Franchise opportunities compared
Rusty Taco vs Sonic Drive-In
Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.
Initial investment · Item 7
Rusty Taco
$529,400 – $1,129,950
2026 FDD · Item 7Sonic Drive-In
$1,485,200
2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38Initial franchise fee · Item 5
Rusty Taco
$30,000
2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11Sonic Drive-In
Not available
Royalty · Item 6
Rusty Taco
5%
2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12Sonic Drive-In
1%
2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
- Rusty Taco discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
- Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Rusty Taco: 5, Sonic Drive-In: 8). Different groups are not directly comparable.
Financial commitment
Rusty TacoRusty Taco
Sonic Drive-In
Rusty Taco
Sonic Drive-In
Rusty Taco
Sonic Drive-In
Rusty Taco
Sonic Drive-In
System scale & health
Rusty TacoRusty Taco
Sonic Drive-In
Rusty Taco
Sonic Drive-In
Rusty Taco
Sonic Drive-In
Rusty Taco
Sonic Drive-In
Rusty Taco
Sonic Drive-In
Financial performance (Item 19), by location group
Rusty TacoItem 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.
Rusty Taco vs Sonic Drive-In: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Rusty Taco or Sonic Drive-In?
- Rusty Taco: $529,400 – $1,129,950 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Sonic Drive-In: $1,485,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Rusty Taco. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Rusty Taco and Sonic Drive-In royalties compare?
- Rusty Taco: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12); Sonic Drive-In: 1% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Do Rusty Taco and Sonic Drive-In disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Rusty Taco has reviewed Item 19 figures for 5 location groups; Sonic Drive-In has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.
Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.
Keep researching
Full Rusty Taco report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
Full Sonic Drive-In report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
