There’s a new trophy in QSR town, and it’s admission into Taco Bell Corporate’s just-launched Founders’ Club! To become a member of this exclusive group, Taco Bell restaurants must achieve 62 consecutive days of positive, year-over-year transaction growth. 

At first glance, 62 consecutive days might seem like a bit of a random number. However, it’s actually a reference to 1962, the year that Taco Bell was founded. “These restaurants are making history, just like the brand did — so “62” is an homage to that,” Kasey Baeza, Border’s Director of Operations, says.

We’re excited to share that since it was first rolled out just a few months ago, 27 of Border Foods’ Taco Bells have officially achieved Founders’ Club status!

[This achievement] shows that the team is engaged and invested in taking care of each other so they can then take care of customers.

Kasey Baeza, Border Foods Director of Operations

ROOKIE-FRIENDLY RECOGNITION

The parameters of the Founders’ Club make it a really accessible goal for newer restaurants, Kasey says. For example, if a restaurant experienced significant change last year — like new ownership or a big construction project — then positive growth this year would be pretty feasible. In fact, many of the 27 Border restaurants that recently joined the club are either recent Border acquisitions or new builds.

EYES ON THE PRIZE

One of the main operation pillars presented at Border’s rally this year was transaction growth — so the fact that 27 of our restaurants have achieved exactly that is amazing! Rather than focusing on gaining new customers, Kasey shares that the Operations team challenged our restaurants to boost our incremental transactions instead.

“You can’t build a business on new customers. You have to build a business on loyal customers who come back to you,” Kasey says, adding that the team focused on transaction speed specifically to earn trust and, hopefully, gain new repeat customers!

MORE THAN BRAGGING RIGHTS

So, what’s the benefit of being in the Founders’ Club (besides bragging rights!)? As the team hits specific benchmarks on their way to the ultimate 62, they’re invited to enter a Bell Box raffle. Bell Boxes are packages from Taco Bell Corporate filled with unique Taco Bell swag. Some of our team members have already won Bell Boxes for their achievements!

We want to congratulate all 27 restaurants on this incredible honor. We can’t wait to see what they do next!

Out with the old, in with the new!

Every Taco Bell that’s been built since 2019 has been constructed in Taco Bell Corporate’s “Endeavor” design style. While Endeavor proved to be more modern than the mission-style buildings associated with the brand’s storied past, it’s high time for an upgrade.

That’s where Taco Bell Corporate’s latest design style, Kitchen X, comes in. 

OPEN. MODERN. SLEEK.

Kitchen X’s look is in stark contrast to the traditional fast-food restaurant layouts of the past. Usually, dining rooms are in the front and kitchens are in the back, tucked away from guest view. 

In Kitchen X layouts, these components will be completely rearranged. Upon entering one of these new Taco Bells, guests will find a dining room that runs the full length of the building. Additionally, thanks to more windows, the kitchen space of Kitchen X Taco Bells will be more open and visible to guests, both in the restaurant and drive-through. The entire experience will feel much more like fast-casual dining, and hopefully encourage customers to dine in more often!

Kitchen X will also include 24-hour lobby access and a streamlined layout for order pick-up. Zach Zelickson, our Vice President of Development, feels strongly that the new, bold style will help spearhead the next generation of fast food restaurant builds.

Kitchen X is a cleaner, more modern approach to fast-food restaurant design.

Zach Zelickson, VP of Development at Border Foods

BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER

As our VP of Development, Zach is responsible for sourcing and purchasing the locations where Border Foods restaurants are built. He works with each municipality, city or town to get the necessary building approvals and permits. 

Border’s Kitchen X locations — Rochester and Lakeville, MN — are both already home to Taco Bells, however, they were built according to earlier design styles. Given that the new, additional locations will now be built in the Kitchen X style, Zach will have to start the whole approval process over. He’ll work closely alongside key stakeholders from each town and Taco Bell Corporate to find design workarounds and material replacements whenever necessary. It’s quite the song and dance, but we’re confident he’ll find a way to make everyone happy!

COMING SOON

The Rochester and Lakeville restaurants are our first foray into the Kitchen X style. The new design isn’t approved nationally yet, but given our close great relationship with Taco Bell Corporate, they reached out to us to be the new style’s first “test.” 

We couldn’t be more honored to be chosen, and we’re so excited to deliver Taco Bell’s very best to guests in 2026!

Recently, select Taco Bells in our Minnesota market have taken the lead on a very exciting (and seasonally appropriate) project for Taco Bell corporate! The brand’s new Diablo Crispy Chicken Nuggets have been added to the menu of a few of Border’s Taco Bell menus, a process that Corporate calls a Rapid Innovation Test (RIT). 

The Diablo Crispy Chicken Nuggets feature bold flavors, a Taco Bell kick, and signature breading made with crunchy tortilla chips. It’s a totally Taco Bell-ified fried chicken experience!

BORDER’S GOT IT DOWN

This isn’t the first time that Taco Bell Corporate has tapped us to test out a new Taco Bell product. For years, we’ve been their go-to when it comes to giving our guests the latest and greatest in Live Más flavor. In fact, we were one of the first Taco Bell franchisees to begin serving potatoes – which has now become a key ingredient in many of the brand’s best-selling meals!

