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Senior Area Coach Chris Castellanos knows leadership is not just a title, it’s a behavior. We caught up with him recently at our annual Leadership Summit in Las Vegas, NV!
Chris has been with Diversified Restaurant Group (DRG) for nearly seven years, first joining us as an Area Coach (AC) in 2018. During his three years as an AC in California, Chris oversaw the Freeman area, followed by the Bay Area, before being promoted to Senior AC of Northern San Francisco.
“My favorite thing about DRG is [that] we’re a people company with accountability.” – Chris Castellanos, Senior AC
During his time here, Chris has attended five of our Leadership Summits, which means he has a lot of learnings to share! Chris says each of the guest speakers bring new tools for leaders to have in their toolkit year after year. He views his Senior AC role as being the middle man between corporate and our teams working in the restaurants.
“Every time I come here, I come with a purpose of learning something new so I can bring it to my team,” he shares.
Chris’ No. 1 piece of advice for his peers is to be patient. “Trust the process,” he says. “Learn as much as you can, ask questions and … always be willing to learn new things.”
One thing you can count on at DRG is a lot of innovation! Chris recently experienced this firsthand with the opening of our Ghost Kitchen concept! It’s the only ghost kitchen location within the Taco Bell portfolio. “That’s what we do in DRG,” Chris proudly shares.
If you want to be part of dynamic team on the rise, consider joining us!
Beginning on the luckiest day of the year, March 17, 2025, DRG leaders gathered together for three days of bold ideas, cutting-edge innovation and dynamic leadership to shape the future! As we celebrate another year of extraordinary growth and transformation, we set our sights on new horizons and limitless possibilities. Together, we’re an unstoppable force, driving progress and setting new standards of excellence!
The future starts here at DRG!
GENERAL MANAGERS OF THE YEAR
Alanna Wendt, Kansas City
Estefania Ortiz, So. California
Freddy Lopez, DRG Meats
Maribel Damian, Nevada
Teresa Marin, No. California
CANTINA GENERAL MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Yaritza Navarro
AREA COACH OF THE YEAR
Albert Green
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS OF THE YEAR
Bob Ploughe
MARKET TRAINING MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Erika Saucedo
FIELD SUPPORT PERSON OF THE YEAR
Jasmin Taletovic
SUPPORT CENTER PERSON OF THE YEAR
Brittany McPherson
GEORGE PSAROS HELPING HAND AWARD
Lorenzo Ogas
CEO AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
Shane Grant
Kansas City
Layla Awo
No. California
Alicia Perez
Carlos Portillo
Carolina Brandau
Ramneet Kaur
Sam Chima
So. California
Paola Heredia
DRG Meats
Alma Perez
Kansas City
Chantal Childress
Frank Arnold, Jr.
Jennifer Guthrie
Sandra Arellano
Victoria Shephard
Nevada
Allison Warner
Elias Gonzalez
Darren Espy
Denise Mcadow
Mario Gonzalez
No. California
Bryan Hermoza
Hermenegi Gille
Maria Lopez
Pedro Favela
So. California
Edgar Jimenez
Florentino Rodriguez
Jesus Alcantara
Juanita Zermeno
Kevin Park
Lucy Curtis
Vilma Carranza
Matt Caruso
IMPACT PLAYERS
Anne Jacinto, DRG Meats
Antonio Gurrola Alvarez, Nevada
Ernesto Figueroa, So. California
Giovanni Saligan-Munoz, No. California
Tony Morgan, Kansas City
Christie Glaeser
Click here for the full listing.
Congratulations to this year’s Core Value Award winners, a special group that embodies all that we are, as one dynamic DRG. If it’s all about the company we keep, then at DRG, we keep good company! These individuals lead with integrity and authenticity, and show up ready to have fun every single day. Thank you!
