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IF YOU CHANGE THIS BACK THEN YOU WILL DIE IN 7 DAYS! iF A BOT DOES IT THEN ALL WIKISTAFF WILL GET SICK |
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:''For the restaurants of a similar name, see [[Taco Bill]].'' |
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{{Infobox_Company | |
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| company_name = Taco Bell Corp. |
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| company_slogan= think outside the bun |
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| company_logo = [[Image:Taco Bell logo.svg|center|150px|Corporate logo of Taco Bell]] |
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| company_type = Subsidiary of [[Yum! Brands|Yum! Brands, Inc.]] |
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| foundation = [[Downey, California]] ([[March 21]], [[1962]]) |
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| location = [[Irvine, California]] |
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| key_people = [[Glen Bell]] (founder) |
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| num_employees = 143,000 |
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| industry = Quick Service Restaurants |
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| products = [[Tacos]], [[burritos]], and other [[Mexican]]-related [[fast food]] |
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| revenue = |
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| homepage = [http://www.tacobell.com tacobell.com] |
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|}} |
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'''''Taco Bell Corp.''''', a [[Fast-food_restaurant|fast-food restaurant]] chain, is a division of [[Yum! Brands, Inc.]] Taco Bell serves food items loosely based on [[Tex-Mex cuisine|Tex-mex]] cuisine, although it has now evolved into a cuisine of its own. It is headquartered in [[Irvine, California]] and has locations in the [[United States]], [[Canada]], and [[Iceland]]. |
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==General operations== |
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Taco Bell encourages its diners to "think outside the bun", a reference to its advertising campaign that encourages bypassing the efforts and popularity wars of such [[hamburger]]-selling fast food chains as [[McDonald's]] and [[Burger King]] - through the [[tortilla]] instead of the bun. Previously, Taco Bell had a menu item called the "Bell Beefer" (bun, taco spiced [[beef]], [[lettuce]], [[cheese]] and [[tomato]]) in the mid to late [[1980s]] designed to compete with burger chains. The product did not prove popular and was discontinued. The "Bell Beefer" was also put into the Australian market as the "Big Bell" burger. |
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Smaller '''Taco Bell Express''' outlets, offering a reduced version of the menu, appear in [[shopping mall|malls]], [[airport terminal|airport terminals]], [[department store|department stores]], [[hotel|hotels]], [[cafeteria|cafeterias]], [[gas station|gas stations]], and other locations. Some [[school lunch]] programs also offer Taco Bell items under the Taco Bell Express branding. |
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The Taco Bell name is also used under license by [[Kraft Foods]], which offers a line of taco shells, spices, salsa, and other Mexican foods (including full meal kits) featuring the Taco Bell name in [[supermarket]]s nationwide. |
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According to the Taco Bell website, there are currently over 6,500 Taco Bell franchises operating in the 48 mainland [[United States]], with 280 non-franchises. |
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Over the last several years, [[Yum! Brands, Inc.]] has been co-locating its various restaurant franchises ([[KFC]], [[Long John Silver's]], [[A&W Restaurants|A&W]] and [[Pizza Hut]]). Combined Taco Bell/KFC locations are common. |
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=== Europe === |
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[[KFC]] in Iceland recently opened a [[Taco Bell]] restaurant in [[Hafnarfjörður]], [[Iceland]]. This is the first [[Taco Bell]] Restaurant to be opened in Europe since the closure of their operation in England. |
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They also have locations in Germany, Norway, Finland, and Poland. |
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=== Australia === |
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Australia had the Taco Bell concept introduced a few years back which had "piggybacked" off existing KFC or Pizza Hut sites and had moderate success but had found that Australians were not used to a "fast food Mexican" concept like Taco Bell. The Taco Bell dog was used in commercials shown in Australia. Promotions such as 99-cent tacos were used to encourage customers to try Taco Bell. |
