Border Foods’ Region 7, which encompasses southwest Michigan, recently hosted Region Coach Dawn VanMaanen and Area Coaches Chris McElroy, Chelsea James, Edin Dedic and Logan Alderson for a review of restaurant operations and safety.
“We made sure to leave the stores better than when we had arrived.” -Logan Alderson, Area Coach
In total, our dedicated coaches toured 29 restaurant locations during what are known internally as Experience Shops — which happen anytime there’s a new product or promotion — and surprise quarterly Night Shops.
These visits are one important way we assure excellence from floor to ceiling within each of our Taco Bell restaurants.
So, What are Shops?
Shop visits are a team effort designed to confirm:
- Safety and product quality standards are being met;
- All team members are properly trained and aware of safety procedures;
- Restaurants are clean and well maintained;
- Operations are running smoothly;
- Promotional materials are posted to standard; and
- We experience firsthand what guests experience in each location.
Results & Opportunities
Using Border Foods’ core values as the framework for Region 7’s on-site evaluations, our team of coaches observed:
- Excellence in drive-thru service with no location slower than three minutes 50 seconds;
- Guests consistently welcomed like family;
- Integrity: Clean sight lines in the kitchen, as well as clean uniforms and proper use of hair nets; and
- Team members practicing teamwork with cleaning, securing Round Up donations at the register, and more.
Shop visits also offer opportunities for on-the-spot improvement and learning, so we share quick five-minute fixes wherever see a need for correction.
Excellence in Action
Aside from Experience Shops and Night Shops, how else does Border Foods assure excellence? Easy! We remain committed to:
- Cultivating and developing strong leaders to lead;
- Recognizing and rewarding our best so they love their work and inspire excellence in others;
- Operating award-winning Taco Bells that exceed standards; and
- Continuing to reinvest in existing restaurants through remodels and rebuilds.
