No, Taco Bueno is not owned by Taco Bell. Taco Bueno is an American fast food restaurant chain specializing in Tex-Mex cuisine founded in 1967 in Abilene, Texas. Taco Bell, on the other hand, is an American fast food restaurant chain founded in 1962 in Downey, California and owned by Yum! Brands.
Quick Summary
- Taco Bueno is an independent fast food Tex-Mex restaurant chain founded in 1967 in Abilene, Texas.
- Taco Bell is a fast food taco chain founded in 1962 in Downey, California and owned by Yum! Brands.
- The two chains operate completely independently and do not share any corporate ownership or management.
- Taco Bueno focuses on Tex-Mex style tacos and burritos while Taco Bell serves Americanized Mexican-inspired fast food.
- Taco Bueno has around 180 locations primarily in the Southern and Midwestern U.S. while Taco Bell has over 7,000 locations globally.
Background on Taco Bueno
Taco Bueno was founded in 1967 by Bill Rady in Abilene, Texas. The first location was a small taco stand called Taco Bar. Rady grew the chain over the next few decades, emphasizing fresh, handmade tortillas, high-quality ingredients, and bold Tex-Mex flavors. Taco Bueno became known for menu items like tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas, and its signature queso dip.
In 1987, Taco Bueno was acquired by an affiliate of Cargill, Inc. Cargill expanded the chain across Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and Louisiana throughout the 1990s and 2000s. In 2005, Taco Bueno was sold to Palladium Equity Partners, a private equity firm. In 2015, Taco Bueno was acquired by TPG Growth, another private equity firm focused on fast food and restaurant investments.
Today, Taco Bueno operates around 180 company-owned and franchised locations concentrated in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Their menu focuses on Tex-Mex favorites like tacos, burritos, nachos, and quesadillas prepared fresh with handmade tortillas and high-quality ingredients.
Key Facts about Taco Bueno:
- Founded: 1967 in Abilene, Texas
- Founder: Bill Rady
- Headquarters: Irving, Texas
- Locations: ~180 restaurants in TX, OK, MO, KS, AR, LA
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
- Known for: Tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, queso, fresh tortillas
- Ownership: TPG Growth (private equity firm)
Background on Taco Bell
Taco Bell was founded in 1962 by Glen Bell in Downey, California. Bell had previously owned multiple Mexican restaurant chains including Taco Tia, El Taco, and Bell’s Drive-In. He sold those chains and used the profits to open the first Taco Bell in Downey in 1962. The restaurant sold hard shell tacos for 19 cents each and became a huge success.
In 1978, PepsiCo purchased Taco Bell. PepsiCo grew it into a national chain alongside other fast food restaurants like Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken. In the 1990s, PepsiCo spun off their restaurant brands into a new company called Tricon Global Restaurants. Tricon later changed its name to Yum! Brands after acquiring brands like KFC and Long John Silver’s.
Today, Taco Bell remains a subsidiary of Yum! Brands. It has over 7,000 locations globally and specializes in Americanized Mexican-inspired fast food like tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, and other Tex-Mex dishes adapted to American tastes. Their menu features unique creations like the Crunchwrap Supreme, Doritos Locos Tacos, and various cantina-style alcoholic drinks.
Key Facts about Taco Bell:
- Founded: 1962 in Downey, California
- Founder: Glen Bell
- Headquarters: Irvine, California
- Locations: Over 7,000 globally
- Cuisine: Mexican-inspired fast food
- Known for: Tacos, burritos, Crunchwrap, quesadillas, nachos
- Ownership: Subsidiary of Yum! Brands
Relationship Between the Chains
Taco Bueno and Taco Bell operate completely independently and do not share any corporate ownership, management, or operations. They are separate companies serving different styles of Mexican-inspired cuisine:
- Taco Bueno focuses on authentic Tex-Mex flavors using fresh ingredients and handmade tortillas.
- Taco Bell serves Americanized Mexican-inspired fast food with unique menu creations.
Taco Bueno is currently owned by TPG Growth while Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands. The two chains have never had any shared ownership or corporate affiliation. They have co-existed and competed as independent Tex-Mex style fast food restaurants since the 1960s.
Comparing the Chains
Here is a comparison of some key differences between Taco Bueno and Taco Bell:
| Taco Bueno | Taco Bell |
|---|---|
| Founded in 1967 in Abilene, TX | Founded in 1962 in Downey, CA |
| ~180 locations in TX, OK, MO, KS, AR, LA | Over 7,000 locations globally |
| Tex-Mex cuisine, fresh ingredients | Mexican-inspired fast food, unique menu creations |
| Owned by TPG Growth (private equity) | Subsidiary of Yum! Brands |
| Specialized menu, smaller chain | Broad menu, national megachain |
Conclusion
In summary, Taco Bueno and Taco Bell are completely independent fast food chains serving different styles of Mexican-inspired cuisine. Taco Bueno is a regional Tex-Mex chain known for fresh ingredients and handmade tortillas. Taco Bell is an international megachain offering Americanized Mexican dishes. They have never had any shared corporate ownership or affiliation.