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All Taco Bell stores have now closed, due to their unpopularity in the [[Australian]] marketplace. |
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==History== |
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[[Image:Taco bell old.JPG|250px|thumb|right|Taco Bell's original restaurant design.]] |
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[[Image:Tacobellrestaurant.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Taco Bell's second restaurant design]] |
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[[Image:Tacobellsunnyvale.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Taco Bell's current restaurant design]] |
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[[Image:Taco Bell Headquarters Irvine.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Taco Bell's headquarters in Irvine, California]] |
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The founder of Taco Bell, [[Glen Bell]], started with a [[hot dog]] stand in [[San Bernardino, California]] in [[1946]]. After experimenting with alternative [[food]] items, he opened three Taco-Tia stands between [[1954]] and [[1955]], which he later sold to his partners. He then opened the first Taco Bell in [[Downey, California]] on [[March 21]], [[1962]]. |
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The first Taco Bell franchise was sold in [[1964]] and the company went [[Initial public offering|public]] in [[1969]]. In [[1978]], Bell sold the chain to [[PepsiCo, Inc.|PepsiCo]]. The chain was spun off along with Pepsi's other [[fast food ]] [[restaurant]] holdings as [[Tricon Global Restaurants]] in October [[1997]]. Tricon became [[Yum! Brands, Inc.]] in May [[2002]]. |
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In the early [[1990s]], Taco Bell changed its menu due to pressure concerning the nutritional value of items labeled "Lite". It was believed the term ''lite'' was vague or possibly deceptive. Many of the items were dropped entirely from the menu; one such item was the "Taco Lite", a [[frying|fried]] flour [[tortilla]] shell with lean [[beef]], fat free [[sour cream]], [[lettuce]], reduced fat [[cheese]] and [[tomatoes]]. Some items were altered to change the nutritional values, such as the removal of [[black olives]] from the list of ingredients, in an effort to reduce sodium. |
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In early [[1995]], Taco Bell transformed the familiar rainbow logo, in favor of a simpler pink/purple combo logo in an effort to revitalize their almost 20 year old logo. |
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On [[April 1]], [[1996]], Taco Bell took out a full-page advertisement in ''[[The New York Times]]'' announcing that they had purchased the [[Liberty Bell]] to "reduce the country's debt" and renamed it to "the Taco Liberty Bell." Thousands of people who did not immediately get the [[April Fool's Day]] [[hoax]] protested. |
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In [[2003]], [[Costa Rican]] Taco Bell franchises temporarily marketed their tacos as "Tacos ticos," because for Costa Ricans, the word "taco" refers to what is known in [[Mexico]] as a [[flauta]]. ("Tico" and "Costarrican" are colloquial terms for natives of Costa Rica.) |
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In [[2004]], a local Taco Bell franchisee bought the naming rights to the former Boise State Pavilion in [[Boise]], [[Idaho]] and renamed the stadium the [[Taco Bell Arena]]. [http://www.sde.state.id.us/webdocs/DailyEdNews/2004%20July-Dec%20Archive/04-10-26_Tuesday.htm] |
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In the summer of 2004, PepsiCo and Taco Bell introduced [[Mountain Dew Baja Blast]]. The tropical-lime flavored drink is exclusive to Taco Bell stores. Along with this, Taco Bell introduced its [[Mountain Dew]] ''Viva Variety!'' promotional campaign, where a sign shows three cups of Mountain Dew, one normal, one Code Red and one Baja Blast. |
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Added to the official menu in early [[2006]], the Crunchwrap Supreme is Taco Bell's latest permanent product. Their most recent "limited time only" item was the '''Ultimate [[Chalupa]]'''. It is a chalupa with chicken or steak, sour cream, lettuce, [[guacamole]], 3 cheese blend, and fiesta salsa. Newer items in some franchises are the Spicy Chicken Crunchwrap Supreme and the Nacho Crunch Grilled Stuft [[Burrito]]. The newest promotional item is the Chicken Enchilada Grilled Stuft [[Burrito]]. |
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In [[Canada]], there are no Taco Bells in the province of [[Quebec]]. [[Priszm Brandz]] announced in April 2006 that their first Quebec Taco Bell should open in suburban [[Montreal]] during the summer with 20 to 30 more to follow across the province.<ref>http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/headline_news/article.jsp?content=b0427105A</ref> |
