Taco Bell Folklore: The Automatic Taco Machine

A machine’s quest for a job at Taco Bell

On the second floor of Taco Bell’s Headquarters, behind a security clearance door, past the test kitchen, down a long hallway, through another security clearance door, in an engineering storage room sits one of the company’s biggest technology innovations. It’s called “The Automatic Taco Machine” and it will never see the light of day – at least, not again.

The year was 1992. Business was good. Tacos were selling like, well, tacos, and the demand was higher than ever. So much so, that the engineering team at Taco Bell Corporate looked for added help from technology to produce the delicious tacos we all know and love. After a year of planning, building and testing, the Automatic Taco Machine was born - capable of making 900 tacos an hour with the flip of a switch.

Starting with the tortilla, the Automatic Taco Machine would take the glorious tortilla on a 10 second journey through the most delicious, automatic assembly line you’ve ever seen. Stopping for seasoned beef, lettuce and cheese along the way, the taco’s journey ended with a perfect wrap as if it were a present.