What is the minimum Development Fee for a Del Taco Development Agreement?
Del_Taco Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
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- Term. This Agreement and all Development Rights shall expire immediately upon the required opening date for the last Restaurant set forth on the Development Schedule or the actual opening date for the last Restaurant, whichever first occurs, unless sooner terminated in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
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- Time of Essence. Time is of the essence of this Agreement.
5. Fees. The Developer shall pay to Del Taco the following fees:
- (a) In consideration of the Development Rights granted in this Agreement, the Developer shall pay to Del Taco a fully non-refundable Development Fee of $35,000 for the first Restaurant scheduled for opening and $10,000 for each additional Restaurant scheduled for opening, payable upon execution and delivery by the Developer of this Agreement. As between Developer and Del Taco, Del Taco shall earn the
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 59–325)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Del Taco's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a developer must pay a Development Fee for the rights granted in the Development Agreement. The Development Fee is $35,000 for the first restaurant scheduled for opening and $10,000 for each additional restaurant scheduled for opening. This fee is payable upon the execution and delivery of the Development Agreement by the developer and is fully non-refundable.
Del Taco earns the Development Fee upon the execution of the agreement and has no obligation to refund any portion of it. However, upon the execution of a Franchise Agreement by the developer, Del Taco will credit $35,000 from the Development Fee for the first restaurant and $10,000 for each subsequent restaurant towards the initial franchise fee for each of those restaurants. The developer is responsible for paying the balance of the initial franchise fee for the second and each subsequent restaurant.
In practical terms, a prospective Del Taco developer should be prepared to pay a minimum of $35,000 as a Development Fee for the first restaurant, with additional fees of $10,000 for each subsequent restaurant they plan to develop. While this fee is non-refundable, it is credited towards the initial franchise fees once the Franchise Agreement is executed. This structure incentivizes developers to proceed with opening multiple locations, as the initial Development Fee contributes to the franchise fees for each restaurant.