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Sonic Drive In

Drive-in hamburger restaurant

Sonic Industries Inc. was founded in 1973. In 1974, Sonic acquired the name 'Sonic Drive-In' from Troy Smith, Sr., and began franchising. Smith used his more than 15 years of experience in the restaurant business to develop and operate the Sonic franchise program.

A wholly owned subsidiary of Sonic Corp., the company is based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and has locations throughout the United States. The company's storefronts recently got a facelift to give them a 'retro-futuristic' look.

Please Note: The operators of Sonic Drive In, may not have verified the accuracy of the Franchise information contained within this website. For accurate up-to-date information, customers are strongly recommended to visit the official Sonic Drive In website.

Start-up Costs & Franchises Fees

How much does it cost to open a Sonic Drive In Franchises?

Total Investment: $1,200,000-$3,200,000
Initial Franchise Fee: $30,000
Royalty Fee: 1-5%
Advertising Fee: N/A
Term of Agreement: 20 years
Renewal Fee: 10 years for $6K

How to contact Sonic Drive In

Sonic Drive In News

Edmond Funeral Service Planned For Sonic Founder
Family and friends are preparing a local church funeral to say goodbye to Troy N. Smith Sr., the founder of Sonic, America's Drive-In. The funeral for Smith will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the First Christian Church of Edmond, with interment at Memorial Park Cemetery. Smith, an Edmond resident, d... more

Sonic Announces New Restaurant Chief
Sonic Corp. has named a new president of its restaurant operating subsidiary, Sonic Restaurants, Inc. The Oklahoma City-based drive-in restaurant chain announced the hiring of Omar Janjua (JOHN'-jew-uh) on Tuesday. Janjua was previously the executive vice president and chief operating offi... more

Sonic Plans To Expand In New York State
With Sonic getting a warm welcome in Northern markets, often pulling in three times the sales of stores that open in existing markets, the chain is making a strong push into the New York market. Franchisee Daser Restaurant Group plans to develop several more drive-ins in the region in the next ... more

Sonic Intros Chillers Frozen Drinks
Sonic Drive-In has introduced a line of frozen beverages that combines its Limeade offerings with ice cream, the company has announced. Sonic Chillers are a blend of a choice of Cherry Limeade, Strawberry Limeade or classic Limeade and vanilla soft serve, finished off with whipped topping, a fre... more

Sonic Launches New $1 Per Item Budget Menu
Sonic Corp.'s drive-in restaurant chain launched a new value menu on Monday that offers 11 food and drink items for $1 each plus tax. The "Everyday Value Menu" includes new items and small sizes of previously offered items. The new menu is available all day, seven days a week. The ... more

View all Sonic Drive In Press Releases

Franchise History

When did the first Sonic Drive In open? 1954
When did Sonic Drive In start Franchising? 1959

Year	U.S.A.	Canada	International	Corporate
2005	2384	0	7	550
2004	2334	0	5	510
2003	2207	0	5	497
2002	2039	0	1	443
2001	1937	0	0	387

Expansion Plans

United States: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia,

International: Mexico,

Financing Options

Expense	In-House	Third Party
Franchise Fee	No	Yes
Startup Costs	No	Yes
Equipment	No	Yes
Inventory	Yes	No
Accounts Receivable	Yes	No
Payroll	Yes	No

Training & Support

Support
Newsletter, Meetings, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives

Marketing
Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising

Business Operations

International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 60% of all franchisees own more than one unit

Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 25

Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed.

Qualifications & Business Experience

Business Experience:

Industry experience

General business experience

If no industry experience, must have an operating equity partner

Related Franchise Categories

• Fast Food Franchise Opportunities
• Hamburgers/Hot Dogs Franchise Opportunities
• Franchises Over $1 Million

Listing Tags

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