Rating: 
Summary: A tribute to tenacity
Review: This was an inspiring read to me. Glen Bell like Wendy's founder Dave Thomas did not have an easy childhood. Both developed and appreciated the values of hard work at an early age and this book shows that nice guys do finish first. While it is a very light fast read unlike a book about someone like Dr. Linus Pauling. This book teaches one that if you have an idea you should pursue it relentlessly and deal with everyone fairly as Glen did. Glen Bell never started out to be the richest or most famous person in the fast food business but he made major contributions to the industy with his ideas and simple honest values. While I continue to eat at upscale mexican restaurants frequently I do confess to eating at Taco Bell on a weekly basis. Thank you Glen Bell!
Rating: 
Summary: A great role model!
Review: When I was developing my business plan for my brokerage firm, I looked up various autobigraphies of others in the financial industry to get inside their head. One day I stumbled across this book. I was not convinced by the cover to read it, but I grabbed it anyway. Boy was I NOT disappointed!From reading Glen Bell's story I discovered a lot of trivia about the taco business, like Glen Bell's invention of the taco ;) But more importantly I took away five guiding points for my life and more importantly for my business. 1. Stay ultimately focused on your vision.
2. Keep expanding on your vision, as you grow so should it.
3. Don't be afraid to scream from the rooftops by promoting your business big.
4. Never let a little thing like money get in your way.
5. Those that can't see your vision, needn't be in your vision. Great book for entrepreneurs who think they have it bad and can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, its there, Glen Bell proves it.
Rating:
Summary: Well written and a great read
Review: Who knew? The founder of Taco Bell grew up in poverty, rode the rails during the Great Depression, and had dreams of founding his own theme park (which he eventually did, in Southern California - Bell Gardens.) Bell could have been a celebrity, but he's on the shy side. He never went to college, but ended up wealthy beyond his wildest dreams. Bell's Recipes for Success are the reason he succeeded, and would work for anyone. (For example: "It's tempting to blame circumstances for your problems, but it's a waste of time. Instead, reach inside yourself. You'll come up with ways to cope and take pride in meeting the challenge.") It's refreshing to read about a CEO who refused to compromise his ethics or step on people on his way up. Even Bell's competitors -- including founders of Del Taco and Wienerschnitzel -- recommend this book. Bell's biography details the founding of Taco Bell and the chain's early days, but it is NOT primarily a business book. If you want the nuts and bolts of building a fast-food business, read "Behind the Golden Arches" about McDonalds.
What "Taco Titan" IS, is a great read. It's the story of an ordinary guy who, against all odds, did extraordinary things. You're right there with Bell, back in the 1940s and '50s, watching him sweat his way through one seemingly insurmountable challenge right after another.
Memorable characters add depth and interest to Bell's story: The the first franchisee, who quit the LAPD because his store took off. Bell's first wife, who insisted Mexican food was a waste of time. An early partner who happened to be Bing Crosby's son. Even Mac and Dick McDonald make a cameo appearance. But the best character is Bell himself, the former hobo who, after he sold Taco Bell, bought an antique railway (complete with several steam engines) and turned it into a family fun park. Bell's biography is encouraging, inspiring and entertaining. It gives a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of a little known slice of American culinary history. And although "Taco Titan" is not a how-to book, it's a must-read for anyone starting out in business, because it's about what REALLY counts: a CEO's character, ethics and never-quit attitude.
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