Laury Ketcham, Restaurant Support Center
Brandon Taylor, Nevada
Heather Hironaka, Restaurant Support Center
Debbie King, Nevada
Laura Fuentes, DRG Meats, Nevada
Sara Schneider, Restaurant Support Center
Lily Romero, So. California
Matt Coult, Kansas City
Mely Canizalez, Restaurant Support Center
Angelica Chavez, No. California
Teresa Jimenez, So. California
Leona Guerrero, Kansas City
Damian Carney, Nevada
Stephanie Howard, No. California
Sofia Hernandez, Restaurant Support Center
The spring season calls for a little glow-up! The Pacifica Taco Bell Cantina, famous for its breathtaking ocean views and dubbed the world’s most beautiful Taco Bell, has unveiled a fresh new interior designed to elevate the guest experience with an indoor-outdoor bar and expanded patio seating. Plus, guests can experience an all-new drink menu. Operated by Diversified Restaurant Group (DRG), one of the largest Taco Bell franchisees with over 350 locations, this beloved beachfront Cantina, located at 5200 CA-1, Pacifica, CA, will host a Grand Re-Opening celebration on April 4th from 5pm to 9pm and the whole community is invited. Guests can enjoy a special evening of free tacos, giveaways and drinks against a sunset backdrop on the beach.
“We take great pride in owning one of the most iconic Taco Bell locations in the world,” said SG Ellison, President & CEO of Diversified Restaurant Group.
“At DRG, we are committed to always innovating and consistently delivering unique dining experiences that exceed expectations. With these upgrades, we’re enhancing the Pacifica Cantina, bringing together stunning ocean views with Taco Bell favorites, an elevated drink menu, and improved convenience. The result is a destination where guests can enjoy an experience that they’ll want to return to again and again.”
The remodel will introduce a new indoor and outdoor bar, allowing guests to enjoy a variety of beverages while taking in the restaurant’s signature oceanfront views. Additionally, a second walk-up ordering window will be added at the front of the restaurant to improve order efficiency, while the existing pickup window at the rear will remain available. The restaurant’s patio area will also be redesigned with new furniture and outdoor heaters, ensuring year-round comfort for guests dining al fresco.
To celebrate the remodel, the Pacifica Cantina will debut a refreshed drink menu featuring an expanded selection of cocktails, Twisted Freezes, and more. Guests can enjoy new Twisted Freeze flavors, a curated margarita lineup, including Strawberry, Tropical, Peach, Original Lime, and a Spicy Margarita made with muddled jalapeños and Ghost Pepper Tequila. The menu also features handcrafted cocktails that complement the restaurant’s coastal vibe.
In addition to these new offerings, the Cantina will continue serving ice-cold beer and other alcoholic beverages, available to guests 21 and older. The countdown to the newly renovated Pacifica Taco Bell Cantina Re-Opening Celebration has begun! DRG is excited to give guests a look at the new Taco Bell experience that awaits them.
Diversified Restaurant Group is a restaurant business comprised of owners and operators working to innovate and grow with quick service and fast casual brands across the country. What started as a limited partnership in a 30-unit Taco Bell franchise in 2012, has since grown into a 350+ unit, multi-brand QSR operation with restaurants in Nevada, California, Kansas, Missouri and Alaska.
Meet our Benefits Manager Brittany McPherson. She started working at a Taco Bell in 2010 at age 16 (under previous ownership) and today, manages DRG’s entire benefits department!
What does Brittany say about her early beginnings and eventual switch from the restaurant scene to the office?
“With continuous growth, you get to work many positions and gain so much knowledge,” she shares, which is not always the case with other employers, according to her.
Working in a Taco Bell restaurant was Brittany’s first job. She eventually became an Assistant General Manager (AGM) and next thing she knew, was running her own restaurant. In 2015, DRG acquired Brittany’s location as part of a major acquisition — 63 Taco Bells in Nevada. According to Brittany, she’d just started transitioning over to office work prior to the ownership change, and was in the middle of splitting her time between restaurant management and receptionist duties for the previous owner.
She remembers it as an exciting time! Outside of work, Brittany and her partner had just welcomed their son two weeks prior to the acquisition.
“I had the truly amazing experience of watching DRG become DRG.” – Brittany McPherson, Benefits Manager
For the most part, Brittany recalls that time as being very much “business as usual,” even with new faces around.
A promising career with DRG took off! She started at the front desk fielding phone calls; then dabbled in payroll; and eventually found herself handling payroll, benefits and loss prevention for all of our entities for several years! In 2021, she became responsible for benefits only. She says she’s grateful to DRG for having allowed her such tremendous growth.
“I was blessed to be here from the very beginning,” she says.
Today, Brittany has the pleasure of directly impacting the lives of all of our employees from team members on up in our restaurants to office staff and the Executive Team at the Restaurant Support Center (RSC) in Las Vegas, NV. She exhibits a genuine passion for helping DRG people and “making their lives as easy as possible.”
