Taco Bell Sends Top Employees to Hawaii—But Not Everyone’s Celebrating

Mike White, I’ve got a pitch for you. In the next season of White Lotus, we follow the top-performing employees of Taco Bell on their week-long business retreat to Maui, Hawaii, where general store managers and corporate head honchos coalesce to discuss quarterly goals, debate the true meaning of liv mas, and of course, ignore the impending call of class consciousness until one person, typically an innocent, dies. 

Videos by Sporked

Kidding, Mike. Your show is fictional. Taco Bell’s employee retreat to Hawaii is very real. 

And it’s not the stage for a psychological horror, tragicomedy, or whatever genre White Lotus calls itself. This is actually a pretty cool perk of working at Taco Bell. It’s called the annual “Golden Bell” awards, and it recognizes the top 150 general managers in what’s considered both an awards show and a management retreat. 

Look, a week-long retreat to Hawaii is no joke. I have personally applied to many jobs for way less perks. And if you, like me, are wondering if they have to just attend conferences the whole time… well, I did some digging, and the answer is no. They plan excursions, relaxation time, celebratory gatherings for all the attendees, alongside business conferences. 

Plus, GM’s typically receive a raise when their Taco Bell becomes a top-performing location. 

It’s cool that General Managers get a raise AND a trip to Hawaii for their hard work. What about the regular restaurant employees? Do they get anything for improving their location?

Oh, well you’ll be pleased to know that while the General Managers spend their week in Hawaii, the restaurant employees also get something, too!! Drum roll please…

They get more work! Isn’t that fun?

I’m just reading the Reddit threads here, people. Obviously, the restaurants have to cover for their GM’s absence, which is expected. But from what I can see, it doesn’t seem like Taco Bell’s crew members are awarded anything other than the odd tote bag or merch item that some stores occasionally get. They certainly don’t seem to get a raise. 

Sorry, Taco Bell. This is definitely not the puff piece you wanted. I’m too radicalized for that. I would love to be wrong, though. If you work at Taco Bell and have insider knowledge that goes against what I’m seeing online, tell me! I’m all ears.