NOVATO, CA – FEBRUARY 22: A sign is posted in front of a Taco Bell restaurant on February 22, 2018 in Novato, California. Taco Bell has become the fourth-largest domestic restaurant brand by edging out Burger King. Taco Bell sits behind the top three restaurant chains McDonald’s, Starbucks and Subway. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images).

Taco Bell: you either love or you hate it. But lots of people love it, since Taco Bell is widely known as one of the country’s favorite fast food spots! The first Taco Bell opened in 1962 by Glen Bell, in Downey, CA, and the first franchise opened in 1964 in Torrance, CA. In 1967 the 100th Taco Bell location opened in Anaheim, and by 1970 they had 325 restaurants. Who could forget the $.59, $.79, $.99 value deals in 1990, or the introduction of the fan-favorite Mountain Dew BAJA Blast in 2004! Yes, America loves their Taco Bell, to say the least.

It’s clear that Taco Bell has made a lot of smart business decisions in its history, and the latest concept from the Bell seems to be yet another example of how the company is staying one step ahead of the ever-changing times. Taco Bell of the future focuses more on the drive-through to lower human interactions, which is safer and more plausible in the era of COVID-19. They plan to build smaller restaurants to create more space outside for additional drive-through lanes, and ordering can be done ahead of time through the Taco Bell mobile app. The new design would also feature curbside pickup, as well as masked Taco Bell employees outside taking orders on tablets. But don’t worry, if you prefer to park and go inside to place your order the old school way, you’ll still be able to! Find the full story here.

Check out some retro Taco Bell commercials here: