Category: Taco Bell
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From Burritos to Boulders: Area 12’s Fearless Leader
Meet Melanie Brun, an Area Coach (AC) here at Desert de Oro Foods (DDO)! Melanie oversees Area 12 in Region 3, and over the course of her career, she’s held a variety of positions. This wide-ranging QSR experience means that Melanie understands firsthand the challenges that her direct reports face every day — making her
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Best of the Bell: DDO Celebrates Top Performing Restaurants & Leaders
Gold never looked so good! We’re proud to showcase our 2025 Golden Bell winners, which includes those Taco Bells that have also simultaneously reached Signature Restaurant status. For 2025, 136 Desert de Oro Foods (DDO) Taco Bells were named Signature Restaurants! Golden Bell celebrates the nation’s top restaurants in the Taco Bell system, along with
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Meet MaElena, Modeling Perseverance, Leadership & Strength
“How far I’ve come, the little girl from Mexico,” MaElena Garcia says while acknowledging she needs celebrate herself more. Now a reputable leader at Desert de Oro Foods (DDO) as a Taco Bell Area Coach (AC), we celebrate the full life she’s created here! MaElena moved to the United States in 1996 at the age
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Selene Quintana Leads with Purpose
Selene Quintana never planned on building a career in restaurants. At 16, she walked into a Taco Bell looking for a job that would support her dream of becoming a nurse. She wanted to help people. That first visit didn’t go as planned – the manager was busy and turned her away. Flustered but determined,
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DDO Expands Taco Bell Presence in East Phoenix
We’ve just acquired three additional Taco Bells in our backyard! These newest locations are in Globe, Thatcher, and Claypool, AZ. According to VP of Operations Fred Bendel it was exciting to be selected for this acquisition, given the locations are in our home state and a market area where we have an experienced, tenured Area
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RGM Trevon Wright is on the Right Track!
For Restaurant General Manager (RGM) Trevon Wright, the sky’s the limit! As RGM of our Taco Bell Cantina in Phoenix, AZ, Trevon’s Taco Bell journey began at just 16 years old in Dallas, TX. After relocating to Arizona in 2022, he joined the Desert de Oro Foods (DDO) family, earning his promotion to RGM in
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Troy VanWinkle Talks Mentorship & Motivation
When it comes to tacos, Area Coach (AC) Troy VanWinkle is a seasoned pro. Before joining Desert de Oro (DDO) almost five years ago, the father of three worked at another corporate taco chain for close to three decades! Troy has been an incredible addition to our team, and we couldn’t be more grateful for
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Leading with Attitude & Effort: Area Coach Lindsey Henry
There’s a special feeling you get when speaking with someone who’s been with Desert de Oro Foods (DDO) for a number of years. The dedication and loyalty is undeniable. That level of commitment is generated from a belief in the principles our mission statement fosters: to be the restaurants our guests desire and the company
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Bianca Sandoval on Simply Seeing What Happens
Bianca Sandoval’s stellar career with Desert de Oro Foods (DDO) began when she simply noticed a Taco Bell in her neighborhood. She didn’t know anything about DDO at the time, but decided to apply for a Restaurant General Manager (RGM) position and thought, let’s see what happens. Well, a career happened! Bianca officially joined the
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A Warm Welcome for Ymunie Webster
While Ymunie Webster is no stranger to Taco Bell, she’s still getting to know Desert de Oro Foods (DDO). The Food and Service Champion recently joined our Phoenix, AZ Taco Bell team — but was previously employed at a different Taco Bell in Dallas, TX. We sat down with Ymunie to learn more about her