Historic Taco Bell with distinctive look shuts down after practically 60 years
A historic Bay Area Taco Bell known for its standout architecture has shuttered after more than half a century in operation.
The Mexican-inspired fast-food chain location on Mount Diablo Boulevard in Lafayette shut its doors for good on Tuesday, FOX 2 reported.
The coveted eatery opened in 1968 and instantly became a local staple for its snappy service of burritos and tacos – which only cost a fraction of a dollar at the time.
It was one of the last sites of the California-based franchise with its original mission-style design.
The late 19th and early 20th century style, also known as Mission Revival, is characterized by its earthy tones, arched windows, tile roofing and smooth, stucco walls.
There are more than 8,000 Taco Bells in the US and beyond, with only six mission-style Taco Bells thought to be remaining.
Its first spot opened in 1962 in Downey and was founded by World War II veteran Glen Bell.
That location closed in 1986, but the structure itself was moved to the company’s Irvine headquarters in 2015 to avoid demolition.
The Mexican-inspired fast-food chain location in Lafayette, California, on Mount Diablo Boulevard shut its doors for good on Tuesday
Patrons are seen eating at the mission-styled Taco Bell is seen above in 1973
Nicknamed ‘Numero Uno,’ the 400-square-foot building was actually removed from its foundation and trucked 45 miles to Irvine.
Rumors about the Lafayette location closing had been circulating for months before the site shut down.
Locals had been rushing to the restaurant for a final chance to get a bite to eat and bask in the nostalgia.
‘One last visit to Taco Bell in Lafayette, which is closing at stores in early January 2026. Not our favorite food, but we had to do it just for the sake of memories,’ one local gushed on Facebook in late December.
‘This is this one of two restaurants left in Lafayette since we were kids in the 70s. When they opened a taco was only $.19.’
‘That building has been looking “perpetually old” since we were kids, and honestly, that was part of its charm,’ another patron posted on January 1.
He continued reminiscing: ‘Burritos were 75 cents. Tacos were 50 cents. Even if you were broke, you could scrape together enough change for a burrito with your friends.
‘If you had some extra pocket change, you could drop it in the catch-the-change water game thingy they had on the counter.
In 1973, food options at the location were only a fraction of a dollar
‘No drive-through meant you actually had to go inside. You’d stand in line, watch them make your food, and end up chatting with whoever was next to you. It was just… different. More human, I guess?
‘Late-night eats, after-school hangs, cheap bean burritos that honestly slapped, if you grew up here, this place was just part of the background of your life.’
The Lafayette Historic Society also addressed its closure, declaring it ‘the end of an era – and a good story to go with it.’
According to the Lafayette Historic Society, this Taco Bell was tied to a local urban legend – stealing the bell.
Hordes of high schoolers throughout the 1980s and 1990s would dare their friends to climb the building to reach the roof to steal the bell on top.
Teens snatched the iconic bell so frequently that the staple was taken down and replaced with a neon Taco Bell sign, according to the local group.
‘One way or another – and there are plenty of stories – the bell disappeared shortly after, and the legend was born,’ the society wrote.
‘Today, the original bell is long gone, replaced by a plastic, illuminated version. Sleek. Safe. Unstealable. But ask anyone who grew up in Lafayette back then, and they’ll tell you: once upon a time, a few daring Dons pulled off the Great Taco Bell Bell Heist.’
