Neal Baker, R.I.P.

I've mentioned before about growing up in the City of Fast Food and how even two people from the small community of Muscoy where I grew up were the founders of two fast food chains. Well, we lost one of them last week. Here is his obituary by Michael Sorba of the San Bernardino Sun Telegram:

Neal T. Baker, founder of the Baker's Drive-Thru fast-food restaurant chain, died at his Redlands home Saturday at age 84.

Baker pioneered the "twin-kitchen" concept, opening his first Baker's Burgers restaurant in 1952 at Highland and Genevieve avenues in San Bernardino. It offered burgers at one window and Mexican food at another.

"If people wanted both, they had to wait in line twice," Baker said, laughing, as he spoke during a meeting of the San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society last year. "I got a lot of guff over that."

Today, Neal T. Baker Enterprises, the restaurant chain's parent company, operates 36 Baker's drive-through restaurants in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

Baker went to high school with and was a friend of Glen Bell, who founded Bell's Hamburgers in San Bernardino, which eventually evolved into the Taco Bell franchise.

Baker and Bell got the idea to start their restaurants while marveling at the crowds standing in line to buy hamburgers at the first McDonald's restaurant at 14th and E streets in San Bernardino.

"Glen (Bell) and I would take our wives down there and just watch," said Baker in a 2006 interview. "One of those times, Glen told me, `I'm going to start a hamburger stand.' I said, `You don't know anything about hamburgers!"'

According to Baker, Bell replied, "I know, but you're going to help me build my first restaurant."

Bell opened his first Bell's Hamburgers in March 1948 at the corner of Oak Street and Mount Vernon Avenue in San Bernardino. The tiny stand, hand-built by Bell and Baker, was the first in a succession of fast-food restaurants that evolved into the multibillion-dollar Taco Bell empire.

Baker was a recipient of Cal State San Bernardino's Arrowhead Distinguished Executive Officer award.

Other executives honored with the award include Jack H. Brown, Martin Matich, Evlyn Wilcox, Larry R. Sharp, William E. Leonard Sr. and D. Linn Wiley.

He was also known for his philanthropy, giving generously to various charities in the Inland Empire.

A private memorial service will be held Thursday at the University of Redlands Chapel.