened up a pop up hotel in Palm Springs, California called the bell at Taco Bell Hotel and Resort. Why would you want to stay at a Taco Bell resort? It featured Taco Bell themed room No way. menu items and even a Taco Bell themed gift shop. Okay, did you see pictures of it? Because now I need to pull it up so bad Taco Bell Hotel 2019. And you'll see it. It's it's spat as you would think. I mean, it's pretty cheesy. I guess you would have to be like a major superfan. Although if you lived if I lived in Palm Springs or around there. I'd probably go check it out just to see like, what is this all about? What do you see? What does it look like? Oh, I just go to the website and it just says no vacancy. Sorry. Well, there are no rooms at the Taco Bell in. Now. There's no pictures though. Nothing Hold on. Oh no. I just put a weird day on my Google search. It's probably gonna look a lot like mine chlamydia Taco Bell Hotel. Who invented Taco Bell? That's a pretty fun piece of trivia. Yeah, that's pretty fun. I would have probably gone just to look at it. Okay, so you mentioned the Fredo burrito early Yeah. Oh my gosh, look at the pictures of this. Sorry I found that list fellas. The pillows are like sauce packets. Yes. Oh my gosh. Hilarious. And then they have like the pool has. I mean it looks very fun but weird. Yeah, it's just Taco Bell. Everything Hotel? Yeah. Weird Yaga look it up. Alright, sorry. Yes. Lina burrito was a pop up so you can't go to it now the Taco Bell hotel but there are photos that exist online. So great. Okay, so no more free to burrito but well, we know Fritos or Frito Lay Yeah. And recently we talked about Doritos. Yes. Which are also free to so instead of Fritos now these Doritos Locos Tacos. Oh, yeah, are crazy popular. Right? So they have them they have like a nacho cheese flavor. I feel like they might have had cool rant at some point. But they don't now and those actually first launched in 2012. And they were like the most they're the best selling like Taco Bell item of all time. They're so yummy. They saw the restore now. Oh my by him. Yeah. My husband doesn't like it because he he likes flavor. I like an excess of flavor on everything. Yeah, like I am so extra. Like Me too. I want like all the dips, all the things. My kids are kind of sometimes like that. So any gimmick where it's like extra flavor. I'm gonna buy it and they have the taco shells at the store. And my husband's like, oh, like he just wants to play like soft tacos. Mostly. Yeah, I'm the same way but he has like a he's not a fan of those but I think they're delicious. Yeah, they're good. They the first year they came out 2012 They sold over a billion. I believe it they're just kind of a mess to eat. You cannot not once you crunch it all just kind of falls apart. And the seasoning is everywhere. I believe like I made well, first of all, Taco Bell is not like a road trip. If you want to keep driving, though. Oh, God, no. Oh my god. Like, I know we've done it before, mistakenly with her kids, and it's like lettuce and cheese everywhere. When you get out and little pieces of crunchy shells. It's like, now if you're going to stop that a little picnic table. Yes. If you're just like drive through and let's keep that and Taco Bell is not the one. Not the one, not it? And then they had a record breaking burrito in 1995. Oh, Taco Bell created the world's largest burrito and it weighed over 4000 pounds I'm looking at up to it's amazing. And I think people did eat it. It has to be edible. Maybe not the whole thing, but like, I hope not. And they made it to celebrate their 10,000 store opening. Wow. 95 Yeah, I can't find Oh, there it is. Oh, gross. Yeah, it's huge. It's yet yucky. We already mentioned this, but I mentioned the health conscious options. So talk about was the first fast food restaurant to offer a menu certified by the American vegetarian association that featured vegetarian and vegan options. Interesting. So again, I'm I have been a vegetarian or vegan at different parts of my life, not currently. But I do like to like have meatless options and I've always felt like Taco Bell did a good job of that. Also, one of the cheapest things you used to be able to get at Taco Bell was a bean burrito. Oh, yeah. Yeah, that was on the dollar menu and maybe forever like for a while. Yeah, so good. And I did not know this. Taco Bell has a secret menu. What? Yes, they have a secret menu with items like cheese burrito. Hulk and Superman burritos, which you can order and they will like make them for you. They're just not like listed anywhere. What is in those? I don't know. But I may just see what happens. I'll go to my kind of my Taco Bell. Like the teenagers that work there. We don't have that Damn, that was in 2001 where you're getting your research from 1997 That's where I'm stuck. So those are some fun little little facts. Okay, so now Mike, all these things in addition to what we've been talking about the cultural stealing the appropriation, all of that. Talk about a few controversies. Of course, not the frickin owner can't find anything on that man. So either he's had so much money that he just like wiped out every allegation ever against him or like literally he was just like that boring. But anyway. Have you ever heard of any controversies we'll talk about even if you're not like completely accurate like in the air, like anything surrounding it that you remember? No, I can't remember. There's a few pretty strong ones from when We would have been like kids and teens and a little later. So the biggest one there is meat quality. Oh, did you ever hear about any of well, I know people who have worked at Taco Bell, okay, so I mean, they would always tell me what not to eat and the meat was the number one. Yes, so get those vegetarian and vegan, just saying, Okay, so there's different years for this, but in 2013, talk about UK outlets. So their UK stores were caught in a scandal when it was revealed that some of their beef products can change traces of horse meat. And Taco Bell then confirmed yes, some of it tested positive for horse DNA. They issued an apology stated they would improve their meat supply chain testing moving forward. So essentially they said, Well, we're not like deliberately doing it, but we'll just like make sure. How does horses accidentally get into a good question? Oh, yeah, so that was 2013 2011. Taco Bell faced a class action lawsuit alleging that their season beef did not meet the minimum requirements to be labeled as beef. Oh my god. It claimed Does that mean you're claimed that the meat mixture contained only 35% beef. The rest were fillers and binders of like other animal Oh, animal parts, Rody, so Taco Bell denied this and