Sean Tresvant worked at Nike for 15 years, eventually climbing to CMO of the Jordan Brand. In his time at the popular shoe company, he engaged with the most passionate fans he’s ever seen.
That’s until he joined Taco Bell.
Tresvant quickly discovered the Mexican chain is a completely different animal in terms of customer rabidness and cult-following. Several fans approach him at events and reminisce about how they dined at their local store every Friday night or pepper him with questions about what food items will return to the menu.
“The passion, the energy, the love people feel with Taco Bell is truly, truly unbelievable,” says Tresvant, who started as chief brand officer in December 2021 and moved up to CEO in January.
The brand’s gravitational pull is fueled by a culture of not settling and taking big swings. It’s a standard upheld by everyone at the restaurant support center in California, from the marketing and digital teams to the food innovation and operational leaders.
“We have an amazing team of marketers. We have an amazing agency roster that all work together,” Tresvant says. “And when you’re thinking about the next thing and keeping fans interested in breaking through, if you don’t have the culture to take big swings, if you don’t have the ‘all for one’ mentality of your agencies, and if you don’t have the ability to, ‘Hey, that idea is good, but it’s not great, but that idea is great, but it’s not awesome,’ if you don’t have that culture, you’ll settle. And what I love about the team is we don’t settle, and I’m not just talking marketing. When you think about our food team, if you think about Street Chalupas or Baja Blast or Cheez-It, I mean, these are some breakthrough, incredibly innovative products.”

Coming from Nike, Tresvant has always understood two key principles—serving consumers through multiple brand experiences and evoking an emotional response through storytelling. Taco Bell is no stranger to either of these philosophies. The company opened 2024 with its first-ever Live Más Live event in Las Vegas during Super Bowl week. The chain essentially put a firehouse up to the mouths of customers and hit them with several pieces of new and returning menu innovations. In 2023, Taco Bell found time to liberate “Taco Tuesday” from its trademark, and for many years, it’s built relevancy with its “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” promotion during the World Series.
Taco Bell isn’t interested in any move that won’t hold an intriguing place in the zeitgeist. It’s targeting the “cultural rebel”—a subset of Gen Z that’s psychologically pushing culture forward. The tone of the menu, social media posts, and other experiences are built for this particular guest who serves as an aspiration to all.
“We want to make sure we put consumers front and center and we surround that consumer through insights, whether it’s qualitative insights, quantitative insights with great menu items and great consumer experiences, whether that’s in the drive-thru, whether that’s at the kiosk with great franchisee partnership and with great team members,” Tresvant says.
Following the Customer
Taco Bell has disrupted the restaurant industry for 62 years, and Tresvant plans on continuing that legacy.
“We’re going to do it for the cultural rebel,” he says. “So an Apple keynote event where we unveil our menu called Live Más Live—that’s not necessarily a [quick-service restaurant] thing. That’s just a great brand thing. Like how do you get your menu out in a new and disruptive way for that Gen Z cultural crowd who’s streaming or on social media?”
International CMO Amy Durini says her team begins every conversation with the thought of, “We have to go out and build a taco world.” Taco Bell does this by taking a fan-first approach. The brand sees what’s happening with its customers and anchors itself in their preferences and culture. The group digs into local insights to understand what’s going on in the market.
The chain does indeed explore “culture,” but that can be a vast term, says Durini. So Taco Bell breaks it into specific areas like music, fashion, and sports. For example, the U.S. segment has a long history with music and Feed the Beat, a program that’s helped support thousands of artists and bands for close to 20 years. This year, Taco Bell is piloting the initiative internationally for the first time in the U.K. It recently launched with High Vis—an English rock band—by using one of its songs in a Cravings Burrito commercial.

“It was a really fun moment for us to say, ‘Hey, this is something that is from the U.S., but we can hyper-localize it with local bands,’” Durini says. “And so it’s a really fun way to say, ‘Hey, we have this program, but this makes a lot of sense.’ We’re actually also about to do it in Australia. And so it’s a really nice way for us to have a universal language across our markets, but in a customized way for local culture.”
Durini says good ideas can come from anywhere and adds that Taco Bell’s most impactful marketing campaigns are often inspired by fans. This fact is true for both U.S. and international markets. Durini cites the “Taco Zone” campaign during the World Cup as an example. Recognizing soccer’s immense global popularity, the chain created a promotion where goals scored within the penalty arc, which resembles a taco, triggered a taco giveaway. The idea originated from the Latin America marketing team and was implemented in multiple markets.
When it comes to menu offerings, the brand incorporates market learnings with what it calls the “Taco Bell Twist,” which involves adding a unique Taco Bell element to all of its products while remaining open to pushing boundaries. Durini says tacos themselves are a novel and rebellious choice in many international markets, making the chain’s core food items a new option for many consumers. At the same time, the company embraces localization, allowing each trade area to innovate with local flavors, like the Lomo Saltado Burrito in Peru, Paneer Chalupa Taco in India, and Kimchi Quesadilla in South Korea. Additionally, Taco Bell engages in creative partnerships, such as its collaboration in Australia to create a Vegemite Taco.
