Glen Bell Quotes
101 Glen Bell Quotes
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One thing that makes people magnificent is their ability to dream. What your body can or can’t do really doesn’t matter to how the mind works. Your imagination can take you anywhere, help you imagine the best of all futures – and show you what seemed impossible - an absolute reality.
Glen Bell
[In the 1950’s on selling out his Taco Tia restaurant to his partner who did not want to expand past three stores.] I knew if we didn’t develop the product’s potential, someone else would.
Glen Bell
[On starting franchising Taco Bell.] In the beginning, I thought all we had to do was sell the idea, send someone to help them open, and get a check every month. We found out you've got to do a lot more to make sure a franchisee does well. There are supervising, correspondence, professional services, and more. If you don't provide them, you don't succeed.
Glen Bell
Taco Bell opened up a whole new industry and introduced millions of Americans to Mexican food for the first time. I always smile when I hear people say that they never had a taco until Taco Bell came to town. We changed the eating habits of the entire country.
Glen Bell
Preformed taco shells look so simple today, but back then I had to figure out a way to make them.
Glen Bell
[On selling out of two of his original business partnerships because his partners] Didn't share the same vision or the same degree of dedication.
Glen Bell
It was important to create excitement when a restaurant opened… My accountants advised me not to spend money on things like these grand openings. They said, 'You can't do it - you'll go broke.' Well, I wasn't afraid of going broke as I had already been there.
Glen Bell
[On one of his early employees – Ed Hackbarth going onto create ‘Del Taco’ in the 1960’s.] There’s plenty of business to go around, so I’m happy to see others succeed.
Glen Bell
[On selling ‘El Tacos’ to his partners in 1962.] We were off to a great start, but I’ve always been independent and was ready to launch out on my own.
Glen Bell
[On setting up the first Taco Bell store in 1962 and then resigning at chairman in 1975 and in 1978 selling out to PepsiCo Inc.] Once we got up to 100 restaurants, it changed for me. I hated the day when we had to start numbering the units. The business issues became financial. We had really won the war as far as I was concerned. The stock market began to smile on fast food, and we were on the road to success.
Glen Bell
[On the first Taco he sold in 1951 to a businessman who spilled sauce on his tie whilst eating it.] I thought, 'Uh-oh, we've lost this one'. But he came back, amazingly enough, and said, 'That was good. Gimme another.'
Glen Bell
[On often meeting his best friend at the McDonald’s Drive-in in San Bernardino run by the McDonald Brothers.] You could look in the carport behind the restaurants and see their new Cadillacs.
Glen Bell
[On eating Tacos at a Mexican restaurant in 1950 when he had opened his third Bell’s Burgers restaurant.] Delicious but dripp[ing] melted fat.
Glen Bell
I figured if Mexican food was successful, potential competition would write it off to my location and assume the idea wouldn’t sell anywhere else. No one would copy what I was doing, and that would give me time to perfect it.
Glen Bell
[On making $3,000 selling bags of puffed wheat and rice, apple pies and cakes in Alexander Iowa while on summer vacation in High School visiting his great-aunt.] We did so well, I probably wouldn’t have returned to San Bernardino (Calif.) if I hadn’t been homesick and wanted to graduate from San Bernardino High.
Glen Bell
One thing I learned from the McDonald brothers is, don’t sell everything your customers ask for. Decide what you’re going to sell, then make it the best it can be.
Glen Bell
Anybody who wants to go into business for himself has to realize it takes you away from home duties. Especially if you're operating a restaurant. If you want to work only eight hours, you might as well not go into it.
Glen Bell
[On what was the attraction to his wife Marty Ahl.] Her interest in tacos.
Glen Bell
I helped several of my competitors get started. People seem to think we ought to hate each other, but we've stayed good friends.
Glen Bell
[On inventing a way to make producing Taco’s more efficient leading to him creating the ‘Taco Shell’ a pre-fried tortilla that could be quickly stuffed with fillings and served to waiting customers.] If you wanted a dozen [tacos]… you were in for a wait. They stuffed them first, quickly fried them and stuck them together with a toothpick. I thought they were delicious, but something had to be done about the method of preparation.
Glen Bell
I didn’t invent the Taco, but I believe I improved it.
Glen Bell
Bonus
Glen was the most unique person I ever met. He had imagination, creativity, dedication - and no clock. I'd tell my wife, 'Glen’s here,' and she knew she wouldn't see me for two or three days.
Bob Trujillo (Early business partner in ‘El Taco’s.)
At one time, Glen and the McDonald brothers were the fast food industry. All Glen’s instincts are right... The money didn't matter to him. The customer came first. Businesspeople need a product, and creative types like Glen provide it.
John Galardi (Early friend and together with Glen Bell created Der Wienerschnitzel – the largest hot dog chain in America.)
Both me and Glen Bell were farm kids. We don't know when to stop working.
Kermitt Bekke (The first Taco Bell franchise owner.)
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