As of 2023[update], Taco Bell serves over two billion customers each year, at 8,212 restaurants, more than 94 percent of which are owned and operated by independent franchisees and licensees.

Bell watched long lines of customers at a Mexican restaurant called the Mitla Cafe, located across the street, which became famous among residents for its hard-shelled tacos.

[38] In 1997, PepsiCo experimented with a new "fresh grill" concept, opening at least one Border Bell restaurant in Mountain View, California, on El Camino Real (SR 82).

[46][47] With the purchase of Yorkshire Global Restaurants, the owners of A&W and Long John Silver's chains, Tricon changed its name to Yum!

[48][49] In March 2005, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) won a landmark victory in its national boycott of Taco Bell for human rights.

Taco Bell agreed to meet all the coalition's demands to improve wage and working conditions for Florida tomato pickers in its supply chain.

Due to popularity, the franchise decided to move the restaurant to a lot in South Gate, California, and it opened to the public a year later.

[67] The first Taco Bell commercials premiered in 1968, featuring advertisements with Mel Blanc, Pat Harrington, and the then-host of Truth or Consequences, Bob Barker.

The player controls Baja Bill, who explores a temple of a lost jungle civilization, battling snakes and scorpions with Taco Bell's hot and wild sauce.

[80] After Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox stole a base in Game 2, the company made good on the promotion on October 30, 2007.

Featuring, Varsity Fanclub's Bobby Edner, the rap music style commercial shows a group of friends gathering change as they drive toward Taco Bell.

2009 commercials for the "Frutista Freeze" frozen drink feature Snowball, an Eleonora cockatoo noted for his ability to dance to human music.

[86] In an effort to promote its $2 Meal Deals, Taco Bell started a Facebook group in June 2010 to collect signatures on a petition that appeals to the Federal Reserve to produce more two-dollar bills.

[87] A large advertising push by Taco Bell had begun in late February 2011 in response to a consumer protection lawsuit filed against the company by an Alabama law firm.

[89] The suit was eventually withdrawn,[90] and the company continued its advertising response by publicly requesting an apology from the suing firm of Beasley Allen.

[96] Shortly before its release, Taco Bell launched a promotion advertising that fans could get the new flavor at its stores a day early if they "just asked" on March 6.

However, they neglected to inform the majority of their stores of this – leading to numerous complaints on its social media accounts and news sites from disappointed consumers who were unable to obtain the new taco.

Other items include: the A.M. Crunchwrap, Cinnabon Delights, Breakfast Burrito, A.M. Grilled Sausage Flatbread Melt, Hash Browns, Coffee and Orange Juice.

The breakfast taco, which uses a fried egg as the shell for potato bites, nacho cheese, shredded cheddar, and bacon or sausage crumble.

[121] In January 2021, Taco Bell announced the return of potatoes to the menu after a brief discontinuation in August 2020 in efforts to streamline processes in their restaurants in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[122] In April 2021, Taco Bell said that it will start reusing hot sauce packets in partnership with the recycling company TerraCycle, aiming to reduce the environmental pollution.

[127] From July to August 2022, filmmaker Sam Reid ate nothing but Taco Bell for 30 days, testing the nutritional content of the food in a similar vein to Super Size Me.

[128] The stunt gained widespread national attention for both Sam and the fast food chain, including multiple news stations covering his diet[129] and a mention by Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show.

In 2023, the company test-marketed a vegan Crunchwrap Supreme in Los Angeles, New York, and Orlando to gauge the potential of a national roll out.

Brands announced that it was reopening Taco Bell locations in the United Kingdom as part of a large, planned expansion into Europe.

On March 1, 2013, it was announced that trace amounts of horse meat from a European supplier had been found in various food products, including Taco Bell's beef in the UK.

[209] There are currently Taco Bell locations in 7 of the 10 Canadian provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

[215] On September 13, 2017, Collins Foods announced that Taco Bell would return to the Australian market, with their first store being situated in the Brisbane suburb of Annerley in Queensland using a refurbished Sizzler restaurant which had closed earlier that year.

The AAFES provides Taco Bell for military bases in Bahrain,[257][258] El Salvador,[259] Germany,[260] Guatemala,[261] Iraq[262] Italy,[263] and Kosovo.

[264] In 2017, Forever 21 produced a clothing line in partnership with Taco Bell, featuring branded T-shirts and sweatshirts, as well as bodysuits made to look like Border Sauce packets.