Taco Bus
Food & Beverage · Quick-Service Restaurants
- Active units
- 221
- Royalty
- 10.0%
Franchised, year-end 2025
of weekly Net Sales
About Taco Bus
Taco Bus is a renowned brand that has been serving unforgettable Mexican food for over 30 years. What started as a converted school bus in Tampa has now become an iconic culinary experience with multiple locations. Chef Rene, the visionary behind Taco Bus, takes you on a journey to Mexican Flavortown with his authentic dishes prepared fresh every day using traditional recipes from all over Mexico. Whether you're a meat lover or a vegetarian, Taco Bus has you covered with a wide range of daily specials, vegetarian and vegan options, and even gluten-free choices. But what truly sets Taco Bus apart is their dedication to their loyal fans. They aim to provide you with the ultimate Mexican street food experience, filled with mouth-watering flavors and the freshest ingredients. So why wait? Visit one of Taco Bus's locations today and indulge in the real taste of Mexico. Don't forget to follow them on social media for exciting specials and updates.
Key terms
- Market Build Out Agreement (Development Fee)
$23k
Brand Percentile Rankings
Rankings compare brands in the same operating year. Fee and investment figures come from the FDD (2026 filing); filings on file: 2024, 2025, 2026.
Growth
- Total locations221
Franchised units open at year-end
- New openings8
Gross new units opened during the calendar year
- 1-year unit growth rate-1.3%
Net unit growth versus prior year
- 3-year unit CAGR-1.8%
Compound annual growth rate of unit count over the trailing 3 years
- Unit growth ratio0.7×
Cumulative opens / closures through year-end
Unit economics
- Annual unit volume (Median)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- 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—
Year-over-year change in median AUV
- Store-level EBITDA Margin—
Median unit-level EBITDA / AUV
Investment profile
- Estimated initial investment$573k
Midpoint of estimated initial investment range
↓ Lower is better - Time to open5 months
Midpoint of average time from agreement to opening
↓ Lower is better - Royalty rate10.0%
Percent of net sales paid to the franchisor
↓ Lower is better - Sales-to-investment ratio—
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 206 of 219 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.