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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Cousins Maine Lobster vs Sonic Drive-In

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Cousins Maine Lobster2025 FDDSonic Drive-In2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    $193,500 – $651,200

    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    Not available

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    8%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    Sonic Drive-In

    1%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

    Before you compare

    • Cousins Maine Lobster figures come from its 2025 FDD and Sonic Drive-In figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Cousins Maine Lobster discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Cousins Maine Lobster: 10, Sonic Drive-In: 8). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    $193,500 – $651,200
    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200
    TOTAL ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT (excluding free- standing real estate costs) (15) — 1485200
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    8%
    Royalty rate
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    Sonic Drive-In

    1%
    lows: Duration of Effective Royalty Fee Effective Royalty Fee Opening through Year 1 — 1%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    2%
    Advertising Fund Contribution cap — 2%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    146
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 49

    Sonic Drive-In

    3,412
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    +58
    Calculated: 88 at end of 2022 → 146 at end of 2024

    Sonic Drive-In

    −109
    Calculated: 3,521 at end of 2023 → 3,412 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Cousins Maine Lobster

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Cousins Maine Lobster
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Food Trucks open and operating for the full 12-month period in 2024,…
    $132,973
    other Monthly Sales
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 47
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — affiliate-owned units
    50 percent
    other Percentage at or Above Average
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 48
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Cousins Maine Lobster Food Trucks owned by franchisees that operated for a full…
    $102,689
    other Table 1 Food Truck #1
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 46
    +7 more groups in the full report
    Sonic Drive-In
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 2nd Quartile
    47 percent
    other 2nd Quartile
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 71
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All Restaurants
    1,338 restaurants
    other All Restaurants
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 72
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 1st Quartile
    294 restaurants
    other 1st Quartile
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 71
    +5 more groups in the full report

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Cousins Maine Lobster vs Sonic Drive-In: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Cousins Maine Lobster or Sonic Drive-In?
    Cousins Maine Lobster: $193,500 – $651,200 (2025 FDD · Item 7); Sonic Drive-In: $1,485,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Cousins Maine Lobster. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Cousins Maine Lobster and Sonic Drive-In royalties compare?
    Cousins Maine Lobster: 8% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13); Sonic Drive-In: 1% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Cousins Maine Lobster or Sonic Drive-In?
    Cousins Maine Lobster: 146 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 49); Sonic Drive-In: 3,412 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Cousins Maine Lobster and Sonic Drive-In disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Cousins Maine Lobster has reviewed Item 19 figures for 10 location groups; Sonic Drive-In has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

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    Full Cousins Maine Lobster report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full Sonic Drive-In report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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