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On December 4, 2006, a Taco Bell in [[South Plainfield, NJ]] closed because about 19 people have been sickened by [[E. coli]] infection after eating at the restaurant. <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/04/nyregion/05tacocnd.html?hp&ex=1165294800&en=9877e0c2a2817a2b&ei=5094&partner=homepage</ref> |
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===Slogans=== |
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*Taca-taca-taca-taca-taca-taca Taco Bell! |
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*Ooh! What a difference Taco Bell makes! |
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*Make a run for the border. |
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*Nothing ordinary about it. |
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*Cross the Border. |
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*Fetch that food! |
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*You can munch it! So good! |
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*Taste that food! Dong! |
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*Change Is Good |
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*Want some? |
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*Yo quiero [I want] Taco Bell. |
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*Think outside the bun. |
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*Spice up the night. (For the introduction of open Taco Bells at night) |
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*Good To Go (For the ''Crunchwrap Supreme'') |
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*The Fourth Meal |
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*I'm Full! (For the ''Big Bell Value Menu'') |
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*Is it hot in here? |
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*AYYYYYY YA YA |
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===Mascots=== |
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Taco Bell has not had many mascots to this date. In [[1995]], they introduced two mascots to promote the Taco Bell kids' meal, Nacho and Dog. Nacho is a crazy cat who gets all his knowledge of the world by watching TV and is obsessed with Mexican food. Dog is a dog who is more well-behaved than Nacho and gets all his knowledge of the world by reading books. They were dropped in mid-[[1997]]. |
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In September [[1997]], the [[Taco Bell chihuahua]] was introduced. He spoke the line in commercials for their wildly popular "Yo quiero Taco Bell" campaign. In the [[Spanish language]], ''yo quiero'' means ''I want'' . The little dog's real name was "[[Gidget]]", but that was never publicized in the ad campaign. The character was [[Voice_actor|voiced]] by [[comedian]] [[Carlos Alazraqui]]. By [[1998]], the [[Taco Bell chihuahua]] was known as the biggest commercial star on the planet, but his popularity had dropped significantly by [[2000]]. As of the early [[2000s]], Taco Bell has gone away from the chihuahua and instead has promoted its [[Value Menu|value menu]] through "I'm Full!!" commercials and used "Think outside the bun" as its slogan. Gidget did, however, make a cameo in a [[2002]] [[Geico]] commercial where he met Geico's spokes-gecko. That commercial continued to air through [[2004]]. |
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In [[2005]], a new campaign to advertise the ''Crunchwrap Supreme'' was created. The ad featured twentysomethings at a high tech gadget store meeting a techno geek who espoused the virtues of the Supreme and how it was made "Good to go". The slogan was pushed by an accompanying hand motion done by the actor in the advertisement. Another ad featuring the same actor and tagline was created and aired in [[2006]]. The actor was dropped from the campaign and new ads introduced a family of three who continues to rag on their son, quoting he was "good to go get a job". Several variations of the ad aired using the tag line and hand motion from the first.[http://www.awfulcommercials.com/archives/category/video/national/taco-bell/] |
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===Lawsuit=== |
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A lawsuit, which was filed in 1998 by Joseph Shields and Thomas Rinks, charged Taco Bell with failing to pay them for use of the Chihuahua character they created. The men claimed that Taco Bell had breached payment on a contract after they worked with the restaurant chain for a year to develop the talking Chihuahua for use in marketing. The talking Chihuahua became a hit with the first advertisement, in which the character bypasses a female Chihuahua for a Taco Bell taco and declares: "Yo quiero Taco Bell." Taco Bell said it would appeal the verdict. The two men got $30.1 million, plus an addition of $11.4 million in interest. |
