Sonic Drive-In FDD – Franchise Information, Costs and Fees
Type of Business
Sonic Franchising LLC licenses the operation of Sonic restaurants, which feature a variety of specialty drinks (such as cherry limeades and slushes), ice cream desserts, cheeseburgers, chicken entrees, hot dogs, onion rings and tater tots and breakfast items.
At a typical “Traditional Sonic Drive-In,” a customer parks in one of 8 to 24 covered drive-in spaces and orders through an intercom speaker system. A Carhop then delivers the customer’s food directly to the customer’s vehicle. Most Traditional Sonic Drive-Ins include a drive-thru lane and a patio, and frequently, an enclosed patio or indoor seating. A “Non-Traditional Sonic” generally includes any location other than a free-standing building with canopies devoted to the operation of a Sonic restaurant and accessible to the general public by motor vehicles from public thoroughfares.
Unless the context indicates otherwise, as used in this disclosure document, a “Sonic restaurant” and “Sonic Drive-In” refer to both a Traditional Sonic Drive-In and a Non-Traditional Sonic.
Corporate Information
Sonic Franchising LLC was formed as a Delaware limited liability company on March 23, 2011. Effective December 7, 2018, Inspire Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation acquired Sonic LLC and became their indirect parent. They are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sonic Capital LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. Their principal business address and that of their predecessors, parents and affiliates is Three Glenlake Parkway NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30328.
Investment
Your estimated initial investment necessary to begin operation of a Traditional Sonic Drive-In franchise ranges from approximately $1,242,200 to $3,537,700 plus land costs and includes the $45,000 franchise fee that must be paid to Sonic. Your estimated initial investment necessary to begin operation of a Non-Traditional Sonic franchise ranges from approximately $361,900 to $978,700 and includes the $22,500 franchise fee that must be paid to Sonic.
