- Units as of 2020
-
3,525 (33 lost in 3 years)0.9%
- 2021 Franchise 500 Rank
-
#28 Ranked #4 last year
- Initial investment
-
$1.2M - $3.5M
Company Overview
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About Sonic Drive-In
- Industry
- Food
- Related Categories
- Hamburgers
- Founded
- 1953
- Parent Company
- Inspire Brands
- Leadership
- Claudia San Pedro, President
Franchising Overview
- Franchising Since
- 1959 (62 years)
- # of employees at HQ
- 900
- Where seeking
-
This company is seeking new franchisees throughout the US.
This company is seeking new franchisees worldwide.
- # of Units
- 3,525 (as of 2020)
Information for Franchisees
Here’s what you need to know if you’re interested in opening a Sonic Drive-In franchise.
Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees
Here’s what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.
- Initial Franchise Fee
- $45,000
- Initial Investment
- $1,242,200 - $3,537,700
- Net Worth Requirement
- $1,000,000 - $2,000,000
- Cash Requirement
- $500,000 - $1,000,000
- Royalty Fee
- 2-5%
- Ad Royalty Fee
- 0.9%
- Term of Agreement
- 20 years
- Is franchise term renewable?
- Yes
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Financing Options
Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.
- Third Party Financing
- Sonic Drive-In has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll
Training & Support Offered
Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.
- On-The-Job Training
- 400 hours
- Classroom Training
- 24 hours
- Additional Training
- At existing franchise location
- Ongoing Support
-
Purchasing Co-opsNewsletterMeetings & ConventionsToll-Free LineGrand OpeningOnline SupportSecurity & Safety ProceduresField OperationsFranchisee Intranet Platform
- Marketing Support
-
Co-op AdvertisingAd TemplatesNational MediaRegional AdvertisingMarketing Planning & SupportSocial MediaSEOEmail MarketingLoyalty Program/App
Operations
Additional details about running this franchise.
- Is absentee ownership allowed?
- No
- Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit?
- No
- Can this franchise be run part time?
- No
- # of employees required to run
- 25
- Are exclusive territories available?
- Yes
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Franchise 500 Ranking History
Compare where Sonic Drive-In landed on this year’s Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.
Additional Rankings
Curious to know where Sonic Drive-In ranked on other franchise lists? Find out below.
Franchise 500 Ranking
Fastest-Growing Franchises
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