This Mexican-American-themed fast food chain is known for its excessive advertising, yet loyal fanbase, despite being a slight laughingstock due to the reputation of the food causing burning, explosive diarrhea when you eat it. They also have a status for their famous "Dong!" sound which is heard in all the commercials. It has led to internet memes due to its wide publicity.
It's safe to say their earlier years were better in terms of quality, and as time went on, there was Executive Meddling, so the quality was bound to go down along with its business layout. They started in 1962 by Glen Bell, who got his start when he was shown how the Mitla Cafe, a Mexican-themed restaurant in San Bernardino, California where Bells' hot dog stand had been at the time, made tacos. He started a stand that sold tacos with the knowledge he now had, settling on the name Taco Bell after going through a few names (the first of the names was Taco Tia).
Taco Tropes:
- Animesque: Their "Fry Force" ads of 2021. Not only are they presented as movie trailers, but the entire fictional movie is a spoof of Pacific Rim, which is itself an homage to mecha anime and tokusatsu movies. Taco Bell would later take this up to eleven by publishing a prequel comic
drawn and designed to be read from right to left, as many East Asian comics are published.
- Mascot: In 1997 and up until 2000, they had Gidget, the Taco Bell Chihuahua, as a mascot. She was a talking dog who had the catchphrase "¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!" ("I want Taco Bell!") and was voiced by Carlos Alazraqui.
- Trrrilling Rrrs: They have a commercial where two lions are talking about a roast beef burrito. The one says to the other, "No, say it like Ricardo Montalbán." So the other lion says, "Okay. Carrrrne asada."
