How HeyTaco turns appreciation into a daily habit

Give tacos in Slack or Microsoft Teams, let recognition add up, and turn appreciation into rewards, habits, and a stronger team culture.

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4.8 out of 5 stars on G2 4.8 on G2 from 700+ reviews • Used by 5,000+ teams since 2016

What Is HeyTaco?

HeyTaco is a peer-to-peer recognition tool built into Slack and Microsoft Teams. Team members give each other tacos—small tokens of appreciation—to say thanks in the moment. Everyone gets 5 tacos a day, keeping recognition intentional and frequent. Over time, these daily habits build a culture where appreciation is the norm, not the exception.

Recognition Where Work Happens

Recognition makes culture visible — every single day. Teams that recognize work in the moment build cultures people never want to leave. Gallup research finds that business units in the top quartile for engagement are 23% more profitable, and recognition is one of the 12 elements Gallup uses to measure engagement.

Meet HeyTaco in 2 Minutes

How HeyTaco Works

Step 1

Add HeyTaco to Slack or Microsoft Teams

Getting started takes less than a minute. Install HeyTaco and you’re ready to go—no setup headaches, no onboarding decks. Unlike standalone recognition platforms, peer-to-peer recognition works best when it lives where your team already works.

Step 2

Give Recognition Every Day

Everyone gets 5 tacos each day to recognize teammates. Tag someone, add a short note, drop a taco 🌮. It takes seconds—and that simplicity is what makes peer-to-peer recognition stick.

Step 3

Watch Recognition Spread

Leaderboards, Taco TV, and channel shoutouts make appreciation visible to everyone. Recognition becomes contagious when the whole team can see it happening.

Step 4

Redeem Tacos for Rewards

Tacos aren’t just recognition—they’re redeemable. Set up a Taco Shop with gift cards, swag, extra PTO, or charity donations. HeyTaco also automates birthday and work anniversary celebrations, so milestones never slip through the cracks.

Step 5

Measure What Matters

Dashboards show recognition trends, top givers, and adoption by team. See what’s working—and where to spark more engagement.

Success

That’s it—your team now has a recognition culture.

Appreciation flows daily, milestones are never missed, and peer-to-peer recognition becomes second nature.

Teams that use HeyTaco see:

  • 67% average daily participation among active users
  • Stronger connections across teams and departments
  • Recognition that happens daily, not quarterly
  • A culture where appreciation is the norm, not the exception

Five tacos a day doesn’t sound like much—until it becomes a ritual your team looks forward to, and a workplace where people actually feel valued.

Why HeyTaco Works

HeyTaco is designed around how people actually behave—not how HR wishes they would. Here’s why it works:

  • Workflow Integrations Lives in Slack and Teams—no extra app to forget about.
  • Daily limits 5 tacos per person keeps recognition intentional, not inflated.
  • Public by default Recognition means more when the whole team sees it.
  • Playfulness Tacos make saying thanks feel natural, not corporate.
  • Built-in rituals Leaderboards, milestones, and values keep recognition top of mind.
  • Tangible rewards Gift cards, swag, and custom perks make tacos worth collecting.

The result?

Recognition that happens because people want to give it—not because HR scheduled it. With HeyTaco, culture isn’t top-down. It belongs to everyone.

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How Teams Use HeyTaco

  • Deputy logo

    Deputy grew a grassroots engineering experiment into company-wide peer recognition across 5 countries.

    “HeyTaco democratizes recognition. It’s not top-down — it’s everyone, every day.”
    —Luis, Senior Software Engineering Manager at Deputy
    Read the case study →
  • emagineHealth logo

    emagineHealth used HeyTaco to build a culture of generosity across their remote team, turning everyday moments into visible acts of gratitude.

    “Giving back can be the most rewarding experience.”
    —Krystal Galewski
    Read the case study →
  • Crossrope logo

    Crossrope ties every taco to one of eight core values to keep a hybrid team across Raleigh, Toronto, and remote locations aligned.

    “Everyone understands that HeyTaco equals core values recognition. It’s not only a shoutout — it’s a way to highlight what makes us who we are as a company.”
    —Paige Kelloway, Culture and People Manager at Crossrope
    Read the case study →

Turns out, people really like tacos.

Recognized by G2 for ease of use,
adoption, ROI, and more.

Highest User Adoption Best Estimated ROI Easiest Admin

It's simple, but meaningful—being able to give a taco with a quick message of thanks or recognition helps build a stronger, more positive culture without feeling forced.

DeAnna R., QA Manager

I love how HeyTaco encourages peer-to-peer recognition in a lighthearted and engaging way. It has strengthened our team culture and helped everyone feel appreciated.

Daniel Alberto J., Fraud Analyst

See our Wall of Love

Frequently Asked Questions

Is HeyTaco free to use?

No, HeyTaco is not free, but it offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. After the trial, plans start at $3 per person per month. Visit our pricing page for details.

How long does it take to set up HeyTaco?

Less than a minute. Just install HeyTaco in Slack or Microsoft Teams, and your team can start giving tacos right away. No configuration or onboarding required.

Can I use HeyTaco with both Slack and Microsoft Teams?

HeyTaco works with both Slack and Microsoft Teams. They are connected separately, so tacos, leaderboards, and rewards are tracked per platform. If you use both, we can help you choose the best setup.

What happens to unused tacos at the end of the day?

Unused tacos reset each day. Everyone starts fresh with 5 new tacos every day, which encourages regular, in-the-moment recognition rather than hoarding. This daily limit is intentional—it keeps each taco meaningful and motivates people to recognize teammates while the moment is fresh.

How do I get my team to actually use HeyTaco?

Lead by example—start giving tacos in your first week. Use a dedicated channel to make recognition visible, celebrate top givers, and consider adding rewards once the habit is established.

What makes HeyTaco different from other recognition tools?

HeyTaco lives inside Slack and Microsoft Teams—there’s no separate app to log into. Everyone gets exactly 5 tacos per day, which keeps recognition intentional rather than inflated. And because recognition happens in public channels, the whole team sees and feels the impact.

Can HeyTaco track recognition tied to company values?

Yes. With Taco Tags, you can create custom tags that map to your company’s core values—like #teamwork, #innovation, or #customer-first. When someone gives a taco with a tag, it’s tracked and reportable, so you can see which values are being lived out across the team.

Does HeyTaco work for remote and hybrid teams?

Absolutely. HeyTaco was built for distributed teams. Since it works inside Slack and Microsoft Teams, remote employees can give and receive recognition just as easily as in-office teammates. Public channels and leaderboards keep everyone connected regardless of location.

Ready to make work a little more taco?

Create more recognition, celebration, and connection right where your team already works.

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4.8 out of 5 stars on G2 4.8 on G2 • Used by 5,000+ teams since 2016

Written by Doug Dosberg, Founder of HeyTaco · Last updated

Engagement and adoption stats based on aggregated HeyTaco platform data. External research cited inline.