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<ref>http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2003-06-04-taco-bell-lawsuit_x.htm</ref> |
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===Acquisitions=== |
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*In [[1984]], Taco Bell acquired [[Pup 'N' Taco]]. |
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*In [[1986]], Taco Bell acquired the Faux-Mex restaurant chain known as [[Zantigo]], known for their [[Chilito]], a chili-cheese burrito. The chilito was added to the Taco Bell menu, then later quietly dropped after comedian [[Paul Rodriguez]] pointed out the negative connotations of the word ''chilito'' (a slang for [[penis]]) in [[Spanish language|Mexican Spanish dialect]]. [http://www.karolczak.com/blog/archives/2006/03/zantigo_a_blast_from_my_past.php] |
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===Boycott=== |
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In [[2001]], the [[Coalition of Immokalee Workers]] organized a [[boycott]] of Taco Bell restaurants one year after presenting a petition to Yum! Brands Inc., principally demanding higher rates of pay and better conditions for workers on [[tomato]] farms in [[Florida]] that supply Taco Bell. In 2005, the company responded by meeting the workers' demands, resulting in the boycott being withdrawn. The efforts of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and the response of Yum! Brands Inc. to this have been applauded by former American president [[Jimmy Carter]] and [[Eric Schlosser]], author of ''[[Fast Food Nation]]''. |
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Free-market economists associated with the [[Acton Institute]]<ref name="Sirico">Sirico, Fr. Robert. "Help Poor Workers; Eat Taco Bell Tomatoes." Acton Institute. 1 July 2004. [http://www.acton.org/press/pdf/2004-07-01_Sirico.pdf .PDF]</ref> and the [[Mises Institute]]<ref name="D'Amico">D'Amico, Daniel. "That Taco Bell Boycott." ''[[Mises.org]]''. 4 October 2004. [http://www.mises.org/fullstory.aspx?Id=1630]</ref><ref name="Carden">Carden, Art. "That Taco Bell Brouhaha." ''Mises.org''. 10 January 2005. [http://www.mises.org/fullstory.aspx?Id=1707]</ref> have criticized this strategy by arguing that boycotts are generally ineffective at raising standards of living. |
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== Co-branding == |
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[[Image:Tacobellkfcrestaurants.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A Co-branded Taco Bell and KFC]] |
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Many Taco Bell Express brand outlets can be found in [[suburban]] [[strip mall]]s, often adjacent to other Yum!-brand eateries, most notably [[Pizza Hut]] and [[Kentucky Fried Chicken]]. Taco Bell/Pizza Hut combinations are frequently called "Taco Huts" and Taco Bell/KFC combinations have been referred to as "Taco Chickens". Similarly, Taco Bell/[[Long John Silver's]] combinations are colloquially referred to as "Taco Silvers". |
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Sometimes, Taco Bell occupies the same building as a Pizza Hut and a KFC. This threesome is generally known as a "KenTaco Hut. |
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==Big Bell Value Menu== |
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In the late 1980s, Taco Bell was famous for its "59, 79, 99" pricing plan, in which nearly everything on the menu was either 59, 79, or 99 cents. |
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[[Image:crunch.jpg|thumb|A Crunchwrap Supreme]] |
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Despite Taco Bell's relatively cheap per-item pricing, it never had a true value menu until the mid-2000s. The menu features several items generally priced below $1.49. The introduction of the value menu also brought new items to the restaurant's offerings, notably items made with potatoes and Taco Bell's third dessert, the Caramel Apple Empanada. (Cinnamon Crispas, triangular fried flour tortilla shells, were offered until being replaced by Cinnamon Twists.) The Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito recently replaced the Bean Burrito Especial, which was removed because of its small profit margin. Also of note is that half of the menu is not truly new, as Beef Combo Burritos, Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos, Double Decker Tacos, and both Spicy Chicken items had been on the regular menu before, as permanent or limited time only items. |
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The Big Bell Value Menu includes: |
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*Grande Soft Taco |
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*Double Decker Taco |
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*Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito |
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*Beef Combo Burrito |
