Nearly five years ago, Ryan Manders started working at Taco Bell in Alexandria, MN as a team member. Today, he’s leading our Border Foods Taco Bell in Moorhead, MN as General Manager (GM), helping develop future leaders while pursuing his own goals.
Ryan’s journey hasn’t followed a straight line, but that’s exactly what makes it a Border Foods success story!
Starting with a Plan
When Ryan joined Border Foods, he wasn’t just looking for a paycheck.
At the time, he was attending Alexandria Technical & Community College, studying accounting and business management. His long-term vision included working in finance, analytics or payroll, ideally within the Border Foods organization.
“I love finance – anything to do with numbers or analytics,” he says.
As he balanced work and school, Ryan moved from team member to trainer, then Shift Leader and Assistant General Manager (AGM). Eventually, the demands of college led him to step back from management responsibilities to focus on earning his degree.
But Border Foods remained part of his future!
Unexpected Opportunity
After graduation, Ryan began searching for a job in his field. When those opportunities didn’t materialize, a conversation with his Taco Bell Area Coach changed everything. A job opportunity had opened in Moorhead!
Ryan accepted the challenge and relocated in May 2025. Although he arrived with AGM experience, the move quickly turned into something bigger: an opportunity to become GM.
The restaurant wasn’t where he wanted it to be when he arrived, and that motivated him even more.
“I wanted to bring it from red to green as best I could,” he says. “Hire the right people, put them in the right positions, train them, develop them and make sure my store was running well for the community.”
Learning to Lead
As Ryan approaches his first anniversary as GM, one lesson stands above the rest: Success starts with people. For Ryan, leadership means creating an environment where everyone can succeed.
Training and development didn’t come naturally at first. Like many leaders, Ryan had to learn how to coach others while continuing to improve himself. Over the last year, that growth has become one of his biggest areas of focus.
Building More Than a Team
What motivates Ryan most isn’t paperwork, scheduling or reports – it’s being on the line with his team.
He loves the energy of a busy rush, encouraging team members to move quickly and celebrating wins together. He uses those moments to build relationships.
Whether he’s asking about school, hobbies or future goals, he sees every shift as an opportunity to connect.
“We’re getting orders out, but we’re also talking about what’s going on in their lives,” he says.
Many of his team members are working their first jobs. For Ryan, it’s an opportunity to make a lasting impact. Instead of focusing only on restaurant skills, he teaches lessons that apply beyond Taco Bell.
“I’m trying to make sure they understand what they’ll need in the real world and in the workforce,” he says. “These skills don’t just apply here. They’ll apply to everything in the future.”
Looking Ahead
While Ryan’s proud of the progress his restaurant has made, he’s already thinking about what’s next.
His immediate goal is to become a Market Training Manager (MTM). Before moving into an office role someday, he wants to help develop future restaurant leaders and build one of the area’s first training stores. To get there, he knows the work starts with his team.
“Becoming an MTM isn’t just me being good,” he explains. “I have to make my team good.”
That mindset reflects the leadership philosophy he’s developed throughout his Border Foods journey: When your people grow, your restaurant grows too.
The Border Foods Difference
For nearly five years, Border Foods has provided opportunities for Ryan to learn, grow and advance. Every step has reinforced his belief that investing in people matters.
Whether he’s coaching a high school student through their first job, working toward becoming a training store, or dreaming about a future role in analytics and finance, one thing remains constant – Ryan’s commitment to helping others succeed along the way!
