“Halloween is huge at Taco Bell. I remember our department winning the costume contest three years in a row. We even did a technology department–wide talent show one year where we re-enacted the circus scene from The Greatest Showman, which included us ‘launching’ someone from our leadership team out of a cannon. Halloween was the best time ever.”
While Andrew may have helped take home the trophy during Taco Bell’s legendary Halloween celebrations, his journey to The Bell started long before that.
Andrew grew up in Southern California and earned his undergraduate degree in Network Engineering. After graduation, he found himself working as a server at a resort in Laguna Beach. It was there that he met someone with a connection to the IT department at Taco Bell. One conversation led to another, he submitted his resume, went through the interview process — and was hired within a week.
That was 15 years ago.
“I started on the Service Desk as a contractor working the 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift, helping restaurants with their tech issues,” he says. “I was promoted shortly after. Around that time, I started a two-year MBA program with an emphasis on Cybersecurity and was able to take advantage of a tuition-assistance program the company offered.”
Not long after, he was tasked with helping transition technologies to the Service Desk. That opportunity and completing his MBA moved him from the Service Desk into an Associate Manager role on the data management team. He later stepped into a position running front-of-house restaurant services and development technologies, expanding his scope even further.
Then came 2019. Taco Bell was accelerating into the digital space. Andrew was asked to step in, identify pain points, and help stabilize the experience as the business evolved. That work eventually led him to overseeing menu experiences from a technology perspective, ensuring that marketing, operations, franchisees, and technology teams were aligned, while also delivering the best possible user experience during launches.
“Now, as a subject-matter expert on the tech menu side, I sit in on a lot of meetings with cross-functional partners to talk through how the menu comes to life,” Andrew explains. “Whether it’s adding a new feature to improve the technology or making sure franchisees feel supported throughout menu changes, those are the types of projects I get to work on.”
Fifteen years at Taco Bell have been nothing short of an incredible journey – but growth has also meant navigating tough decisions.
“I remember when I was asked to join an internal squad to help support the business in a different way,” he recalls. “It was a hard decision because I loved my current role– and I loved the new opportunity being presented. I talked to a lot of people at Taco Bell to get their advice. At the same time, I had to look at my personal life. I’m a dad, and I wanted to maintain that balance. So, I looked at my accomplishments and saw they were finally coming to fruition. So, I decided to continue down that path– and that decision has led me to where I am today.”
Throughout his career, mentorship and culture have played a major role in his growth at The Bell.
“The people here really embrace the culture and want to help ensure the business is successful,” he says. “When I was in my MBA program, I had a marketing paper due about sharing a marketing strategy. I was able to schedule 30 minutes with someone from the marketing leadership team and he gave me a full breakdown of the Doritos® Locos Tacos launch, which is what my paper ended up being about. It was so cool because almost everyone here wants to help you. The culture at Taco Bell is one where you can talk to anyone and they will help.”
Looking ahead, Andrew hopes his legacy isn’t defined by projects or launches, but by people.
“I don’t want my legacy to be that I was great at launching projects or experiences. I’d rather be remembered for how I treated people– with the respect I’d hope they’d treat me with. That we worked hard for each other. That the people I led knew I had their backs and that I put them first– their thoughts, their feelings– before just accomplishing a goal.”
For those interested in working at Taco Bell or interested in an IT career, Andrew suggests the following:
“When you’re first starting out, take on new things and always say yes. I wasn’t just a ‘yes’ person to be a yes person — I did it because I wanted to learn and grow. Be willing to take on new challenges, maybe work a few extra hours, coordinate with your coach, and expand your skillset. Tech has so many different areas. It’s not about what you already know, it’s about what you’re willing to learn.”
After all, the role he stepped into 15 years ago looks nothing like the one he leads today, and that evolution started with a willingness to raise his hand.