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*Beef & Potato Burrito |
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*Spicy Chicken Burrito |
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*Spicy Chicken Soft Taco |
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*Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes |
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*Caramel Apple Empanada |
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==Taco Bell Grande== |
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[[image:Taco Bell-China-Logo.png|200px|thumb|right|Taco Bell Grande's Logo]]In [[2003]], [[Yum! Brands]] introduced the Taco Bell brand into [[China]]. However, it is not a fast-food restaurant as other Taco Bells are; it is a full-service restaurant called Taco Bell Grande that is more analogus to a Mexican grill in the [[United States]]. In addition to the usual taco and burritos, Taco Bell Grande also serves [[albóndigas]], [[tomatillo]] grilled chicken, [[fajita|fajitas]], and alcoholic drinks such as [[Margarita]]. |
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Currently the chain has three restaurants, two in [[Shenzhen]] and one in [[Shanghai]]. |
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==Notable employees== |
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*[[José Padilla (alleged terrorist)|José Padilla]], suspected terrorist {{fact}} |
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*[[Boyd Rice]], [[noise music]] pioneer and [[Social Darwinist]] ("...when I was sixteen. Just long enough to cause enough trouble to get kicked out of there." Recounted in ''[[RE/Search]] No. 11: [[Pranks!]]''.) |
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*[[Krist Novoselic]], [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]] bassist. |
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*[[Steve Smith (NFL)|Steve Smith]], [[Wide Receiver]] for the [[Carolina Panthers]] [[NFL]] team. |
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*[[John C. Dvorak]], former TechTV personality and current [[This week in tech|This Week In Tech]] pundit, worked there while attending college. |
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*Tyler Spencer, aka "Dick Valentine" from [[Electric Six]]. |
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* [[All American Rejects |Mike Kennerty]], guitar player for the All-American Rejects |
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== Media References == |
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;Film and television |
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*The 1993 movie ''[[Demolition Man (film)|Demolition Man]]'' contains several references to Taco Bell as being the only restaurant franchise in the future after the "franchise wars." Presumably there are different levels of Taco Bell restaurants, but "all restaurants are Taco Bell." A portion of the film is set against Taco Bell's corporate headquarters in Irvine, California. The fight scene with Sylvester Stallone at a futuristic Taco Bell was actually at the outdoor break area at [[Raytheon|Raytheon’s]] secure "E" Building in [[El Segundo, California]]. It was the only outdoor location "futuristic" enough to do the scene at the time. In the German-language dub of the movie, all references to Taco Bell were changed to references to Yum! sister brand [[Pizza Hut]]; scenes displaying the Taco Bell logo or signs were either replaced or digitally edited to show a Pizza Hut logo instead. |
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*In an episode of the [[MTV]] series ''[[Beavis & Butt-head]]'', a teacher claims that the only [[Spanish language|Spanish]] words that have been learned by the title characters (who are enrolled in a high school Spanish class) were what they learned at Taco Bell ("...and Beavis can't even get that right," the teacher concludes). When asked to speak a sentence in [[Spanish language|Spanish]], Beavis replies, "[[Spaghetti]]." |
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*The second season episode "Bender Gets Made" of the American animated television series ''[[Futurama]]'' mentions a hospital called "Taco Bellevue Hospital" wherein a chihuahua with a third eye is seen telling a woman her cyst is "grande". |
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*In the [[2001]] movie ''[[Legally Blonde]]'', the Taco Bell chihuahua commercial was briefly shown being watched by the main character's own chihuahua. |
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*In the 2004 motion picture ''[[Mean Girls]]'', the character Regina is crying over her break-up with her boyfriend when her friend Karen offers to go to Taco Bell in order to feel better. |
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*In the 2004 motion picture ''[[White Chicks]]'', the character Marcus Copeland, who is dressed like Tiffany Wilson, hands Brittany Wilson's dog over to the footboy saying: "[...] teach him how to say ‘Yo quiero Taco Bell!’".'' |
