Glen William Bell, Jr. was born in Lynwood, California. His father was a construction worker and his mother was a housewife. His family moved to Oregon where they began farming then returned to San Bernardino, California to farm a 10-acre orchard owned by Bell's grandmother. Mr. Bell graduated from San Bernardino High School, and then enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. Following his military service, Bell started a hot dog stand called Bell's Drive-In, which he sold a few years later to build a fast food restaurant that sold hot dogs and hamburgers. Not long after that, Mr. Bell started a food stand selling tacos named Taco-Tia. He opened three Taco Tias and later sold them to open four El Tacos with a partner in the Long Beach area. Mr. Bell sold the El Tacos to his partner and opened a Taco Bell restaurant which he franchised across the country before selling the 868-restaurant chain to PepsiCo. Mr. Bell died in 2010.