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Ask Clara anything → What's a royalty? What does it really cost to open one? Do I get a protected territory? Can I sell this someday? What happens if I get sick? Can my kids take it over? What am I really signing up for? How do I get out if I want to? What fees come after the franchise fee? How long am I locked in for? How are their current franchisees doing? Ask Clara anything → What's a royalty? What does it really cost to open one? Do I get a protected territory? Can I sell this someday? What happens if I get sick? Can my kids take it over? What am I really signing up for? How do I get out if I want to? What fees come after the franchise fee? How long am I locked in for? How are their current franchisees doing?
Del Taco FDD Analysis · 2025

Inside the Del Taco franchise disclosure

You searched the right thing. The FDD is the document that spells out what a Del Taco franchise is really about — what you're committing to, and what they're committing to you. Here's a sampling of what their 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document reveals:

Investment to open
$1.5M–$3.32M
System size
594 461 franchised
Financial perf. (Item 19)
Included
Year
2025 analyzed Apr 12
What changed In 2024, Del Taco opened 61 new locations and closed 13.
01

Here's what their franchise disclosure tells you

Every detail below is drawn straight from Del Taco's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document — and in your Clearly Workspace, Clara links each one back to the exact page in the FDD.

Item 7

Estimated Initial Investment

The full cost to open, low to high, including working capital.
$1,497,200–$3,321,000
Item 7
Item 19

Financial Performance

What the franchisor discloses about how outlets perform.
Reports expense and cost averages.
Ask Clara what the figures mean →
Item 20

Outlets & Franchisees

Outlet counts, openings and closures, turnover.
594 locations
In 2024, opened 61 new locations and closed 13 · Item 20
Item 6

Other Fees

The recurring fees — royalty, brand fund, and the rest.
5% royalty · 4% brand fund
See the full fee schedule with Clara →
Item 5

Initial Fees

The upfront fees due before opening.
$35,000 franchise fee
Item 5
Item 12

Territory

Whether you get a protected area, and on what terms.
Does not give you a protected area of your own.
Ask Clara what the terms mean →
02

What Del Taco's 2025 FDD shows

  • 1
    In 2024, Del Taco opened 61 new locations and closed 13. (Item 20.)
Del Taco's franchise agreement is a 20-year commitment — and the FDD is the document that spells out exactly what you're signing up for.

You cannot change the FDD — and that's not the point. The point is to walk into your next conversation with Del Taco knowing what you're agreeing to, so you ask the questions that matter most to you. We're not here to talk you out of anything — we're here to make sure your excitement is the clear-eyed kind.

Open Del Taco's FDD in the Clearly Workspace — with Clara beside you.

The Workspace is where you and Clara review the FDD together. She's read every page, and she'll walk you through any of it — the basic questions, the ones you're not sure are smart, the ones keeping you up at night. No judgment, ever. Ask her what a royalty really costs you, whether you could sell one day, what happens if you get sick — anything.

It's the smart first step before you sign, or before you spend on an attorney: get into the Workspace for $49, get to know the FDD, then save the legal fees for the parts you want to discuss with your attorney. Ask Clara as many questions as you want for 30 days — there's no limit, and no question is too small.

We're not paid if you sign a franchise agreement. We're here to help you understand it before you do.
$99$49
Launch price Open the Del Taco FDD in the Workspace →
The full FDD in your Clearly Workspace · Clara beside you · unlimited questions for 30 days
03

Common questions

How much does it cost to open a Del Taco franchise?
Del Taco's 2025 FDD estimates a total initial investment of $1,497,200 to $3,321,000, including the $35,000 franchise fee. (Item 7.)
What are the ongoing fees for a Del Taco franchise?
Del Taco reports a royalty of 5%, plus a 4% brand-fund contribution; the rest of the recurring fees are itemized in Item 6 of the 2025 FDD.
Does Del Taco share how its franchises perform financially?
Yes — Del Taco's 2025 FDD reports expense and cost averages. The figures themselves are in your Clearly Workspace.
How many Del Taco locations are there?
Del Taco's 2025 FDD reports 594 locations — 461 franchised and 133 company-owned (Item 20).
Drawn from Del Taco's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document · last updated April 12, 2026.
Review Del Taco's FDD in the Clearly Workspace
Clara's read every page and reviews it with you — ask as many questions as you want for 30 days. No question too small, no judgment.
$99$49
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