We’re catching up with rising star, Anthony Damato, a Market Training Manager (MTM) at Desert De Oro Foods (DDO) who had the honor of attending our first ever Estrellas De Oro reward trip to Los Cabos, Mexico! Anthony joined DDO Taco Bell as a 16 year-old kid looking to earn some gas money. “Here I am eight years later and I’m pretty happy!” he shares.
“DDO takes care of their people and they like to build great things.” – Anthony Damato, Market Training Manager
Anthony started as a Food Champion. You might think someone who’s found such success with the company was a natural, but Anthony admits it was a bit of a rocky start. Fortunately, he received encouragement and motivation, and eventually got the hang of things.
He recognized the opportunity for growth early on, and appreciates the DDO culture. “They’re ethical, they’re passionate and they’re committed,” he says. “At the end of the day, they look out for us.”
Management Material
Once he turned 18, Anthony was eligible for management and the potential for a career in quick service was born. “I graduated high school and hopped into the workforce with Taco Bell right away,” he says. That meant a promotion to Shift Lead, which was known for being challenging but allowed Anthony to expand his skills and knowledge. “I felt pretty confident in my abilities,” he shares.
Anthony was initially passed over for a promotion to Restaurant General Manager (RGM) but didn’t let the setback sideline him. “I stuck through it. I worked hard,” he says. Dedication paid off! At 20 years old, Anthony was promoted to RGM where he oversaw a team of 40.
“In this company, the amount of knowledge they’ve taught me, and provided me has taken me a long way,” he says. “It opened up a lot of life skills for me.”
“I’ve never felt stagnate in this company.” – Anthony Damato, Market Training Manager
Being invited on the reward trip was a true marker of Anthony’s hard work and success. He asserts he didn’t get here alone, and says his team deserves to be rewarded too. He had the pleasure of taking his brother along on the trip, which he shares meant an awful lot to him.
Consistency & Confidence are Key
Anthony encourages others on the team to be consistent and stay the course. “Just when you want to quit, you can’t. You have to keep going,” he says. “It might not be instant gratification, but I promise you, you can get there.”
Having been with Taco Bell since his teens, Anthony is a big advocate for hiring kids and accommodating their busy schedules. “They’re really the core group of my restaurant,” he says.
As for his career plans, “I’m confident in my future here,” Anthony says. “I would love to make an impact in this company.” Anthony, you already have!