Taco John's
Food & Beverage · Quick-Service Restaurants
- Active units
- 333
- Royalty
- 5.0%
Franchised, year-end 2024
of weekly Net Sales
About Taco John's
Taco John's is a renowned brand known for its original tacos, burritos, and Potato Olés®. With a menu that offers a variety of flavorsome options and nutrition information, Taco John's ensures that customers can enjoy their meals without any concerns. What sets Taco John's apart is their commitment to using premium ingredients and preparing their taco shells in-house daily, ensuring freshness and quality with every bite. From the savory Boss Burrito to the satisfying Six-Pack And A Pound®, there is something for everyone to enjoy at Taco John's. Start your day off right with their delicious breakfast menu, featuring items like the Scrambler Burrito, the Meat & Potato Breakfast Burrito, and Mexican Donut Bites. Whether you're craving a hearty meal or a quick snack, Taco John's has got you covered. Committed to delivering value to their customers, Taco John's offers a ValuEST menu with premium ingredients at affordable prices, starting at just $1. And with their Mobile App, customers can conveniently order ahead and earn rewards through the Bigger Bolder Rewards program. If you're looking for a career opportunity, Taco John's is actively hiring for various positions and offers competitive pay. And for those interested in starting their own franchise, Taco John's provides comprehensive information and support to help you become a part of their network of 380+ restaurants. Discover the bold and delicious flavors of Taco John's today.
Key terms
- Franchise fee
$40k
- Multi-Unit Franchisees (New)
$32,000 per agreement for 2 units; $28,000 for 3–4 units; $24,000 for 5+ units; Royalty reduced to 4% for first 12 months after 4th opening if timing conditions met
- Multi-Unit Franchisees (Existing)
$32,000 per agreement for 2–4 new-built; $28,000 for 5–10; $24,000 for 11+; Royalty reduced to 4% for first 12 months after 4th opening if timing conditions met
- Brand fund
4.0% of Net Sales
- Footprint
1,800 – 2,250 sq ft
- Development Fee
$5k
- ADA Extension Fee
$0.045
- Veteran discount
100.0% off franchise fee — Discounted fee for qualified U.S. veterans: $24,000 for first Restaurant; $0 for veterans with 50%+ service-connected disability for first Restaurant; $28,000 for second or subsequent Restaurant
Brand Percentile Rankings
Rankings compare brands in the same operating year. Fee and investment figures come from the FDD (2025 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)—
Per FDD Item 19 disclosure
- Annual unit volume (25th percentile)$1.2M
Sales means total receipts excluding sales tax; franchised locations with drive-thru reporting via the approved POS or an approved alternative system; full cal…
- Annual unit volume (75th percentile)$1.5M
Sales means total receipts excluding sales tax; franchised locations with drive-thru reporting via the approved POS or an approved alternative system; full cal…
- 1-year Median AUV growth rate-1.2%
Year-over-year change in median AUV
- Store-level EBITDA Margin—
Median unit-level EBITDA / AUV
Investment profile
- Estimated initial investment$1.7M
Midpoint of estimated initial investment range
↓ Lower is better - Time to open11 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 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 287 of 393 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.