Investing in a franchise business is a good option for those who do not want to build a brand from scratch and make good money from an already established one.
Taco Bell is one such franchise option that you must have thought about.
And if you want to find out how much does a Taco Bell franchise owner make, what investment is required, what are the pros and cons of this franchise, etc., then keep on reading!
About Taco Bell
Taco Bell is a leading and well-known Mexican-inspired quick-service restaurant chain that was founded by Glen Bell in 1962 in Downey, CA.
Before officially starting Taco Bell, Glen used to run “Bell’s Drive-In and Taco Tia” in 1954 in the San Bernardino area. Then shortly in 1962, Glen opened his first franchised store and started expanding rapidly.
Today there are over 8000 Taco Bell locations in 32 countries globally and counting.
Taco Bell offers franchising opportunities to individuals who have a minimum net worth of $1,500,000 and minimum liquid assets of $750,000.
If you meet these basic financial requirements to open a Taco Bell franchise, then keep on reading to find out how much does a Taco Bell franchise owner make.
((https://www.tacobell.com/history))
Investment Required to Own a Taco Bell Franchise
Here’s a breakdown of investment requried to open a Taco Bell franchise for two types of models:
Regular Taco Bell
| Type of Expenditure | Amount |
|---|---|
| Background Check Fee | $350-600 per person |
| First Unit Construction Services | $27,250 |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $45,000 |
| Optional Real Estate Services | $0 – $37,250 |
| Real Property | $175,000- $1,400,000 |
| Building/Site Construction | $550,000- $1,200,000 |
| Permits, Licenses, Security Deposits | $74,000 – $125,000 |
| Initial Inventory | $7,000- $10,000 |
| Equipment/Signage/Decor/POS | $375,000- $460,000 |
| Grand Opening Expense | $5,000 |
| TOTAL | $1,298,600 – $3,370,100 |
Express Taco Bell
| Type of Expenditure | Amount |
|---|---|
| Initial License Fee | $22,500 |
| Background Check Fee | $350-600 per person |
| Land-First month’s rent | $2,100 – $4,5000 |
| First Unit Design Services Fee | $2,000 – $5,000 |
| Architectural Fees | $1,500 – $25,000 |
| Equipment and Decor | $150,000 – $230,000 |
| Equipment Start-Up | $1,000- $10,000 |
| Buildout and Construction | $250,000- $200,000 |
| Shipping and Tax | $1,600- $15,000 |
| Signs | $1,000- $14,000 |
| Deposits, Business, License, Permits | $500- $10,000 |
| Cash Control Systems | $7,000- $25,000 |
| Additional Funds | $10,000- $20,000 |
| Initial Inventory | $3,000- $8,500 |
| TOTAL | $227,500- $590,100 |
How Much Does A Taco Bell Franchise Owner Make?
Taco Bell has not made any representations about its franchise sales and profit, so we had to calculate the average sales ourselves.
So in 2021, 6,799 Taco Bell units made sales of $11 billion, and according to this data, we estimate that a Taco Bell franchise owner makes annual sales of $1,617,884 on average.
This is an average, and note that the sales of a Taco Bell franchise might vary based on the Store’s size, menu mix, location, and number of employees, among other things.
How Much Does Taco Bell Employee Earn?
The salary of a Taco Bell employee may vary depending on their level of experience, department, position, location, etc.
But according to Indeed, the average hourly pay for a Taco Bell employee ranges from $8.54 per hour for Dishwasher/Cook to $25.70 per hour for a Technician.
And in yearly terms, the average pay for Taco Bell employees ranges from $20,800 per year for the position of Training Supervisor to $158,000 per year for the position of Director of Finance.
Pros And Cons Of Taco Bell Franchise
Pros Of Taco Bell Franchise
- Reputed brand.
- Offers training and support.
- Profitable.
- Allows absentee ownership.
- Growing rapidly.
Cons Of Taco Bell Franchise
- High franchise fee of $45,000.
- Rigid rules and regulations.
- Requires experience.
Taco Bell Franchise Average Revenue & Profit
As mentioned earlier, a Taco Bell franchise makes sales of $1,617,884 per year on average.
Since Taco Bell has not revealed any information related to its franchise profitability also, we estimate with a profit margin of 15%, a Taco Bell franchise makes $242,682 per year in profits on average.
Here is the view of the possible Taco Bell profit range:
| Average Initial Investment | % Profit Margin of Average franchise sales | Estimated Profits |
|---|---|---|
| $2,334,350 | 10% | $161,788 |
| $2,334,350 | 15% | $242,682 |
| $2,334,350 | 20% | $323,576 |
Taco Bell Franchise Failure Rate
To find out the Taco Bell franchise failure rate, let us see some numbers:
Taco Bell System-wide Outlet Summary
| Outlet type | Year | Outlets at the Start of the Year | Outlets at the End of the Year | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franchised | 2019 | 6,446 | 6,622 | 176 |
| 2020 | 6,622 | 6,679 | 57 | |
| 2021 | 6,679 | 6,863 | 184 | |
| Company-Owned | 2019 | 462 | 467 | 5 |
| 2020 | 467 | 475 | 8 | |
| 2021 | 475 | 462 | 13 | |
| Total Outlets | 2019 | 6,908 | 7,089 | 181 |
| 2020 | 7,089 | 7,154 | 65 | |
| 2021 | 7,154 | 7,325 | 171 |
From the above table, we can see that Taco Bell has been growing continuously but at a slow rate.