Taco Bell’s constant work with marketing and menu feeds directly into its growing digital prowess. In Q4, the Mexican concept saw a record 31 percent digital mix, up 7 percentage points year-over-year. A major driver of that was kiosks, which saw its sales mix rise 15 points compared to Q4 2023. Active loyalty users increased 17 percent in 2023.
Chief digital and technology officer Dane Mathews believes having a loyalty program is table stakes in the restaurant industry; he compares it to having essential kitchen equipment in the back of house. He notes that the true strength of Taco Bell’s program lies in its members, who actively engage with and promote it. The executive mentions how Taco Bell allows members to vote on bringing back menu items and provides them early access to products.
“It’s the members that make our loyalty program really grow and sing because they sing its praises,” Mathews explains.
Mathews also emphasizes the program’s relevance, stating that Taco Bell is deeply integrated into culture and conversation. He points to the success of “Taco Tuesdays,” when the company offers special deals, exclusive merchandise, and sometimes event tickets. This initiative has significantly boosted app traffic and loyalty sign-ups and transformed Tuesday into the highest traffic-driving day of the week, surpassing even the weekends.
While many marketing professionals discuss the importance of targeted promotions in today’s time, Mathews questions the use of the term “personalization.” He thinks what consumers actually seek is more control over their experiences. He clarifies that control means presenting relevant options upfront while not overwhelming guests with constant suggestions.
“I want some control,” Mathews says. “I don’t want to be bombarded with pop-ups all over the place. … I don’t want things personalized. I just want things that are relevant to me.”
The increase in digital orders is good for business, but it can also be an extra burden for team members who are dealing with seven distinct ordering channels. Mathews says Taco Bell is working with automation to address these challenges, and by that, he means removing mundane tasks from employees’ daily routines instead of replacing bodies. The goal is to free up time for workers to have meaningful interactions with customers.

Mathews says AI can help with Taco Bell’s meal choices as well. The highly customizable menu offers numerous opportunities for discovery, and he thinks AI could play a powerful role in helping guests find and enjoy their favorite combinations. Additionally, he envisions the technology connecting different food communities, such as vegetarians, vegans, and spicy food enthusiasts. Taco Bell reported during its Q1 earnings call that it has been testing voice AI at five restaurants in California. It expanded that pilot to 30 stores based on positive feedback.
“Thinking about our business, we need to ease the workload of our team members and make their jobs easier,” Mathews says.
International Headwinds
Tresvant is early into his tenure as CEO, but there have already been plenty of wins.
In the first quarter, the chain’s U.S. market outperformed the industry with 2 percent same-store sales growth and delivered an industry-leading margin. That rise in comp lapped a 9 percent increase in Q1 2023. The company put itself at the center of the cultural conversation by focusing on a magic formula of building brand buzz, providing value, and expanding into new categories. For instance, early into the first quarter, the brand launched a new Cravings Value Menu featuring 10 items priced under $3. Guests responded; nearly one-third of transactions contained an item off of this menu and 80 percent of those orders had at least one other item added. That translated to a nearly 10 percent lift in average check compared to non-Cravings Value Menu checks.
Taco Bell finished the first quarter with 7,423 U.S. stores, making it the fourth-largest quick-service restaurant in the country when it comes to systemwide sales.
“I told people when I started, sometimes when you’re in it, you don’t realize how powerful a brand you have with consumers,” Tresvant says. “And I always felt from the food to the content to the mystique, it’s a very, very powerful brand.”
Tresvant is ot only tasked with fanning the flames in Taco Bell’s U.S. market but also amplifying the chain’s international presence, an area where admittedly “We’ve got some work to do.” He’s confident the company has the strategy and team in place to become a truly global brand.
He’s backed by experienced management, like Scott Mezvinsky, who serves as the chain’s North America and international president and has been with Yum! Brands for 20 years. To him, the biggest driver of growth is taking care of unit economics for franchisees. That’s the same mindset in every country and part of the world—if operators are making good money, they’ll build restaurants. Taco Bell’s international whitespace is one of Yum!’s largest opportunities, Mezvinsky says.
“The U.S. has a long history, and will continue to be great,” the industry veteran says. “We’re going to continue to make it great. But one of the things that I think has been a challenge for us as Taco Bell is how we make the brand successful outside the U.S. And so we’re spending a lot of time thinking through that and putting a lot of effort against that.”
There have been international success stories. Taco Bell has spent decades establishing flags in places like Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico (U.S. territory) with superior franchise partners. Additionally, as of early May, Spain was up to 150 stores and the U.K. and India were north of 100 restaurants. After surpassing 1,000 international outlets for the first time in 2023, Taco Bell finished Q1 with 1,132 stores outside the U.S. System sales for this group rose 6 percent in the quarter.
