Pup 'N' Taco

by Pup 'N' Taco

1966 – 1984 GONE FOREVER

Gone since the 1984 sale, when the stores became Taco Bells. The 1956 and 1965 founding dates found online are uncited; the earliest sworn use of the name, on its trademark, is April 5, 1966.

Last verified Nov 8, 2026

Southern California drive-ups that sold tacos and hot dogs — the 'pups' — side by side. There were about 50 by 1972 and 62 by early 1973, and by the 1980s the chain's real treasure was its street corners.

🧾 One more thingTaco Bell bought 99 Pup 'N' Taco outlets for about $50 million in November 1984 and said plainly it was after the locations. The Wall Street Journal pointed to Southern California's inflated property prices.

Filed under: Fast Food · the ’70s & earlier

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📅 Timeline

1966The earliest sworn use of the Pup 'N' Taco name, according to its trademark filing, was April 5.
1968Pup 'N' Taco Drive Up of Inglewood registered its service mark with California and filed federally.
1972The chain had about 50 drive-ups.
1973The count reached 62.
1984Taco Bell agreed in November to buy 99 Pup 'N' Taco outlets for about $50 million.

❓ People also ask

What happened to Pup 'N' Taco?

Taco Bell, then owned by PepsiCo, bought 99 of its Southern California restaurants for about $50 million in November 1984 and converted them.

Why did Taco Bell buy Pup 'N' Taco?

For the real estate. Taco Bell said the locations made the chain attractive, and the Wall Street Journal tied the sale to Southern California's inflated property prices.

🧾 Sources

USPTO TSDR, PUP 'N' TACO service mark record (serial 72304119) (1968)
Los Angeles Times, Taco Bell to Buy 99 Pup 'n' Taco Outlets: $50-Million Sale (1984)
California State Archives / Google Arts & Culture, Pup n' Taco, Inglewood — California Secretary of State service mark records (1968)
Wikipedia, Pup 'N' Taco (2026)

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