Rusty Taco
Food & Beverage · Fast-Casual Restaurants
- Active units
- 33
- Avg unit volume
- $1.1M
- Royalty
- 5.0%
Franchised, year-end 2023
of weekly Net Sales
About Rusty Taco
Rusty Taco is a popular brand that offers a diverse range of delicious, Mexican-inspired tacos and refreshing margaritas. With locations conveniently scattered across neighborhoods, it's the perfect spot to kick back and enjoy some quality time with loved ones. The brand prides itself on using only fresh ingredients to create authentic flavors that will leave your taste buds begging for more. Whether you're in the mood to try something new or indulge in your all-time favorites, Rusty Taco has got you covered. Additionally, they also provide catering services, perfect for special events or gatherings. The brand's story is rooted in founder Rusty Fenton's love for street-style fish tacos, which he discovered during a fishing trip in Acapulco. Inspired by this experience, Rusty Taco makes all their dishes with love. So, head over to your nearest location, grab a seat, and experience the mouthwatering goodness that Rusty Taco has to offer.
Key terms
- Franchise fee
$25k
- Brand fund
1.0% of Net Sales
- Local advertising
2.0% of Net Sales
- Footprint
2,000 – 3,000 sq ft
- Development Agreement
$13k
- Veteran discount
50.0% off franchise fee — VetFran 50% discount on the standard initial franchise fee; also applied to development fee
Brand Percentile Rankings
Rankings compare brands in the same operating year. Fee and investment figures come from the FDD (2024 filing); filings on file: 2024, 2025.
Growth
- Total locations—
Franchised units open at year-end
- New openings—
Gross new units opened during the calendar year
- 1-year unit growth rate—
Net unit growth versus prior year
- 3-year unit CAGR—
Compound annual growth rate of unit count over the trailing 3 years
- Unit growth ratio—
Cumulative opens / closures through year-end
Unit economics
- Annual unit volume (Median)$1.1M
AUV is defined as average Gross Sales (total revenue). See note (2): “Average Unit Volume is the average Gross Sales...”
- Annual unit volume (25th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (75th percentile)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- 1-year Median AUV growth rate-7.1%
Year-over-year change in median AUV
- Store-level EBITDA Margin—
Median unit-level EBITDA / AUV
Investment profile
- Estimated initial investment$822k
Midpoint of estimated initial investment range
↓ Lower is better - Time to open9 months
Midpoint of average time from agreement to opening
↓ Lower is better - Royalty rate5.0%
Percent of net sales paid to the franchisor
↓ Lower is better - Sales-to-investment ratio1.4×
Median AUV / estimated initial investment midpoint
- Cash-on-cash returns—
Median unit-level EBITDA / estimated initial investment midpoint. Steady-state estimate; year 1 returns will be lower as the unit ramps to median volumes.
Franchisee healthLocked
- Unit closure ratio
- Transfer vs. closure ratio
- Percent multi-unit franchisees
- Litigation rate
- EBITDA multiple on sales & transfers
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Location footprint
Showing 20 of 23 mapped locations
Sources
Financial and operating figures are sourced from the brand's Franchise Disclosure Documents. Brand percentile rankings are based on comparisons to other brands that include the same metrics in their Franchise Disclosure Documents.