- 2024 Franchise 500 Rank
-
#1 Ranked #1 last year
- Initial investment
-
$576K - $3.4M
- Units as of 2023
-
8,320 12.4% over 3 years
From a hot chalupa to their signature sauce, Taco Bell is the largest purveyor of Mexican cuisine in the world. As one of the top quick-service restaurant franchises, Taco Bell is known for serving Mexican-style food quickly and at a low price. You can get their tasty tacos at over 7,000 locations across 30 different countries.
Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which also owns several other recognizable franchises. Yum! Brands Inc. operates over 43,000 restaurant locations across 135 nations and territories.
Taco Bell was founded in 1962 and began franchising two years later. It has since grown into one of the most recognizable brands in the world.
Why You May Want to Open a Taco Bell Franchise
Taco Bell may be one of the best franchises to own. To qualify to open a Taco Bell franchise, you need to meet the company’s minimum net worth and liquid capital requirements. You should also prepare yourself for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you need not forget about ongoing fees that will include royalty and advertising fees.
What May Make a Taco Bell Franchise a Good Choice?
Taco Bell has been ranked near the top of Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list many times in recent decades. This ranking is based on an evaluation of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.
Taco Bell is one of the most popular and recognizable brands in the U.S., which means that you may have a leg up on the competition. They're also aggressively expanding into the global market, which may create a great opportunity for entrepreneurs around the world to open a Taco Bell franchise close to home. Whether you live in or outside of the U.S., Taco Bell may be one of the best franchise organizations to open.
How Do You Open a Taco Bell Franchise?
First, you have to submit your application. If you're approved, then you'll participate in the Taco Bell franchise training program. This program will likely take several weeks. After that, they will begin construction on the new building. Taco Bell locations can require multiple months to complete construction.
Once your Taco Bell franchise location is ready to go, you'll be responsible for ensuring everything runs smoothly leading up to the opening of the restaurant. You can hire a manager to handle these duties, but if you decide to manage it yourself, one of the most important steps is staffing your restaurant.
Taco Bell may be easy to hire for. Because of this, many of your employees are likely to be young and new to the workforce. With the caveat that ages differ in some states, you can hire employees as young as 16 in most places in the U.S. After hiring some staff, you can begin preparing for your grand opening.
And that's it! Taco Bell strives to make opening a new franchise as seamless as possible. Once you have your restaurant staffed and open for business, you can proudly call yourself the owner of a brand new Taco Bell franchise.
Company Overview
About Taco Bell
Business Overview
| Franchising Since | 1964 (60 years) |
|---|---|
| # of employees at HQ | 704 |
| Where seeking |
This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises in the following international regions: Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Middle East, Europe (Eastern), Europe (Western), Central America, Canada, South America |
| # of Units | 8,320 (as of 2023) |
|
|
|
Information for Franchisees
Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Taco Bell franchise.
Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees
Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.
|
Initial Franchise Fee
|
$25,000 - $45,000 |
|---|---|
|
Initial Investment
|
$575,600 - $3,370,100 |
|
Net Worth Requirement
|
$5,000,000 |
|
Cash Requirement
|
$2,000,000 |
|
Royalty Fee
|
5.5% |
|
Ad Royalty Fee
|
4.25% |
|
Term of Agreement
|
25 years |
| Is franchise term renewable? | No |
Financing Options
Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.
| Third Party Financing | Taco Bell has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll |
|---|
Training & Support Offered
Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.
| On-The-Job Training | 400 hours |
|---|---|
| Classroom Training | 8 hours |
| Ongoing Support |
Newsletter
Meetings & Conventions
Toll-Free Line
Grand Opening
Online Support
Security & Safety Procedures
Field Operations
Site Selection
Proprietary Software
Franchisee Intranet Platform
|
| Marketing Support |
Ad Templates
National Media
Regional Advertising
Social Media
SEO
Website Development
Email Marketing
Loyalty Program/App
|
Operations
Additional details about running this franchise.
| Is absentee ownership allowed? | No |
|---|---|
|
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit?
|
No |
|
Can this franchise be run part time?
|
No |
|
Are exclusive territories available?
|
No |
Franchise 500 Ranking History
Compare where Taco Bell landed on this year's Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.
Additional Rankings
Curious to know where Taco Bell ranked on other franchise lists? Find out below.
Sign Up for Our Franchise Newsletter
Stay up to date on the latest news and trends affecting the franchise industry.
Related Franchises
Are you eager to see what else is out there? Browse franchises that are similar to Taco Bell.
Related Franchise Content
Catch up on the latest franchise news, trends, and more.
Capitalize On Diverse Revenue Streams with a Poolwerx Franchise!
With an investment that starts at only $135,000, Poolwerx franchisees have multiple revenue streams which include pool maintenance, cleaning and servicing for residential and commercial, swimming pool equipment sales and repairs, and retail sales.
20 Interesting Facts You Should Know About Chick-fil-A
The first-ever Chick-fil-A opened in 1967 in Atlanta's Greenbriar Mall. A chicken sandwich sold for 59 cents and the restaurant was only 384 square feet — roughly the size of a two-car garage.
A D.C. Federal Court Declined to Rule on a Challenge to the Joint Employer Rule. Here's What This Update Means for the Franchise Industry.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has postponed hearing a case on the National Labor Relations Board's expanded Joint Employer Rule. The court will wait for a Texas federal court to rule first.
Want to Own a Franchise in the Billion-Dollar eSports Industry? Here's How.
Learn how to get involved in the exciting and lucrative eSports community. XP League is the premier coach-led youth esports league and first-to-market youth esports franchise in North America with 50+ locations spanning across the US and Canada.
Location Matters — How to Select the Right Place For Your Business to Succeed
An inferior location may be less expensive in the short term, but will cost more in marketing costs and when it's time to sell. Franchisors offer real estate knowledge and relationships to help their franchisees get the best possible location at the best possible price, giving them the best possible start.
Put Your Design Skills to Work with a Decorating Den Interiors Franchise
Discover the top benefits of owning a Decorating Den Interiors franchise, from extensive supplier access and supportive community to low overhead costs, perfect for creative entrepreneurs.