This image is of the old Taco Bell on Arrow Highway and Grand Avenue in Glendora. It was right next door to a Der Wienerschnitzel (seen in the background) and right across the street from In n Out # 3.

A quick story. As a boy growing up in the Los Angeles area, there were very few mexican restaurants in the area outside of the downtown Los Angeles area. While riding my bike home from a park one day, I noticed a commotion on the corner where they had been building a new fast food joint. They had a long line and the balloons with all the fanfare. I got in line not knowing what I was even in line for.

There at the window, they had these signs that said “Taco Bell.” I didn’t know what a taco was, but hell I’d give them a try for 19 cents. On the sign above the window was a menu. On this menu were the words “Taco and Burrito.” Under each word were the pronunciations. So under “Taco” was the word “Tah-coh” and under “Burrito” was the word “Buh-ree-toh” because people didn’t know how to pronounce the words.

I ate them, and then promptly rode my bike home as fast as I could pedal to tell my father of my new discovery. We went back and he sampled the fare, and we enjoyed it almost as much as I enjoy telling this story. I have been eating there a lot less nowadays, trying to keep the weight off and all. But it is still as good today as it was back then, and today a bite of a taco from Taco Bell still brings me back to that hot summer day enjoying a taco with my dad. JD

AP
Taco Bell says the founder of the fast-food chain has died.

The Irvine, Calif.-based company said Monday that Glen W. Bell Jr. died Sunday at his home in Rancho Santa Fe. He was 86.

His cause of death was not immediately released.

Bell launched Taco Bell in 1962 after experimenting with several other fast food-style restaurants in the Los Angeles area.

Taco Bell now serves more than 36.8 million people each week in more than 5,600 U.S. locations.

Bell, a World War II veteran, was born Sept. 3, 1923 in Lynwood, Calif.

He is survived by his wife, two sons, three sisters and four grandchildren.