The Real Reason You Can't Eat At The Original Taco Bell

Though many of the country's famous fast food restaurants have expanded to become multinational corporations with locations in all corners of the globe, they almost all had humble beginnings. The first McDonald's was a burger joint started by two brothers in San Bernardino, California in 1948 (via Encyclopedia Britannica). The original Starbucks (not exactly a fast-food restaurant, but you get the idea) was a small coffee store in Seattle's Pike Place market (via Starbucks). Chick-fil-A traces its roots to a small restaurant called the Dwarf House on the outskirts of Atlanta (via Chick-fil-A).

Although you can eat a chicken sandwich at the Dwarf House or sip a latte at the original Starbucks, the original McDonald's is no more. The same can be said for the original Wendy's, which was closed in 2007 due to poor sales (via NBC) as well as the first Taco Bell location.

Taco Bell opened in 1962 in Downey, California but the original location ceased operations by 1986 (via Taco Bell). Even after Taco Bell vacated the property, the company began leasing the space to independent taco restaurants. However, after 2014, they couldn't find a taco tenant and the building fell into disrepair.

The location was in danger of being demolished, so sensing the chance to capitalize on a publicity stunt, the company announced that it would be removing the building from its foundations and moving it to the company headquarters some 50 miles down the road in Irvine, California. The trip took just under two hours and the truck carrying the building fondly referred to as "Taco Bell Numero Uno" crept down the highway at a snail's pace of 24 miles per hour (via Irvine Weekly).

Plans are in motion to renovate the space to make it look the same way that it did in its glory days and advertise it as a visitor's attraction — but sadly, no, you cannot eat there any more.