TOP 10 LEADERS OF THE FRANCHISE 500
Entrepreneur US|January - February 2023
MEET THE LEADERS OF THE FRANCHISE 500
TOP 10 LEADERS OF THE FRANCHISE 500

1. Taco Bell 

It's #1 for the third year in a row. What keeps the cravings so strong? The brand has mastered the risky art of being cool-by paying close attention to both outsiders and insiders.

by Nate Hopper

The Mexican Pizza was a goner. Or so Taco Bell thought.

It was 2020, and the pandemic had upended the food business. Like most restaurants, Taco Bell was busily simplifying the menu for the sake of a smaller restaurant staff. That's when executives zeroed in on the Mexican Pizza, a long- time menu item that was a bit of an outlier. It used several ingredients that no other product did. It took three or four minutes to make, while other items took just 30 seconds. Restaurants sold relatively few each day-at least, in comparison to thousands of tacos. "It was a cult product, but it wasn't a big product in terms of revenue," says Taco Bell CEO Mark King. The decision was painful but clear: Goodbye, Mexican Pizza.

Little did they know. "As soon as we took it off [the menu], we had all this noise," King recalls. One petition to save the Mexican Pizza quickly amassed 50,000 signees-and eventually accrued over 170,000. In the spring of 2021, the alluringly raunchy rapper-singer Doja Cat tweeted to her millions of followers, "I will do everything in my power to bring back the mexican pizza from taco bell." (And then, months later, somewhat more spicily: "I want my fuckin mexican pizza back @tacobell why u quiet.") Meanwhile, King's inbox was filling up. It's normally peppered with complaints about bad experiences at restaurants, but now he was getting twice as many messages, all hitting a single note: Bring back the Mexican Pizza.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة January - February 2023 من Entrepreneur US.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة January - February 2023 من Entrepreneur US.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من ENTREPRENEUR US مشاهدة الكل
How to Succeed With Gen Z Workers
Entrepreneur US

How to Succeed With Gen Z Workers

People often say that younger employees are different. But are they? We asked six business leaders what they've learned, and how their teams thrive.

time-read
2 mins  |
November - December 2024
There's No Perfect Answer
Entrepreneur US

There's No Perfect Answer

I worked the same job for 19 years. I hated it, but it paid the bills. Then, in 2017, I entertained an exciting but terrifying question: Could I be an entrepreneur? I wasn't sure, so I needed something that felt like a guarantee. I searched for signs that would feel like a big, clear \"yes!\" Instead, what I found was a tarot card deck.

time-read
1 min  |
November - December 2024
10 HOTTEST TRENDS for 2025
Entrepreneur US

10 HOTTEST TRENDS for 2025

Want to buy a brand that buzzes? Here's what to know.

time-read
1 min  |
November - December 2024
BUILD YOUR MONEY MACHINE
Entrepreneur US

BUILD YOUR MONEY MACHINE

A franchise isn't just a franchise. It should be a Money Machine, creating profit even while you're out of the office. Here's how.

time-read
10 mins  |
November - December 2024
The Top Franchises for Veterans
Entrepreneur US

The Top Franchises for Veterans

Are you a military vet looking to become a franchisee, or just want to support a brand that supports the troops? Check out these 150 brands.

time-read
1 min  |
November - December 2024
20 LEADERS WHO ARE DEFINING ENTREPRENEURSHIP TODAY
Entrepreneur US

20 LEADERS WHO ARE DEFINING ENTREPRENEURSHIP TODAY

In a year of disruption, we wanted to know: Whose work will define the years to come? We reviewed hundreds of names and picked 20 leaders across a range of industries and sizes. Meet them on the following pages, and see what it takes to thrive in 2025 and beyond.

time-read
10+ mins  |
November - December 2024
How to Become a Main Street Millionaire
Entrepreneur US

How to Become a Main Street Millionaire

It started when I bought one little laundromat. Now I have a whole portfolio of small local businesses that bring in tens of millions in revenue a year. Here's why following my playbook could be your ticket to financial freedom-and saving America's local small businesses.

time-read
5 mins  |
November - December 2024
Want to Better Serve Your Clients? Become Them.
Entrepreneur US

Want to Better Serve Your Clients? Become Them.

As a designer for brands, starting my own product company gave me a dose of humilityand it changed the way I relate to clients.

time-read
3 mins  |
November - December 2024
I've Been a Publicist for 17 Years.Don't Hire Me.
Entrepreneur US

I've Been a Publicist for 17 Years.Don't Hire Me.

Entrepreneurs often think they need PR. Most don't. Here's why you're probably better off not hiring someone like me.

time-read
5 mins  |
November - December 2024
The CEO's Advice to the MVP
Entrepreneur US

The CEO's Advice to the MVP

Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor knows the formula for a successful launch. NBA champ Jaylen Brown recently launched a shoe and athleisure brand. They have a lot to teach each other.

time-read
7 mins  |
November - December 2024