Taco Bell is an institution in America, but we’re seeing the end of an era: The restaurant chain’s longest-standing brick and mortar location is going to close forever.
The Scottsdale, Ariz. Taco Bell is one of the oldest standing mission-style locations, which is basically a nod to the throwback Taco Bell cantina-style ones from way back in the day.
It was also running 24 hours a day when it wrapped up shop.
The New York Post reports that the location, better known to Taco Bell associates as “Store No. 31,” opened up in the 1960s and just served its last taco on April 12, 2025.
That’s right about the age of retirement here in America, so it only makes sense to let this tired horse rest. The reason for the store’s closing is to build a bigger, newer and better Taco Bell, directly across the street from where this one sits.
This location is so old school that it only had three tables to sit at inside if you wanted to dine in, and the drive-thru was quite a tight squeeze for cars. That must have been difficult back in the ’60s and ’70s as cars were the size of small boats back then.
We headed over to Reddit, where Taco Bell has a strong presence among members.
One person says, “I decided to go through the drive-thru again a month ago for the first time in at least a decade after hearing it would be closing.”
Fans are also suggesting the building should be brought to the Smithsonian Museum to be forever cherished.
“Stopped by to eat in one last time today,” one more fan writes. “Couldn’t see this place close down without one last visit.”
R.I.P. Store No. 31.
