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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Sonic Drive-In vs Taco Cabana

    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.

    SDSonic Drive-In2026 FDDTaco Cabana2025 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    Taco Cabana

    $1,266,500 – $1,334,500

    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available

    Taco Cabana

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Sonic Drive-In

    1%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

    Taco Cabana

    5%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Before you compare

    • Sonic Drive-In figures come from its 2026 FDD and Taco Cabana figures from its 2025 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Taco Cabana 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 (Sonic Drive-In: 8, Taco Cabana: 6). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200
    TOTAL ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT (excluding free- standing real estate costs) (15) — 1485200
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    Taco Cabana

    $1,266,500 – $1,334,500
    2025 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Taco Cabana

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Sonic Drive-In

    1%
    lows: Duration of Effective Royalty Fee Effective Royalty Fee Opening through Year 1 — 1%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

    Taco Cabana

    5%
    Weekly royalty on Gross Sales
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    Taco Cabana

    3%
    National Brand Fund weekly Gross Sales contribution — 3%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Sonic Drive-In

    3,412
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74

    Taco Cabana

    146
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 53
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Sonic Drive-In

    −109
    Calculated: 3,521 at end of 2023 → 3,412 at end of 2025

    Taco Cabana

    −3
    Calculated: 149 at end of 2022 → 146 at end of 2024
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Taco Cabana

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Taco Cabana

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Taco Cabana

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    SDSonic Drive-In
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 2nd Quartile
    47 percent
    other 2nd Quartile
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 71
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All Restaurants
    1,338 restaurants
    other All Restaurants
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 72
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 1st Quartile
    294 restaurants
    other 1st Quartile
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 71
    +5 more groups in the full report
    Taco Cabana
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Top 50% company restaurants
    $1,829,182
    other Top 50% Gross Sales
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 52
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Top 25% company restaurants
    $2,071,533
    other Top 25% Gross Sales
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 52
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Top 75% company restaurants
    $1,658,419
    other Top 75% Gross Sales
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 52
    +3 more groups in the full report

    Item 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.

    Sonic Drive-In vs Taco Cabana: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Sonic Drive-In or Taco Cabana?
    Sonic Drive-In: $1,485,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38); Taco Cabana: $1,266,500 – $1,334,500 (2025 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Taco Cabana. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Sonic Drive-In and Taco Cabana royalties compare?
    Sonic Drive-In: 1% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34); Taco Cabana: 5% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Sonic Drive-In or Taco Cabana?
    Sonic Drive-In: 3,412 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74); Taco Cabana: 146 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 53). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Sonic Drive-In and Taco Cabana disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Sonic Drive-In has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups; Taco Cabana has reviewed Item 19 figures for 6 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.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

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    Full Sonic Drive-In report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full Taco Cabana report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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