Mezvinsky points out two things to watch with international expansion. The first is properly bottling the power of the U.S. business—which has an edge to it—and selling it overseas. The other part is choosing the right markets where Taco Bell will be successful. The chain takes much inspiration from sister brands KFC and Pizza Hut, two brands that have a much more mature international footprint.
Mezvinsky took on international responsibilities less than a year ago, but he’s already been encouraged by the number of operators showing interest in the brand. He says there’s more demand for Taco Bell outside of the U.S. than he had originally thought.
Another key unlock is building awareness around Mexican cuisine, according to Tresvant.
“We have to make sure we have great category awareness of what Mexican cuisine is all about. What a taco, burrito, nachos is all about because Mexican cuisine is not very developed internationally,” the CEO says. “Once you get the cuisine awareness internationally, what’s the brand awareness? What makes Taco Bell very special? And that’s kind of the brand soul, the brand magic to the deliciousness of a taco at its core. We have to make sure that people understand Taco Bell is about this creative magical brand and that has been really, really, really successful in the U.S. How do we make that successful internationally? And then third, fundamentally, make sure we have the right franchisees and make sure we’re in the right markets.”
In the U.S., Taco Bell’s huge consumer following has been boosted by eye-catching store designs, whether it’s the wedding chapel in Las Vegas, Defy concept in Minnesota with two stories and four drive-thru lanes, or the Pacifica, California, unit that’s on a beach. Mezvinsky says the chain’s approach to store design is fueled by consumers. He notes that in the U.S., the focus is heavily on drive-thru options due to the strong drive-thru culture. However, in urban areas like New York City, where freestanding drive-thru locations aren’t feasible, Taco Bell adapts with street locations and focuses on pickup and delivery.


He also explains that the brand uses a global design team, so the same people crafting restaurants in the U.S. are designing stores in India, the U.K. and other overseas markets. According to Mezvinsky, drive-thru culture is less prevalent outside the U.S. A Taco Bell in Madrid operates with no indoor seating, only kiosks, and a patio—catering to the local consumer behavior. Mezvinsky suggests that such international design solutions could be adapted to U.S. cities with similar urban dynamics, like Washington, D.C., but would be less applicable to areas with a strong drive-thru component, such as Birmingham, Alabama.
This global perspective allows Taco Bell to draw from a diverse portfolio of prototypes to meet specific guest demands across different regions.
When the company builds restaurants, the core question is “How are we solving consumer problems?” Tresvant says.
“If you think about Cantinas, consumers don’t only want to buy brands, they want to experience brands, and Cantinas give them a little bit of an experience,” Tresvant says. “ … That’s one way we solve consumer problems. Other ways like Defy is how are we digital-forward and fast? Think about the Defy, it’s drive-thru. It’s QR code. It’s innovative. Think about other things—smaller footprints in maybe more concentrated parts of the city will have walk-up vestibules because we know we probably don’t need a bigger dining room. We know consumers are on the go and you need to serve them pretty quickly through a walk-up window or vestibule. So at the end of the day for us, we want to be digital-forward. But most importantly, our restaurants are built to serve and give consumers the best experience possible.”
Franchise Foundation
Taco Bell’s strength as a franchisor has been repeatedly recognized by the franchise community. The brand has topped the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 for four years in a row. In 2020, it was ranked No. 2.
Tresvant says the company’s secret sauce is the relationship between the restaurant support center and operators. The two sides have the same goals and want the same things. It doesn’t mean Taco Bell and its franchisees agree on everything, but it shows they can talk through matters and come to an alignment.
“We don’t always have to be right. The franchisee doesn’t have to be all right,” he says. “As long as we’re doing it in the best interests of the consumer and the team member, then we win.”
Mezvinsky says the key is mutual listening. He describes the relationship as a two-way street where both parties benefit from understanding and collaborating. He adds that acting as a unified system is more beneficial than internal disagreements, as it directs energy toward external competition and attracting more consumers.
He acknowledges though that healthy debates with franchisees can be productive and bring the brand forward.
“Franchisees help push us, and it’s actually good when we disagree sometimes,” Mezvinsky says, using the example of the Defy restaurant, an idea that originated from a franchisee. Similarly, many Cantina restaurants have been driven by franchisee initiatives. He also notes that good ideas come from anywhere and that Taco Bell has shown a willingness to learn from all suggestions.
The franchisees, in combination with Taco Bell’s continuous work around marketing, digital efforts, and global growth, fuel Tresvant’s optimism for the brand’s future.
“At the end of the day, if we can’t have fun working at Taco Bell, I’m not sure what we’re doing,” Tresvant says. “So we’re going to be a growth brand. We’re going to be digital-forward, we’re going to take some big swings, but for sure, we’re going to have some fun while we do it.”