S3E1 · Turning Customers Into Fans at Scale with Dane Mathews of Taco Bell
June 11, 2026
What if the secret to unstoppable growth wasn't better technology, but better fandom?
In this episode of Speaking From Experience, host Sujay Saha sits down with Dane Mathews, Global Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Taco Bell, to explore how brands create defensible growth by turning customers into passionate fans. Dane shares how Taco Bell operationalizes fan-led experience activism across thousands of locations, balancing technology, AI, and human connection to create memorable moments that competitors can’t easily replicate.
From loyalty programs and frontline empowerment to experimentation and scalable innovation, the conversation reveals why meaningful experiences and not just seamless transactions drive sustainable business growth and stronger cultural relevance in today’s competitive retail and hospitality landscape.
What if the secret to unstoppable growth wasn't better technology, but better fandom?
In this episode of Speaking From Experience, host Sujay Saha sits down with Dane Mathews, Global Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Taco Bell, to explore how brands create defensible growth by turning customers into passionate fans. Dane shares how Taco Bell operationalizes fan-led experience activism across thousands of locations, balancing technology, AI, and human connection to create memorable moments that competitors can’t easily replicate.
From loyalty programs and frontline empowerment to experimentation and scalable innovation, the conversation reveals why meaningful experiences and not just seamless transactions drive sustainable business growth and stronger cultural relevance in today’s competitive retail and hospitality landscape.
What You Will Learn:
- How to reframe "customers" as "fans" to create a defensible competitive advantage
- The Framework for Fan-Led Experience Activism
- Why AI's true value lies in empowering employees, not replacing human connection
- How to operationalize "listen, experiment, learn, and scale" as your core capability
- The "Meaningful Moments" Operating Model for turning loyalty transactions into authentic memories
- How to balance brand protection with fan-led innovation
Dane Mathews is the Global Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Taco Bell, and a commercially driven growth leader focused on scaling consumer and multi-unit businesses by connecting AI-enabled transformation directly to revenue, loyalty, and long-term enterprise value. His work sits at the intersection of commerce, culture, and technology, and uses AI to enhance personalization, loyalty, pricing, operations, and customer engagement at scale. Dane believes fandom is a powerful growth engine, helping brands turn participation into loyalty and lasting cultural relevance. He has led large organizations through transformation by aligning innovation, operational discipline, and measurable business performance.