Last year was one for the books … or should we say blog? From new restaurant openings to big promotions to scholarship winner announcements, we made sure to document every memorable moment, both big and small. While the stories that resonated most with our readers covered a wide range of topics, they all had one thing in common: they highlighted the importance of community and Shamrock’s people-first mentality. Counting down from No. 10 to No. 1, here are the most-read articles of 2025:
#10: DUNKIN’ CONNOISSEUR KARLA ACALCO
In the fall, we talked cold foam, career growth and Shamrock culture with Dunkin’ Shift Lead Karla Acalco, whose hard work and go-getter attitude led to a promotion from Baker to Shift Lead! Read More
#9: GETTING TO KNOW OSCAR OCAMPO
We sat down with Restaurant General Manager (RGM) Oscar Ocampo, who leads our Wheaton, IL Dunkin’. Oscar spoke with us about his career journey, English classes and the immense appreciation he has for his Shamrock team. Read More
#8: BELIEVIN’ IN BETTY! BETRIZ ARVALO’S SHAMROCK JOURNEY
RGM Betriz Arvalo shared how her career with Taco Bell has made balancing motherhood and work possible. We left our interview inspired by her incredible commitment to both! Read More
#7: CELEBRATING RUSTUM’S NEW ROLE
After three decades at Shamrock, Rustum Sayyed was promoted from Area Director to Regional Vice President of Operations (RVP) of Shamrock Taco Bell South. We learned about his admiration for our late founder, Steve McGue, as well as his excitement about working with Dan, Steve’s son. Read More
#6: SHAMROCK + MEKAYLA = THE PERFECT BLEND
Mekayla Vandersloot, crew member at our Byron Center, MI Dunkin’, shared how she turned a passion for coffee into a part-time job. She’s become especially close with her team, and in 2026, a few of her coworkers will attend her wedding! Read More
#5: OPENING FOR TWO BRANDS IN ONE DAY
We opened a Dunkin’ in Otsego MI and a Taco Bell in Naperville, IL — all in one day! While it was quite busy, it was a testament to the incredible organization and motivation of our teams. Read More
#4: CONGRATS TO KASSANDRA: MAKING WAVES FOR THE FUTURE
Over the summer, Service Champion Kassandra Gutierrez was named a 2025 Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship winner! A student and softball player at La Sierra University in Riverside, CA, the $3,000 Kassandra was awarded will help her continue to work toward her dream of becoming a biologist. Read More
#3: MANAGER CERTIFICATION: INVESTING IN OUR PEOPLE
Our growing Dunkin’ business led to the certification of seven of our team members as managers in the spring. We’re so proud of this example of our commitment to high quality training and leadership! Read More
#2: JULISSA BERMEJO: BORN TO LEAD
We spoke to Julissa Bermejo, RGM of our Glendale Heights, IL Dunkin’. At just 21 years old, Julissa is already leading an entire team — a testament to both her hard work and our opportunities for advancement! Read More
#1: INTRODUCING SHAMROCK’S SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Last but not least, we announced the launch of the Shamrock Scholarship program. Each year, winners are selected at random from our pool of Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship applicants — with plans to include Dunkin’ in our 2026 awards, we hope to provide educational support to as many team members as possible. Read More