Want a six-figure salary? Go work for Taco Bell.
The Irvine, Calif.-based Mexican fast-food chain is testing $100,000 salaries for managers in select markets in the Midwest, the company said Thursday. The company is testing whether the higher salaries can help it attract and retain more managers at a time when restaurant chains are combatting a workforce shortage.
Taco Bell will test the six-figure salary at company-owned locations later this year. The company will provide the pay level to restaurant general managers in those markets. Taco Bell said it is still in the planning phase and cannot yet discuss what locations are in line for that salary.
It’s the latest sign of the challenges facing restaurant chains as they seek to fill key spots. According to Black Box Intelligence workforce data, 58% of restaurant companies say it’s increasingly difficult to recruit managers. They also say they have a harder time finding employees and managers than they did three months ago.
Finding good general managers is vital, often proving to be the difference between a successful and unsuccessful location.
The test of $100,000 manager salaries is coming amid numerous other goals Taco Bell has set for this year as it works to improve benefits for employees. All company employees are now eligible for paid sick days and can receive at least 24 hours of sick time for the calendar year.
Taco Bell is also introducing a new, nonmanager role called “Makers,” for employees “who want to elevate their passion for the brand and want leadership experience.”
Meanwhile, Taco Bell is awarding $6 million in Live Mas Scholarships for employees and fans of the brand who are enrolled in a post-high school program.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.