Take a boat, hop on a train, take a plane.
America’s “favorite” Taco Bell has some of the most valuable real estate in the state of California – a prime oceanfront location in a San Francisco suburb, so close to the beach that some customers even come in barefoot after a morning of surfing.
Located in the town of Pacifica, the restaurant features an elegant nautical theme with white walls, vaulted ceilings, walls of windows for breathtaking views and a fireplace for chilly days.
There’s also a popular patio overlooking the beach – the perfect spot for an affordable beer, which the restaurant, a “cantina” of the chain, serves along with a selection of alcoholic treats.
The otherwise run-of-the-mill location has won so many fans that it earned the title of “Best in the Country,” according to Fast Company, which analyzed nationwide reviews to determine the chain’s five best (and most feared) locations.
Using Google Maps, the researchers evaluated thousands of locations, calculated the average score and then weighted it to level the playing field, since some restaurants have far more reviews than others.
The Pacifica ‘Bell performed best with an average rating of 4.42 out of 5 and 3,400 Google reviews, winning the grand prize.
“Officially the most beautiful Taco Bell in the world! A wonderful stop for travelers,” wrote one satisfied customer on the website.
“I couldn’t believe the view. We sat on the balcony and watched the surfers. Coolest Taco Bell ever,” raved another.
Yelp rates the restaurant much lower with 3.5 out of 5 points and 690 reviews, but many of them are also enthusiastic.
“It’s an honor to simply stop by the most beautiful Taco Bell in the world…you can’t beat the prime beach location and scenic views – especially with a taco and a beer in hand,” said one local customer.
Of the top five locations, three were in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley – fans literally had to “run to the border.” Just minutes from Mexico, Taco Bells in Harlingen, Brownsville and McAllen earned some of the highest ratings in the country.
And who finally made the top 5? According to Fast Company, a Taco Bell in Union City, NJ, just across the Hudson River from NYC.
“It’s very nice to go to a place where you are treated with respect and people are hospitable to others,” said one burrito lover of the service at the shop on JFK Boulevard.
The article also named the five worst Taco Bell locations in the country using the same criteria.
The locations targeted were Hanover Park (Illinois), Cincinnati (Ohio) and Deltona (Florida), as well as two branches in upstate New York, one in Buffalo and the other in Queensbury, just outside Glens Falls.
Taco Bell was founded in 1962 in Downey, California, by Glen Bell, who had previously had success selling his version of the crispy tacos he liked at a restaurant called Mitla Cafe in San Bernardino, California, which still exists today.
The restaurant has recently been in the news for reintroducing nostalgic menu items like ’80s Meximelts, ’90s gorditas and the Caramel Apple Empanada, a ’00s favorite.