Also, for 2020 there were more projected new outlets at 214 new outlets as opposed to 2019.
Overall, Taco Bell has a low failure rate and is growing albiet slowly.
Taco Bell Franchise Payback Period
Let us do some calculations to find out the Taco Bell franchise payback period:
| AVERAGE INVESTMENT | $2,334,350 |
| AVERAGE REVENUE PER OWNER | $1,617,884 |
| AVERGAGE PROFIT PERCENTAGE | 15% |
| AVERGAGE PROFIT PER YEAR | $242,682 |
| AVERAGE PAYBACK PERIOD | 9.5 years |
PAYBACK PERIOD = TOTAL INVESTMENT / PROFIT PER YEAR
= 2334350/242682 = 9.61 = 9.5 Years based on median
The average investment for a Taco Bell Franchise is $2,334,350.
With an average profit percentage of 15%, the average profit per year is $242,682.
This means that the average payback period for a Taco Bell Franchise is 9.5 years, and the total investment of $2,334,350 would be recovered within this period.
Facts About Taco Bell
- Glen Bell, the founder of Taco Bell, used to own a fast-food joint called Taco Tia, where he sold milkshakes, burgers, hot dogs, and tacos. But after seeing the popularity of his tacos, he then opened Taco Bell.
- The tacos at Taco Bell costed only 19 cents back when they started.
- Taco Bell was the first QSR chain to hire women managers.
- PepsiCo acquired Taco Bell in 1978.
- Taco Bell has been sued by rapper 50 Cents, who claimed that Taco Bell used his name to promote cheap items on his menu without his permission.
- To promote its $2 menu, Taco Bell wrote a petition to the government to start printing $2 notes again.
- Taco Bell’s menu item, the Doritos Loco taco, became insanely popular, and it created $15,000 in jobs.
- It took engineers and food designers to come up with the Doritos Loco taco after trying out 40 recipes in two years.
- Taco Bell is present globally, but it failed in Mexico, the place that gave it its namesake.
((https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchises/20-facts-you-probably-didnt-know-about-taco-bell/280383))
What Is Taco Bell Best Known for?
Taco Bell is known for its Mexican American menu, which includes items like tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and other delicious items.
The QSR chain also serves customizable and made-to-order items like burritos and tacos from breakfast to late night.
Taco Bell is also the first QSR restaurant to offer AVA-certified menu items, and it proudly serves over 42 million customers globally each week.
Along with this, Taco Bell serves the best quality product and never compromises on the quality of its food.
Here are some of the best Taco Bell menu items:
- Chicken Power Bowl.
- Toasted Cheddar Chalupa.
- Cheese Roll-Up.
- Crunchwrap Supreme.
- 1/2 Combo Burrito.
- Beefy Melt Burrito.
- Hard Taco.
- XXL Grilled Stuffed Burrito.
- Cheesy Gordita Crunch.
Is Taco Bell Franchise Profitable?
Owing to the ubiquitous presence of Taco Bell and its popularity, this QSR restaurant chain serves more than 42 million customers weekly in all its locations.
As such, it is safe to assume that Taco Bell is a profitable franchise to invest in.
In fact, according to our research and calculation, we estimate that a Taco Bell franchise makes annual profits of $242,682 on average easily.
Taco Bell Franchise Earning Potential
The earning potential of a Taco Bell franchise depends and varies on a number of factors, such as the type of chosen franchise model, your location, and the popularity of Taco Bell in your area, among other factors.
Since Taco Bell has not made any revelations about its sales or profit figure so it is hard to point at a number.
However, we do think that Taco Bell has the potential to earn a good amount of profit.
Wrap Up
Taco Bell is a strong and reputable brand that can earn you good money.
In order to be eligible, you must have some experience handling a food business and meet the minimum financial qualifications.
However, you must know that it will take 9 years on average to recover your initial average investment amount of $2,334,350.
Overall, we think that Taco Bell is a good franchise to invest in and must consider it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the initial investment required to open a Taco Bell franchise?
Opening a regular Taco Bell franchise requires an initial investment of $1,298,600 – $3,370,100, and for an express Taco Bell franchise, the investment range from $227,500 – $590,100.
What is the franchise fee of Taco Bell?
Taco Bell charges an initial franchise fee of $45,000 for a regular franchise and $22,500 for an express franchise.
How much royalty and marketing fee does Taco Bell charge?
Taco Bell charges 5.5% in royalty fees and 4.25% in marketing fees.
Amit Gupta is the founder of DrFranchises – a digital marketing agency that helps brands rank better on Google Maps through local SEO strategies. Amit has over 11 years of experience in digital marketing, SEO, email marketing, and social media marketing. He’s also the owner of multiple franchises and has helped countless brands achieve success online. When he’s not working, Amit can be found playing with his dog.