Looks like our very own Elaine Johnson, Ashley Duncan and Eddie Carrillo (all Restaurant General Managers aka RGMs) had a great time at Golden Bell in Maui, Hawaii!
“This is a trip of a lifetime.”
-Eddie Carrillo, RGM
First-time winner Ashley — RGM of MRCO’s Beaver Dam, KY convenience store location — brought along daughter and fellow team member Carley Duncan, and both were simply awestruck.
“I don’t have words. It was surreal,” Ashley says. “They took care of every detail.”
Elaine of our LaGrange, GA Taco Bell and Eddie of our Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital location in Tennessee are both celebrated second-time winners.
Elaine invited her gregarious sister along and enjoyed many highlights: meeting Taco Bell’s new COO Jason Kidd, reconnecting with old colleagues and making new friends. The message from her team was that she can’t leave for that long again!
Equally grateful and awestruck, Eddie shared his lifetime experience with a special “plus three”: his husband, mother-in-law and husband’s aunt. “Sometimes we miss family meals and gatherings for the restaurant to be successful,” he shares. “I was very thankful to be able to bring some of them along to celebrate in the success.”
WORD ON THE BEACH
Golden Bell is part structured, part fun. One key event from the agenda was Taco Bell Corporate’s listening session with RGMs and Area Coaches, which gathers restaurant leaders’ feedback on best practices, areas for improvement, and rolling out new items and programs. Elaine says she thought, “Wow, Corporate is doing what MRCO has already done!”
Proud MRCO moment! As a company, we aim to be proactive in our collaboration with those who know our restaurants best inside and out!
Ashley’s favorite trip highlight was the award ceremony, which she called “the most epic moment.”
“It felt really great to be noticed and recognized.”
-Ashley Duncan, RGM
For Eddie, the trip provided an unforgettable “bucket list” moment, allowing him to see Hawaii’s coral firsthand. “I got so excited, I jumped in, clothes and all!” he confesses.
THE GOLDEN BELL EFFECT
But Golden Bell isn’t just about winning or picking up a few best practices. These high performing managers know they couldn’t qualify without having hard working teams back home. They look forward to bringing fresh energy back to their restaurants.
“It makes you want to come back and challenge your people.”
– Elaine Johnson, RGM
Ashley says it doesn’t take much to inspire her crew. Hats off to her for bringing back swag! The team was thrilled to get new Taco Bell baseball hats upgraded with the signature status logo. “They love the bragging rights … little bitty Beaver Dam did that!”
For those aiming for gold, here’s some valuable advice:
- “You gotta work hard and you gotta want it. It doesn’t take one person to do it, you’ve got to have a team.”
– Ashley - “You have to believe in Taco Bell systems … because they DO work. You will grow and go in the right direction.”
– Elaine - “Strive for 5-star supreme ranking and coach and develop individuals to their full potential.” – Eddie
