Rusty Taco
Rusty Taco franchises allow operators to develop and run restaurants serving freshly prepared food inspired by Mexican and Texas flavors, including tacos and other items, paired with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in a casual neighborhood gathering place atmosphere. The business model centers on franchising the Rusty Taco brand, trademarks, and proprietary operating system, with options for single-unit franchises or multi-unit area development agreements committing to 2-5 locations. It targets the general public in the highly competitive fast-casual Tex-Mex and Mexican restaurant market.
Franchise Costs
5% royalty + 2% brand fund + $250-$1,000/mo technology fee + up to $1,000/mo LMS fee
Financial Performance
Item 19 Financial Performance
Data Based On: 24 traditional franchised Rusty Taco Restaurants operating for the full fiscal year 2024, excluding new openings and atypical locations.
* Verified the overall Average Unit Volume by calculating the weighted average of the Top, Middle, and Bottom Third segments: (8 * $1,521,669 + 8 * $1,035,505 + 8 * $645,291) / 24 = $1,067,488.33, which matches the reported total average ($1,067,488) when rounded.
Extracted Item 19 Section
How Rusty Taco Compares
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Rusty Taco Current | $528K – $1.1M | $30K | 5.0% | 36 |
| Tropical Smoothie Cafe | $300K – $721K | $35K | 6.0% | 1,371 |
| TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFÉ | $300K – $721K | $35K | 6.0% | 1,371 |
| FIREHOUSE SUBS RESTAURANTS (UNIT) | $379K – $1.4M | $20K | 6.0% | 1,248 |
| Zaxby's | $1.4M – $3.8M | $35K | 6.0% | 826 |
| Qdoba | $548K – $1.3M | $40K | 5.0% | 652 |
Fast Casual Average 107 franchises | $532K – $1.2M | $39K | 5.6% | – |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 107 Fast Casual franchises by location count.
Locations & Growth
Outlet Growth Over Time
Total outlets at end of each year
Geographic Distribution (2024)
Outlets by state across the United States
SBA Loan History
Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for Rusty Taco franchisees (2021 – 2021)
Loans by Year
SBA 7(a) loan activity over time
* Data sourced from SBA 7(a) FOIA loan records. Default rate calculated from charged-off loans.
Franchisee Contacts
36 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.
| Name | SBA Loan |
|---|---|
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
36 Contacts Available
Unlock all Rusty Taco franchisee contacts with verified contact information
Due Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
System Health (Item 20)
Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year
Frequently Asked Questions
The total initial investment to open a Rusty Taco franchise ranges from $528,400 to $1,127,950. This includes a franchise fee of $30,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 5.0% of gross sales.
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