Sonic Drive-In
Franchise research report · reviewed 2026 disclosure data
Researching Sonic Drive-In franchise opportunities? Every figure below is cited to the FDD.
- Headquarters
- Oklahoma City, OK United States Source: franchise.org
Sonic Drive-In serves burgers, hot dogs, chicken, breakfast foods, snacks and frozen desserts. Its drive-in restaurant menu also includes customizable drinks, slushes, lemonades and limeades.
Headline figures
Sonic Drive-In quick facts
- Is Sonic Drive-In a franchise?
- Yes. Sonic Drive-In offers franchises through a Franchise Disclosure Document. At the end of 2025, it reported 3,120 franchised and 292 company-owned outlets (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 74).
- How much does it cost to open a Sonic Drive-In franchise?
- The Sonic Drive-In Franchise Disclosure Document reports an estimated initial investment of $1,485,200 (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 38). This is the franchisor's disclosed estimate, not a quote. Details
- What ongoing fees does Sonic Drive-In charge?
- The disclosed ongoing royalty is 1% (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 34). Other recurring fees are listed in Item 6. Details
- Does Sonic Drive-In disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Yes. The Sonic Drive-In FDD includes an Item 19 financial performance representation (2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 71). Figures apply only to the locations and period each one covers. Details
- How many Sonic Drive-In locations are there?
- The FDD reports 3,412 outlets at the end of 2025 (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 74). Existing locations do not indicate territory availability. Details
- Is Sonic Drive-In a good franchise to buy?
- Franopolis does not rate or recommend franchises. From the reviewed FDD: Item 19 includes financial performance figures; check which locations and period they cover; Item 20 lists outlet openings, closures and transfers; Item 6 lists every recurring fee beyond royalty; Item 20 also lists current and former franchisees you can contact. Review the full FDD with a franchise attorney and accountant before deciding.
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
What the disclosures show
- 1Opening costs are estimated at $1,485,200 in the 2026 FDD (Item 7); several initial fee options apply.
- 2Item 19 covers 8 separate groups: other measures for 764 FranchisedTraditional locations; other measures for 3,057 FranchisedTraditional locations; other measures for 764 FranchisedTraditional locations; other measures for 764 FranchisedTraditional locations; other measures for 765 FranchisedTraditional locations; other measures for 2,988 FranchisedTraditional locations; other measures for 69 FranchisedTraditional locations; other measures for Franchise locations. They are not combined.
- 3Outlets declined by 49 in 2025, to 3,412 (United States, as labeled in the FDD, Item 20).
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
Sonic Drive-In head-to-head
Closest peers in the same subcategory, side by side from reviewed FDD figures. Not a ranking or recommendation.
Costs · Items 5–7
What does it cost to open?
Estimated opening costs and the fees payable to the franchisor.
Startup Investment — Item 7
Total estimated initial investment
2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38
Ongoing Fees — Item 6
Selected recurring charges; payment bases and conditions remain attached to each fee.
- lows: Duration of Effective Royalty Fee Effective Royalty Fee Opening through Year 1 — 1%Main ongoing fee
67 reported fees, each with its payment basis, are listed below; they haven't been sorted into recurring, initial and occasional groups yet.
Financial Performance — Item 19
What results are disclosed—and for which locations?
8 separate populations, shown apart. Revenue is not owner income.
764 locations
Other measures · 764 locations
- Who is counted
- 2nd Quartile
- Period
- Aboveaveragepercent
- Excluded
- 29new,23extendedclosures,1multibrand,10nontraditional(includes3new),3Deccompanytransfers,56closedolder12months,andcompanyoutlets excluded
- Method
- Salesreports/POSnotindependentlyaudited; grosssalesnotprofit; quartilesrankedAUV; sourcelowest225308quartilevs255308allretained.
These groups are never combined.
Outlet Changes — Item 20
How has the outlet count changed?
United States, as labeled in the FDD · counts as of 2025 of each year.
2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74
Net −109 outlets, 2023–2025
Year-end counts reported in Item 20. The scale starts at zero, so the line looks nearly flat; the labels between the dots show each year's change. Openings and closures for 2025 haven't been pulled from the Item 20 tables yet, so no turnover or churn is shown.
Questions to investigate
Prompts based on what this brand's reviewed disclosures do and don't show — not conclusions. Join free as a member to save questions to your research.
For the franchisor
Which line items in the 2026 Item 7 estimate ($1,485,200) vary most by market, and why?
Which initial fee option would apply to my situation, and what conditions or discounts affect it?
Which locations are included in the Item 19 figures, and which were excluded?
Reported units decreased from 3,461 to 3,412 in 2025. What drove the change?
Is a territory available in my area, and how is it defined in my agreement?
For current and former owners
How did your actual startup costs and timeline compare with the Item 7 estimate?
How many hours a week do you work in the business, and in what role?
How do your results compare with the Item 19 figures, and what explains the difference?
What support from the franchisor has been most and least useful?
For your advisors
Ask a franchise attorney to review the territory, renewal, transfer and termination terms.
Ask an accountant to build a cash-flow plan using your own assumptions, not the franchisor's.
Sources & vintage history
Every displayed fact is retained with its disclosure vintage, item, page, and reviewed status. Prior vintages remain on file rather than being overwritten.
Citations (2026 FDD)
- [1]Estimated initial investment — Item 7 · PDF p. 38
- [2]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 2nd Quartile · PDF p. 71
- [3]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All Restaurants · PDF p. 72
- [4]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 1st Quartile · PDF p. 71
- [5]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 3rd Quartile · PDF p. 71
- [6]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 4th Quartile · PDF p. 72
- [7]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Free- Standing and Urban Storefront · PDF p. 72
- [8]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Gas/C-Store · PDF p. 72
- [9]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — System/sample/exclusionsaslabelled · PDF p. 71
- [10]Outlet counts — Item 20, Table 1 · PDF p. 74
"PDF p." is the page in the PDF file; "printed p." is the number printed on the FDD page. Source document: FDD
Territory & operations
2,903 addresses in Franopolis's imported location list. Coverage may differ from Item 20 outlet counts.
These are contract disclosures, not confirmation that any territory is currently available.
Legal & agreement
Franchisor financial statements
| Fiscal year | Measure | Reported value |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | total liabilities and member’s equity | $34,121 |
| 2025 | liabilities and member's equity current portion of deferred revenue | $417 |
| 2025 | total assets | $34,121 |
| 2025 | operating income | $2,807 |
| 2025 | total current assets | $6,013 |
| 2025 | deferred revenue | -$958 |
| 2025 | net cash provided by operating activities | $3,394 |
| 2025 | amortization | $2,832 |
| 2025 | noncurrent deferred revenue | $8,487 |
| 2025 | total liabilities | $8,904 |
| 2025 | member's equity | $25,217 |
| 2025 | accounts receivable, net | $6,013 |
These figures describe the franchisor company, not individual franchise locations.
SBA-backed loans to franchisees
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Source: U.S. Small Business Administration 7(a) & 504 FOIA data. Loan volume is not a measure of franchisee success.
Related research
Brands in the same subcategory first, then the wider industry, ordered by shared business format, overlapping investment range, Item 20 outlet count and search interest. This is not a ranking or recommendation.
Head-to-head comparisons
At a glance
Business history
Not reviewed
Owner participation
Not reviewed
Territory language
Litigation disclosure
Not reviewed
Bankruptcy disclosure
Not reviewed
Agreement term
Not reviewed
Independent analysis of franchisor-provided data. Not investment advice. Franopolis does not distribute FDDs.