“My home is benefits. I truly enjoy finding things that positively impact our employees’ lives.” – Brittany McPherson, Benefits Manager
Brittany proudly shares of a recent win with health insurance. “This is a really exciting year because we were able to change vendors [and] offer top-market coverage,” she says. “More people are accepting coverage because it’s better and more affordable.” In some instances, she says, DRG team members are now paying a third of what they used to!
As an “ever growing, ever evolving company,” Brittany says her team’s goal on behalf of DRG is to be as innovative and open-minded as possible. After all, DRG benefits need to remain relevant — “one shoe doesn’t fit all.”
“In our department, we want to break out of the standard … what else is there?” she asks. Newer benefit offerings she mentions include the launch of a wellness newsletter and pet insurance. Last fall, for the first time in company history, DRG had paid office position internships.
“I’m excited for the continuous growth DRG has because with their growth, comes my team’s growth: what we’ll be offering, [adding] more people,” she explains.
And grow we will! In addition to continuing to be a leader in quick service innovation with the introduction of new concepts like the Live Más Cafe and Arby’s Food Truck, new cantinas, and more!
Ernesto Figueroa has been Restaurant General Manager (RGM) at the same Chula Vista, CA Taco Bell on H Street for seven years. He became employed by DRG in 2023, when we acquired 25 Taco Bells in the San Diego area that included his location.
Today, his Taco Bell has been transformed into our first ever Live Más Café, a brand new Taco Bell concept where a smattering of exciting beverages don’t just complement our menu items, they steal the show!
“It’s like another restaurant inside of a restaurant,” Ernesto tries to explain. He gushes about the new dining room, “The colors are amazing! Once you open the door, you feel something.”
Ernesto still appears to be in a little disbelief about the whole transformation. “I never imagined it would be how it is,” he says. A restaurant as fresh and colorful as our drinks!
“I’m going to be part of the history of Taco Bell!” – Ernesto Figueroa, RGM
Ernesto remembers when SG Ellison, our CEO and President, casually stopped in to talk to him about the new concept: Did Ernesto think his location was a good choice?
Chula Vista definitely had potential! Ernesto describes the surrounding area as a nice, quiet neighborhood. It boasts excellent foot traffic with a local high school and Southwestern College’s largest campus nearby. Ernesto’s location was perfect for the first-time concept.
The dining room of Ernesto’s Taco Bell had just undergone a remodel a year ago per Taco Bell franchise agreement terms, which caused some confusion among customers. Once café construction began, regulars wondered why in the world was the dining room closed again?
During the interior refresh, Ernesto and his team had to serve guests exclusively through the drive-thru for a couple of months. He said that while the community remained in the dark, he was witnessing most of the transformation as it happened. For him, the excitement started building when the new equipment arrived.
DRG’s Live Más Café officially opened in early December, attracting several hundred people throughout its first day. According to Ernesto, his team sold over 800 drinks. It’s safe to say the specialty beverage craze is catching on! Check out this extensive drinks menu!
Every Saturday, after 11 am, the café is packed with teenagers. “That’s something different than before,” Ernesto says.
The most popular drinks so far are the Mexican Chocolate Churro Chiller and Mexican Mocha Iced Coffee (Ernesto likes the Cinnavanilla Coffee Churro Chiller even though he doesn’t like coffee). Come taste for yourselves:
Taco Bell Live Más Café
1548 E. H Street
Chula Vista, CA
Open daily 7 a.m. to 3 a.m.
At DRG, we know a thing or two about going for gold, which is why we’re so happy to introduce these Golden Bell winners who represent our Taco Bell business so proudly. This crew is officially part of a very exclusive club — the top 200+ Best of the Best Restaurant General Managers and Area Coaches. Their hard work will be rewarded with a celebratory trip to Hawaii! Congratulations to this amazing group.
Bryan Hermoza – #30796 San Carlos, CA
Darren Espy – #32366 Las Vegas, NV
Franklin Arnold Jr. – #37172 Bethony, MO
Jennifer Guthrie – #41986 Gardner, KS
Yaritza Navarro – #40763 Newport Beach, CA
Elsy Perez is a Market Training Manager (MTM) for our Taco Bell in Las Vegas, NV. With nine years under her belt, she has a lot to say about DRG and her role in the company!
