Taco Bell's Influence On Non-American Culture

Nineteen cents for a taco was the norm at one point in Los Angeles’s history. In the 1960’s, hungry customers of Southern California flocked to what is now the most famous Mexican restaurant in the world, Taco Bell. Taco Bell started at 7112 Firestone Boulevard, Downey, California. This address is the location of the very first Taco Bell, which is currently the largest Mexican chain restaurant. It opened in March 21, 1961. Taco Bell is a popular phenomenon, because it brought Mexican cuisine into the spotlight of mainstream America. For most Americans, Taco Bell was the first thought that comes to mind whenever someone mentions Mexican food. Taco Bell made its way into mainstream America by showing up in songs such as Fergie’s song “Glamorous,”

Los Angeles had a bad reputation for racism and racial divisions, but it still much more accepting of other cultures in comparison to other parts of the country. Mexican culture thrived in Los Angeles, even though it did not thrive in other parts of the country. Los Angeles could be considered an access point for non-American culture to spread to other parts of the country. Even more specifically, the address of 7112 Firestone Boulevard in Downey could be considered the access point for which non-Hispanic residents could experience Mexican food for the first time. The affordability and taste of the tacos attracted many customers, the lack of competition from other Mexican restaurants allowed the first Taco Bell to thrive, and its convenient location in the busy street of Firestone primed the restaurant for success. The influx of customers in Downey reflected the future of the franchise itself, as Taco Bell attracted customers throughout the country. In America, Mexican cuisine started in concentrated pockets of Los Angeles, but it spread throughout Los Angeles, including a predominantly White area like Downey. Taco Bell pushed the expansion of Mexican cuisine into mainstream American by expanding its franchise to thousands of stores across the nation. The importance of Taco Bell went beyond the food, because it brought Mexican culture into the larger conversation of America. Mexican cuisine, Mexican culture, and Mexican people gained acknowledgement through the success of Taco Bell. The very existence of Taco Bell would not have been possible without the existence of Mexican culture in Los Angeles and its successes in its first Downey