At the start of summer, Taco Bell Corp. collaborated with Cheez-It® for two new limited time menu items: The Cheez-It® Tostada and the Cheez-It® Crunchwrap Supreme. It’s no doubt that this iconic collaboration quickly became a fan-favorite across the nation. However, it was Franchisee Deepak Patel’s Restaurant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (#029331 ) that took their passion a step further and broke... (or should we say cracked?!) the record for most Cheez-It® items sold in one day.
“When we first heard about the Cheez-It® collaboration, we were super excited because all of us already loved Cheez-It crackers. Especially after doing a taste test, we knew our customers would love this unique collaboration. So, when the time came to make and sell them, we tapped into our love for both products to make it a fun time,” said Taco Bell Team Member Veronica A.
So, how did they do it? You could say it was a mix of great communication, friendly competition and pure love for the product.
Restaurant General Manager Tahmina T. said, “Our restaurant’s culture is all about teamwork, dedication, and a shared passion for giving our customers the best. So, when Cheez-It® was announced, the team’s coordination and excitement about the product was key to our success. Everyone worked together to make sure every customer had a great experience and left with a Cheez-It® item.”
Restaurant #029331’s Shift Leads, Yahsir H., Micheal Z. and Destiny S., were at the forefront of getting the team hyped for this limited-time menu launch. They took the lead in educating the team about the product and motivated everyone with their enthusiasm fueled by love for the collab. From setting up friendly competitions to boost sales, to sharing their personal connections tied to the items with interested customers, their dedication and leadership efforts were crucial to the restaurant’s success.
Although most of the team was familiar with this product as they had been eating it since childhood, not everyone was. Taco Bell Team Member Kasmir S. had never tried Cheez-It® crackers before, but when the time came to learn about the product during trainings, his spirits were lifted by his coworker’s energies surrounding this collaboration.
“Even though I had never tried a Cheez-It® cracker, I had a lot of fun experimenting with the best ways to prepare and present the Cheez-It® items. It even turned into a friendly competition among us to see who could serve the best and most Cheez-It® items the fastest. It was different from our usual routine and created a creative and exciting atmosphere.”
Looking back at the team’s success, Tahmina is looking forward to continuing the momentum with all future Taco Bell products.
“This experience has not only boosted our sales but also strengthened our team spirit. We’re hoping to do something similar for all our products because the energy and commitment from the team were truly inspiring.”