Ken Lund, a Director of Operations here at Border Foods, shares that there are a few reasons why Corporate continues to trust us with such an important responsibility. For one, our unique demographics and geography play a big role. But more than that, our teams are reliable, organized and efficient. Those qualities – plus our state-of-the-art technology – allow us to easily track how a product is doing and provide the test kitchen with the most accurate, actionable information.

Gay Demaree, another Border Foods Director of Operations, shares that a large part of hosting product tests is all the preparation that has to happen beforehand. Both Ken and Gay are responsible for making sure that our restaurants and teams can take on the challenge of making and serving the new product – in addition to everything else they’re doing. Each team member needs to be specially trained on how to prepare the new menu item and briefed on the recipe’s key qualities – just in case Taco Bell guests have any chicken-related questions!

Consumers like to have something new and different – I think that’s been part of Taco Bell’s success.

– Ken Lund, Director of Operations

While the operational tasks may seem like they’re a behind-the-scenes part of this whole process, they’re actually just as important as the consumer experience to Corporate. Thanks to our firsthand experience with the new menu item, we’re able to go back to the test kitchen team and give them vital feedback about the food’s operational requirements. If a product is too time consuming or confusing to make, it might be impossible to scale nationally.

Gay and Ken also share that after every market test, Corporate hosts a management round table. This gives both Assistant General Managers (AGMs) and Restaurant General Managers (RGMs) of participating restaurants the opportunity to provide feedback, too.

A TRUE TEAM EFFORT

Taco Bell Corporate also puts boots on the ground during market tests. Members of the brand’s test kitchen will visit Minnesota to try the Diablo Crispy Chicken Nuggets in-store themselves. While on site, they’ll also ask team members and guests for real-time taste reactions.

If, after all of that, these tasty chicken nuggets prove to be a success, it’s only just the beginning. The test kitchen team will go back to the drawing board to figure out the supply chain, launch timing, and a nationwide marketing plan. It’s safe to say that there’s a lot that goes into it!

WHAT GUESTS ARE ALREADY SAYING

Participating Taco Bells are already getting great feedback about the Diablo Crispy Chicken Nuggets. “My lips are tingly, but it’s a good burn!” said one guest, while another added: “This feels like Taco Bell is finally competing in the chicken nugget game, and they’re doing it right!”

Want to try the Diablo Crispy Chicken Nuggets for yourself? Visit one of our participating locations in Minnesota today:

This just in: Hudsonville, MI’s first Taco Bell is now open. This project is especially unique, because the new Taco Bell wasn’t built from the ground up. The building was formerly home to a Taco John’s that closed last year, so our team worked hard to Taco Bell-ify the space before its big reveal. 

Today, the location looks slightly different from our others, but Hudsonville residents have no need to worry: we’re still serving up the same world-class food that the Taco Bell brand is known for.

Hudsonville is a growing community, and the city has been investing in their surrounding businesses. We get to be a part of that growth.

Vince Bosscher, Chief Operations Officer

Teamwork Makes The Dream Work

In addition to completing some necessary upgrades, over the last few months, we’ve dedicated time to hiring and training the crew who is now serving the Hudsonville community. Over 30 team members spent time learning the ins and outs of the business at our surrounding Taco Bell locations. It’s hard work, but it’s been worth it — we wanted to give Hudsonville nothing but the best from day one!

”I’m most excited for the new jobs and careers we create,” Vince Bosscher, Border Foods Chief Operations Officer shares. “I started as a team member with Taco Bell 27 years ago when one was built near me.”

From team member to COO — now that’s a career worth aspiring to!

The Big Reveal

To celebrate the occasion, Hudsonville offered a special opening day promotion: the first 100 customers who visited the restaurant on Tuesday, October 7, received an exclusive Border Foods Golden Ticket. The Golden Ticket grants them two free tacos per week for an entire year!

We hope you’re hungry, Hudsonville!

This month, we break ground on the 100th Taco Bell restaurant in Minnesota, which will be located in Ramsey, MN.

“I’m excited to be a part of this monumental event,” says Chief Operations Officer (COO) Vince Bosscher. “I was here for our 200^th store, I was here when we added a store in our tenth state … now, to celebrate 100 restaurants in our hometown state of Minnesota — where it all began — is amazing!”

Vince shares that much of the satisfaction with this restaurant project comes from the fact that in adding a new location, our company gets to invest in more jobs and more people in the state “that has been so good to Border Foods.”

The Ramsey Taco Bell is scheduled to open this fall.

Minnesota Road Trip Anyone?

In honor of this latest company milestone, we’ve pulled together a fun way to get Taco Bell fans and their families involved! Hop in the car for a little summer road trip around the state to collect stamps from various Taco Bells throughout Minnesota.* Twenty stamps on your passport earns you a free commemorative t-shirt!

Get all the details on the summer passport challenge here. Note: You must download and print our “passport” to participate.

Ready to road trip? Let’s get going! 

