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- We visited Taco Bell's headquarters where employees get to try new menu items before anyone else does
- We visited Taco Bell's headquarters where employees get to try new menu items before anyone else does
We visited Taco Bell's headquarters where employees get to try new menu items before anyone else does
Taco Bell's headquarters are located in Irvine, California, at 1 Glen Bell Way — a road named after the chain's founder and namesake, Glen Bell.
Located just an hour outside of Los Angeles, Taco Bell HQ has become a magnet for social media influencers.
Taco Bell invites influencers with huge social reach to come and try new items and share photos with their followers.
When I arrived, Taco Bell was ready for me. In the spacious lobby there was a large welcome screen displaying my name.
Once inside, there are markers of Taco Bell pride everywhere. There's a timeline, charting the chain's evolution from a single location to a fast-food icon.
The packaging has certainly transformed since the '60s.
Who can forget Taco Bell's famous chihuahua, who rose to fame in the '90s?
For Taco Bell employees who work in communications and social media, the workday begins in the "fishbowl," which is essential the Situation Room of Taco Bell HQ. The room features large screens that display all the news of the day.
In addition to combing through social media for all mentions of Taco Bell, every morning the team meets to read through any coverage of the brand that was published in the last 24 hours.
For others, the day starts in the test kitchen, which is a mix between an auditorium and a fully functioning Taco Bell kitchen.
With a constant cycle of new menu items, Taco Bell's culinary teams are always working to develop new ideas.
I visited the day before Taco Bell began testing the Naked Breakfast Taco. In the kitchen, I watched chief food innovation officer Liz Matthews take the fried egg shell and fill it with ground beef and guac — a true window into how the Taco Bell sausage gets made.
Even employees who aren't on the culinary team play a role in developing Taco Bell's menu. Everyone is encouraged to participate in taste tests held in the headquarters.
Test items are slid through a slot in the wall and employees answer a series of questions on the screen about the food.
Members of Taco Bell's social and advertising teams have perhaps the coolest meeting place in the office: the Boom Boom Room.
Taco Bell's marketing team draws inspiration from two creative icons: Dolly Parton and founder Glen Bell (portrayed in an abstract painting).
For employees who truly can't get enough Taco Bell, there is a Taco Bell location in the headquarter's cafeteria.
I came at lunchtime and it was clear that many employees can't get enough Taco Bell. There was a sizable line of people waiting to try the new Loaded Taco Burrito.
The cafeteria has other options as well, including salads, stir fry, and burgers.
There's also a stand selling Taco Bell merch — including bikinis.
The headquarters also have some more traditional perks, like this entertainment room.
There are little Taco Bell-specific touches everywhere you look.
There's also a gym to work off the calories from all those tacos.
Plus, a childcare center — which employees tell me is in high demand, with a sizable waitlist.
On the way out, I notice one final Taco Bell touch — super-sized hot sauce packets in the elevator. From top to bottom, the fast-food headquarters are like nowhere else in the world.
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