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*In the ''[[Family Guy]]'' episode "8 Simple Rules for Buying My Teenage Daughter", Stewie makes a mention of Taco Bell. |
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*In ''[[The Venture Bros.]]'' episode "Trial of the Monarch", Dr. Orpheus warns Brock not to be too hasty entering the restroom because he "had Taco Bell for lunch." |
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*In ''[[Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby]]'', a scene depicts Ricky Bobby's family dining on many fast food items, including Taco Bell. |
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*In one [[GEICO]] commercial, the Taco Bell Chihuahua is seen. He says, "Oh great, a talking gecko!" |
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;Music |
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*In [[1979]], the [[rock (music)|rock]] band [[Supertramp]] sang, "I'm in this dumb hotel near the Taco Bell without a hope in hell..." in their song "Gone Hollywood". |
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*In [[1995]], the rock band [[Primus (band)|Primus]] sang about Taco Bell's [[Seven Layer Burrito]] in their [[Grammy]]-nominated<ref>{{cite web|title=List of Grammy Nominees|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=1996-01-04|url=http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Music/9601/grammy_noms/grammy_list.html|accessdate=2006-10-10}}</ref> song "[[Wynona's Big Brown Beaver]]". On the same album, the "De Anza Jig" describes a young [[Les Claypool]] as "Hanging out at [[Jack in the Box]] but eat[sic] at Taco Bell." |
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*In the 2001 song "Danger! High Voltage!" by [[Electric Six]], they make a reference to there being a "Fire in the Taco Bell!". |
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*[[Zox]]'s song "Homebody" makes reference to eating at Taco Bell and getting high. |
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*[["Weird Al" Yankovic]]'s song [["I'll Sue Ya"]] references Taco Bell by saying he sued "Taco Bell, because I ate half a million chalupas, and I got fat!". |
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*The title track from [[Midnight Brown]]'s [[2004]] alblum, 2084, refrenced "In the future all resturants are Taco Bells". Which is also a reference to the 1993 film ''[[Demolition Man (film)|Demolition Man]]''. |
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== Trivia == |
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*There are no Taco Bell restaurants in Mexico. |
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*There is [[Yakov Smirnoff]] joke - "There are no Taco Bells in Russia. They didn't like the slogan, 'Run for the border'." |
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== See also == |
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*[[Priszm Brandz]] |
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*[[Taco Bell chihuahua]] |
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*[[Enchirito|Enchirito]] |
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==References== |
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<div class="references-small"> |
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<references /> |
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</div> |
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== External links == |
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*[http://www.tacobell.com Official Taco Bell website] |
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*{{Zh icon}} [http://www.tacobell.com.cn Taco Bell Grande] |
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*[http://www.awfulcommercials.com/archives/category/video/national/taco-bell/] |
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{{Yum!}} |
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[[Category:Yum! Brands]] |
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[[Category:Fast-food Mexican restaurants]] |
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[[Category:Food companies of the United States]] |
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[[Category:Fast-food franchises]] |
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[[Category:Fast-food chains of the United States]] |
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[[Category:Fast-food chains of Canada]] |
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[[Category:Companies established in 1962]] |
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[[Category:Companies based in Orange County, California]] |
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[[Category:Restaurants in California]] |
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Revision as of 23:30, 5 December 2006
IF YOU CHANGE THIS BACK THEN YOU WILL DIE IN 7 DAYS! iF A BOT DOES IT THEN ALL WIKISTAFF WILL GET SICK