How much does a Rusty Taco franchise cost?
Opening a Rusty Taco franchise takes a total initial investment of $529,400 to $1,129,950, according to the brand's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. The FDD's Item 19 reports median AUV of $923,876 across 23 outlets.
Rusty Taco franchises restaurants. Category: Food & Beverage.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Rusty Taco franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2026 FDD. The total is $529,400 to $1,129,950. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Construction, Remodeling and Leasehold Improvements ($253,000 to $621,000), Furniture, Fixtures, Equipment, and Signage ($163,000 to $250,000), and Architect Fee ($20,000 to $60,000). Together they make up about 82% of the high-end estimate.
The initial franchise fee is $30,000, about 5.7% of the low-end total.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $30,000 | $30,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Rent and Security Deposit2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $3,000 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Utility Deposits2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $6,000 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Construction, Remodeling and Leasehold Improvements2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $253,000 | $621,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Permits and Licenses2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $3,000 | $6,950 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Architect Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $20,000 | $60,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Furniture, Fixtures, Equipment, and Signage2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $163,000 | $250,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Initial & Opening Training Costs2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $0 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Computer System2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $3,000 | $7,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Initial Inventory/ | $7,400 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Professional Services2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $5,000 | $15,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| New Restaurant Marketing Program Fee2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $10,000 | $10,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Other Marketing Expenses2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $0 | $5,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Insurance2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $6,000 | $30,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Additional Funds (3 months)2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $20,000 | $50,000 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Total estimated initial investment2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $529,400 | $1,129,950 | 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
Source Rusty Taco, 2026 FDD, Item 7, p. 11, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 19
What Rusty Taco franchisees actually report earning
Median AUV
$923,876
Rusty Taco's 2026 FDD, Item 19, for the fiscal year 2025, which is a 53 week period starting on December 30, 2024 and ending on January 4, 2026. Basis: 23 traditional Rusty Taco Restaurants in the Data Set.
Sample size: 23 outlets. The FDD also reports average unit volume (AUV) of $939,635. We lead with the median because an average is pulled upward by the strongest outlets; the median is the middle outlet.
What the franchisor excluded from this figure
- The FDD excluded 1 Rusty Taco Restaurant that commenced operations during fiscal year 2025 and therefore did not operate for the entire year.
- The Rusty Taco Restaurant that operates in an airport terminal was eliminated from the data set.
This is a disclosure of what some existing outlets reported, not a projection of what a new Rusty Taco outlet would earn. Your results will differ.
Source Rusty Taco, 2026 FDD, Item 19, p. 38, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Item 20
How many Rusty Taco outlets there are, and how many closed
Rusty Taco ended 2025 with 25 franchised outlets and 1 company-owned outlet. In that year 1 franchised outlet opened and 7 left the system.
Three years at a glance
From 2023 through 2025, Rusty Taco opened 10 franchised outlets and 16 outlets left the system. That is a net loss of 6, from 31 to 25 franchised outlets. Of the outlets that left, 5 were terminated, 1 was not renewed, and 10 closed for other reasons.
On average, about 17% of franchised outlets left the system each year, roughly 1 in 6.
Our arithmetic from the FDD's Item 20 table below. "Left the system" counts every outlet the franchisor reports as terminated, not renewed, bought back, or closed for other reasons.
| Year | Start | Opened | Terminated | Non-renewed | Reacquired | Ceased, other | End | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 25 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 39 |
| 2024 | 31 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 39 |
| 2023 | 31 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 31 | 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 39 |
Source Rusty Taco, 2026 FDD, Item 20, p. 41, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-14.
Compare
How Rusty Taco compares with other Food & Beverage franchises
Measured against the 256 Food & Beverage franchises on this site, using each brand's own FDD.
- Cost to open. The middle of Rusty Taco's estimated range is $829,675. It costs more to open than 67% of Food & Beverage franchises here.
- Outlets leaving each year. 17% for Rusty Taco. That is higher than 91% of the 165 Food & Beverage franchises with at least 10 outlets.
- Three-year growth. Rusty Taco's franchised system shrank 19%. The typical Food & Beverage franchise here grew 5.0%.
- Earnings disclosure. 152 of the 256 Food & Beverage franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Rusty Taco is one of them.
Our arithmetic from each brand's Item 7 and Item 20. Growth and departure comparisons leave out brands with fewer than 10 outlets, where one opening or closure distorts the figures. See every Food & Beverage franchise side by side.
Alert me when Rusty Taco files a new FDD
Franchisors reissue their FDD at least once a year, and the Item 7 and Item 19 figures move. Leave an email and we will send you Rusty Taco's updated numbers when the next document is published, plus the brand-comparison worksheet.
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