Originally a California native, Elsy moved to Las Vegas in the pursuit of opportunity. And she soon found it with us! Before being promoted to the MTM position, Elsy also worked as a Restaurant General Manager (RGM).
“My experience at DRG has been wonderful. It has opened up many doors and allowed me to live a good life.” – Elsy Perez, Market Training Manager
Elsy applied for the MTM role at the encouragement of a co-worker, and says she’s found positive energy to be a consistent presence during her time with us. “I appreciate the hospitality I receive,” she shares. “Everyone is so kind and welcoming.”
One word Elsy uses to define the current status of her career is “content.” That’s not to say there aren’t challenging days, as anyone who works in the quick service space can attest. “It’s easy to stay motivated due to the people I work with,” Elsy says. “They remind me why I do this.”
“DRG has treated me good [all] these years. I enjoy the work and the people I get to work with.” – Elsy Perez, Market Training Manager
Because Elsy has received so much career support over the years, she enjoys paying it forward to members of her team as well. “My favorite part of the job is having a trainee get to the point where they are successful without my help,” she shares.
Ely’s motto is “The most effective way to do it, is to do it.” And one thing she’s made a concerted effort to do — aside from training successful teams — is to maintain a good work-life balance, the key to assuring career longevity.
And growth is the goal for Elsy! She aims to continue to learn and improve in the MTM role, with plans to keep climbing our career ladder along the way! “I would love to earn the Golden Bell award,” she confesses. Go for it, Elsy!
We’re celebrating Mario Tapia Gonzalez’s recent promotion to Area Coach (AC) in our Las Vegas, NV market! A hard worker with a love of triple espressos and a penchant quoting the fictional Michael Scott from “The Office” AND real-life rapper Drake, Mario brings fantastic energy to the job each day.
A longtime Las Vegas resident, Mario has been with DRG since 2014 and in that time has worn many different hats at Taco Bell. He joined as a Food Champion before climbing the ranks to Shift Lead, Assistant General Manager (AGM), Restaurant General Manager (RGM) and Market Training Manager (MTM), before his AC promotion.
Mario is currently responsible for overseeing six of our Taco Bell restaurants. What’s the key to his success? Caffeine! And, of course, a positive attitude. “It’s just a hard day not a hard life,” is Mario’s mantra for getting through busy seasons.
Family also inspires Mario to work hard. “I wouldn’t be where I am without their support,” he shares. Mario has found family at DRG as well. “I feel at home,” he says of his place with us.
“Little did I know, Taco Bell would turn into a career which I’m very grateful for.” – Mario Tapia Gonzalez, Area Coach
Unofficially, one of Mario’s favorite parts of the job is the free tacos, but more importantly, he says, “Seeing people grow personally and professionally [is] the most rewarding feeling.”
Mario’s advice to other people in the business is to get comfortable being uncomfortable. “Taking risks and getting out of our comfort zone will foster growth,” he assures.
“I have the opportunity to help others every day. Who wouldn’t want to keep working in an environment like that?” – Mario Tapia Gonzalez, Area Coach
When he’s not inventing off-the-cuff menu specialties like “twist fries” (Cinnamon Twists with French fry seasoning), Mario is making big plans for his restaurants in 2025: securing Signature Status. Mario, we’re confident your hard work will make us the best on the block!
Get ready to quench your thirst! We’re proud to announce the opening of Taco Bell’s new beverage concept — Live Más Café in San Diego, CA.
As a leader for trailblazing new concepts like voice AI ordering, an all-digital drive-thru and our growing portfolio of Taco Bell Cantinas, we’re thrilled to be given the opportunity to partner with Taco Bell on this exciting new café experience.
“Live Más Café is a bold new chapter in our journey of innovation.” – S.G. Ellison, CEO & President, in Nation’s Restaurant News.
“Bellristas” will be serving up fan-favorite specialty drinks like Chillers, Agua Refrescas, coffee and more. Along with all of the traditional Taco Bell menu items our guests love. The café is open daily from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m.
We saw an amazing turnout at our grand opening with 500 locals. Guests loved the drinks and cozy atmosphere. We’re confident this positive reaction from the community is a sign of sweet things to come! A bright (and delicious) new future for DRG!
