Roger J. Wendell
Defending 3.8 Billion Years of Organic EvolutionSM
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Pup 'N' Taco Photos from Friends!
In late 2002 I posted a couple pictures of my great uncle's former business, Pup 'N' Taco, and was surprised at the number of customers who wrote to say how much they missed the food! So, I've created these pages as a kind of memento of the family business... |
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Pup 'N Taco was a chain of restaurants, started by my great uncle Russ Wendell, that eventually spread form Los Angeles to Albuquerque and Denver. In 1985 nearly the entire chain, of about 100 restaurants, was sold to Taco Bell with the exception of the three in Albuquerque. Those three remaining stores, owned by another great uncle, slightly changed their name from "Pup" to "Pop" but pretty much continued offering the same great menu items (their famously delicious and inexpensive tacos, burritos, and hot dogs) that were my family's tradition at all the other locations. Finally, those last three stores were eventually shut down or sold. While passing through Albuquerque, during the Spring of 2014, I encountered the surveyors you see in this video taking measurements either in preparation for razing the building or remodeling it. This particular store was located on the corner of Edith Blvd and Central Avenue (Route 66), just a few blocks east of Interstate 25. I hope to return again someday, soon, to see what actually happened after the surveyors completed their work... |
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My Main Pup 'N' Taco page |
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Pup 'N' Taco Letters |
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Pup 'N' Taco Employee Manual on YouTube! |
Mike Moreland's collection
In March '07 Mike sent me these great shots of his own family's involvement in Pup 'N'Taco. His
mom and dad managed a store and had the sad duty of closing it after the Taco Bell buy-out.
Nevertheless, it appears his parents handled the situation really well as these pictures show
them cheerfully handing out one of the last orders or being photographed with a friend...Thanks Mike!
 Mike's parents |
 Larry Moreland and ? |
 Serving the last orders... |
 Working at the steam table |
 Fullerton store being razed |
 Getting married! |
Note: In the fourth photo Mike's dad is working at what we called the "steam table." This was actually an interesting device used by Pup 'N' Taco from the very beginning. Heated by natural gas, the steam table was filled with a few inches of water so that a uniform curtain of steam or hot water vapor engulfed all of the pans and containers holding beans, meat, and other items requiring constant temperature. The steam table was very healthful in that it not only kept food hot and tasty, but free from bacteria and pathogens as well!!Mike also wrote me about that fourth photo, saying, "After business on the last day, my dad brought me up to the store to help clean out the equipment. One of the PNT officers was there - not sure if it was Russ. He gave me that Coke clock hanging on the back wall for helping out." I like that story but am still wondering why they weren't using an R.C. Cola clock at that time!! - Roger
 Pup 'N' Taco locations (circa 1984) |
Hello Roger,
I was a huge Pup N Taco fan. It took about 6 years after you closed before I ever went to a Taco Bell again. I would go to PNT almost every day at lunch as there was one less than a block from my high school. Had to have the grape slush. Anyway, I actually saved an ad that has your locations from the last year you were open. The coupons that were attached are gone (used I imagine). I found this when I came across a box of things that I had saved when I was a kid. I made it small so it all fit. I hope you can enlarge it to see all the locations. If not, I can scan it in pieces for you. If you even need me to give it, you have my permission to post it on the website and use my name. Thank you for some great memories with your website.
Joel Singer |
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In January, 2006 Jeremy Goodell sent me these great pix of him and his friends eating my favorite food. Jeremy wrote, "I used to live in Redondo Beach, CA. On New Year's Eve, 1984, a bunch of my friends came over (former fraternity brothers from Pi Kappa Alpha at U.C. Berkeley) and we went to a party thrown by someone I worked with. Everyone crashed at my place and the next day (New Year's Day), we all sat around my apartment eating fast food and watching Bowl Games. Pup 'n Taco on Artesia was one of our stops, as you can see from these photos. I am not sure why I was wearing such short shorts in this photo, and I haven't worn a shirt that tight in about 15 years. MAN THAT TACO LOOKS GOOD!" |
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Debbie Newberg Mullen provided these three photos from the Fountain Valley, California Pup 'N' Taco in 1971. Two of the photos were taken by Debbie, herself, while she doesn't recall who took the one of her and Frank. All three photos were taken with a 126 camera and then scanned, 30+ years later, for your viewing pleasure! |
 Frank and Debbie |
 Steve and Dennis |
 Frank and Sandy |
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Phil Johnson, of Liverpool, England provided these four items from his own Pup 'N' Taco employment experience, circa 1977: |
 Booklet Cover |
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 Employee Booklet |
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 Somebody's pay stub... |
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 Ingredients |
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Yet another example of that great baseball style Pup 'N' Taco cap! Here's me wearing it in November, 1980 (when I was 25 years old) while holding my son when he was just 4 months old... |
Back to my Pup 'N' Taco main page...
Back to my Pup 'N' Taco Letters page...
Back to Roger J. Wendell's Home Page...
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