*Border Foods’ passport challenge excludes the Marshall, MN Taco Bell.

If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to open a brand new Taco Bell restaurant, “Excited, nervous, a little tired,” is how Restaurant General Manager (RGM) Trey Moody summed up his feelings about the grand opening of Border Foods’ much anticipated Taco Bell in Williston, ND.

Supported by Border, Trey moved his wife and 4-year-old daughter from Bismarck, ND to Williston to pursue this career opportunity. It’s safe to say they’ve been welcomed with open arms. “Williston’s been waiting for a Taco Bell for 20-plus years,” Trey shares.

If you have Taco Bell gear on, you’re a celebrity in Williston.

Deb Fraser, Region Coach

Planning for Success

The Williston Taco Bell is currently surrounded by a fair amount of development, but Region Coach (RC) Deb Fraser wasn’t going to let a little roadwork get in the way of our Day One sales goals. She worked with the city to redirect traffic, ensure visible sign placement and open roads just for the occasion!

The result? We’re thrilled to share that Williston broke our opening day sales goal! The previous record was set by our Taco Bell Defy opening in June 2022!

In addition to directing traffic, we also brought in teams from North Dakota, Michigan and western Minnesota to help support sales on opening day. “Best of the best tacos serving this great town,” Deb says.

Williston has been so supportive of our new Taco Bell. – Deb Fraser, Region Coach

Deb Fraser, Region Coach

Warm Welcome

Not only has the city of Williston been waiting years for a Taco Bell, we’ve been waiting years to open one! This combined excitement made for a thrilling grand opening for everyone involved. “This town has been buzzing,” Deb says. “It’s been super fun.” 

This has been a long time coming for our community.

Brockelle Otte, President & CEO of Williston Area Chamber of Commerce.

And boy did this town turn out for tacos! Guests were lined up as early as 8 a.m. with some proudly showing off Taco Bell-themed tattoos!

Also in attendance was the President & CEO of the Williston Area Chamber of Commerce, Brockelle Otte. “There is a lot of excitement and hype for Taco Bell today,” she shares. 

Opening a new Taco Bell restaurant is about more than just bringing tacos to town. “It’s a great sign of economic growth,” says Brockelle. “It’s really signifying that Williston is on the ‘up and up’ and I’m excited to see it.”

Thanks for the kind reception, Williston! 

As the new year unfolds, there’s no better time to reflect on the stories that captivated us most in 2024. From remarkable team member journeys to inspiring community initiatives, each of these blog posts represents a chapter in the ongoing story of Border Foods. Here are our top 10 most-read articles from the past year, starting with the most popular!

1. Remodeling Season Revs Up

Read the full post

Border Foods launched into 2024 full throttle, rolling out fresh restaurant remodels that improved both efficiency and comfort. Discover how our updated store designs continue to elevate the guest experience and energize our teams.

2. A Golden Opportunity for GMs & ACs

Read the full post

From leadership conferences to professional development workshops, we offered our General Managers and Area Coaches countless ways to refine their skills. Get the inside scoop on why 2024 was a year of golden opportunities for our rising stars.

3. Area Coach Nicole Leads by Example

Read the full post

This inspiring feature on Area Coach Nicole shows how mentorship, encouragement, and leading from the front can spark team success. Learn what sets her approach apart and why her leadership style resonated with so many readers.

4. Always a Blast at Border’s BOTB

Read the full post

Border’s BOTB (Best of the Best) brought fun, flair, and friendly competition to the forefront this year. Revisit the most memorable moments and find out why this rewards trip earned a top spot on our blog leaderboard.

5. Growing Up With Taco Bell: Dominic’s Story

Read the full post

Dominic’s heartfelt tale of evolving from a wide-eyed new hire into a confident leader reminded us all that growth often happens when we least expect it. His personal journey is proof that with hard work and a supportive culture, any dream can become reality.

6. Ed Heskett Retires After 50 Years in QSR Industry

Read the full post

Few individuals leave as lasting an impression as Ed. After half a century shaping the quick-service world, his retirement celebration became a heartfelt tribute to service, friendship, and a career defined by passion and perseverance.

7. Volunteering in Our Communities

Read the full post

From local food drives to youth mentorship programs, our team gave back in a big way. This roundup of volunteer efforts highlighted the heart and generosity of our employees, showing that making a difference is as much a part of Border Foods as making great meals.

8. Maria Flores Continues Flourishing

Read the full post

In a year full of standout performances, Maria’s continued professional growth inspired many. Her commitment to learning, improving, and supporting her colleagues illustrates how true success is always a team effort.

9. Susy Leads by Example in Maple Grove

Read the full post

At our Maple Grove location, Susy’s leadership and enthusiasm set a new standard. Delve into how her focus on integrity, empathy, and understanding made an impact on her team and propelled her to the forefront of this year’s most read stories.

10. 2023: Another One for the Books

Read the full post

Before we took on 2024, this retrospective highlighted the achievements and milestones that positioned us for even greater success. Revisit the wins and lessons that made 2023 a springboard into a future filled with possibilities.