Taco Bell is an American-based chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell (1923–2010) in Downey, California. Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. The restaurants serve a variety of Mexican-inspired foods, including tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, novelty and speciality items, and a variety of "value menu" items. , Taco Bell serves over customers each year, at 7,072 restaurants, more than 93 percent of which are owned and operated by independent franchisees and licensees. PepsiCo purchased Taco Bell in 1978, and later spun off its restaurants division as Tricon Global Restaurants, which later changed its name to Yum! Brands. History Taco Bell was founded by Glen Bell, an entrepreneur who first opened a hot dog stand called Bell's Drive-In in San 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 its hard-shelled tacos. Bell attempted to reverse-engineer the recipe, and eventually the owners allowed him to see how the tacos were made. He took what he had learned and opened a new stand in 1951. The name underwent several changes, from Taco-Tia through El Taco, before settling on Taco Bell. Glen Bell opened the first Taco Bell in 1962 at 7112 Firestone Boulevard in Downey, California. Currently there is a Taco Bell location across the street at 7127 Firestone Blvd, in Downey. The original location was a building about the size of a two-car garage, and was built with Mission-style arches that covered a small walk-up window that served the original menu items: Tostadas, burritos, frijoles, chiliburgers, and tacos, all for 19 cents ($ in dollars ). The first restaurant closed in 1986, while the building was saved from demolition November 19, 2015, and was moved to the Taco Bell Corporate Office at 1 Glen Bell Way in Irvine and is currently stored intact on the corporate parking lot premises and known as "Taco Bell Numero Uno". In 1964, the first franchisee opened, in Torrance, California, at the intersection of West Carson Street and South Western Avenue which still exists but has been repurposed at 1647 West Carson Street. In 1967, the 100th restaurant opened at 400 South Brookhurst in Anaheim which was later replaced by a new restaurant at 324 South Brookhurst. The first location east of the Mississippi River opened on East Main Street