stated that it was 88% beef. And listen to what the other 12% 12% seasoning is what they said. And then because of that, they had to launch this aggressive public relations campaign, including like full ads in newspapers, like the New York Times, and eventually the lawsuit was dropped. Wow. So all the details. Wow. I mean, nowhere is 100% beef, even the ground beef you buy in grocery stores, right? Not 100%. It's 93. At best. Yeah, true. True. But I mean, 35 is that that was true, but I mean, it's probably closer to Yeah, what you would expect. Yes. So that means so that makes you think in general, it just makes you think about what you're eating. Yeah. What do you know? 2006 E. coli outbreaks. Taco Bell was linked to a multistate outbreak of a coli contaminated lettuce that they had bought. So see you try and be healthy and then the lettuce get Yeah, it's not the worst needed. So let us okay, guys. Several hospitalizations, no deaths, but talk about closed a few locations to just kind of like get in there and get it all clean and all of that so that was a whole thing. I'm sure that's happened with all the restaurants. Yeah, again, not saying it's okay. But also like it I know like even Publix has had to recall lettuce and stuff like that. So I mean, it happens so this one you're not gonna like, well, I didn't like and you're definitely not gonna like humanitarian concerns with some suppliers. Oh, no, specifically tomato suppliers. This was 2001 the coalition of EMO Collie workers, which is an indigenous people accuse Taco Bell of turning a blind eye to the exploitation of farmworkers in Florida who picked tomatoes for the chain. They faced poor working conditions and low wage after a prolonged boycotts and pressure from various advocacy groups Taco Bell agreed in 2005 So four years later to pay an extra penny per pound for tomatoes to improve wages and conditions for farm workers a penny per pound of tomatoes. Yeah, that's what they're that's what they came up with. And then they also committed to only buying from suppliers who met their labor standards, whatever that means. So what are they it doesn't sound like they have labor well I was gonna say So okay, so this all right so this company didn't the only steal from this culture now they are just intentionally not serving workers from other cultures while either so great right and like making what billions a year right paying and I mean that you know, Fairtrade is such an issue with everything if you really are again not giving Taco Bell a pass this is just a good example of what happens and continues to happen you know, whether it's a coffee you drink, whether it's the vegetables you're getting, or dairy or clothing, that's farm clothing. Oh my gosh, like the whole sheen thing. Like it's a catch cheaper, taboo, or however you say that company like it will get why is it so cheap now? You know, it's great, that is cheap, but like you really do have to sort of question some of it but it's hard because, like, I don't I don't make my own food. I don't make my own clothes. So at some point, you have to buy those things and how and how far down the rabbit hole do you go now? Because even something with a Fairtrade label, I know if you don't if you're not investigating it yourself, how do you know? Right? Like how did they get that certification? And some of that's not standardized either I know. So you could just see like a label on something. But it's not necessarily one organization that's certifying all of that. It's like the company saying, Oh, we think we're right Fairtrade. So here we go, or whatever. I will say like Starbucks, for example. Again, I haven't gone down the rabbit hole myself to research and they seem to follow, like globally Fairtrade standards, you know, like for their coffee also for like their workers and that sort of thing. I did find something else on Taco Bell that they offer students, okay. So if you work at least 15 hours a week, for them for six months, you qualify for a $2,000 one time scholarship to a four year college, or $1,000 scholarship to like a community college, which is like nothing nowadays. Only Princeton, nothing, but I was like, well, 15 hours I know, you know, it's something it's like, if you work somewhere for six months and got, you know,$2,000 bonus or something. I mean, something. But yeah, it's not much. And that what made me think of that is because Starbucks does similar things. So that was that's kind of a downer. And that's kind of all I have. So okay, so let's review. A lot here. That's really funny. Because Katie was like this episode, I think it's gonna be very long. I don't have that much. But I mean, we managed to talk about STIs your humanitarian practices ecoli. Seriously, Parkinson's, like, I mean, we hit some things here. It's wild when you start and I was kind of thinking of that, even for my own life. Like, one day, if someone did a podcast episode about me, which is very unlikely, but if they did, like, what things a like, do I need to question from how I operate now or in the past? And be like, like, you just mentioned all the little things. It's like, oh, well, she was this and she was this. And she was, like, if you put it all together, you'd be like, jeez, that's so many things. You know, and every person is really like that. So it did make me think about that, like a man who lives 86 years. Through, you know, the 20s to the early 2000s. That's Bong Yeah, yeah. And then we talked about that stuff on here, too, like our lifetimes, you know, just we talk about what's just changed so far. So far. Imagine another 40 or 50 years, like, it's going to be so different. So anyway, well, that was only had on Taco Bell, and all I had, that's, I know, that'd be a lot of things. So hopefully, you enjoyed it. If you have any other Taco Bell trivia to share with us, we would love to hear it, you can always contact us on any of our social media. If you know us personally, you can text us, you can email us at generation in between podcast@gmail.com. All of that is linked in our show notes. And if you liked this episode, or you're really enjoying us, the best thing you can do is share us whether it's a text message to a friend, whether you put it on your social media, whatever, leave us reviews, wherever you listen, that's completely free. on Apple, you can also leave a written review and that gives us like a huge bump. We also are on Patreon, which we're getting ready to record a bonus episode, we have lots of different bonus episodes that we've been putting on there, but we always do an after show. So like we're going to talk about something here in a couple of minutes. 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