Franopolis
    DvsSD

    Franchise opportunities compared

    Derek 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.

    DDerek2026 FDDSDSonic Drive-In2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Derek

    Not available

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Derek

    $35,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Derek

    6.5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Sonic Drive-In

    1%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Only Sonic Drive-In has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Derek

    Not available
    No reviewed Item 7 total

    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)

    Derek

    $35,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Derek

    6.5%
    Royalty fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    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)

    Derek

    2%
    Advertising fee maximum rate — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Derek

    Not available
    No reviewed outlet counts

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Derek

    Not available
    Only one year reported

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Derek

    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)

    Derek

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Derek

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    DDerek

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    SDSonic 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.

    Derek vs Sonic Drive-In: common questions

    How do Derek and Sonic Drive-In royalties compare?
    Derek: 6.5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11); Sonic Drive-In: 1% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Do Derek and Sonic Drive-In disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Derek makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; 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

    Keep researching

    D

    Full Derek report

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

    SD

    Full Sonic Drive-In report

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

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    FDD glossary

    Plain-language meaning of each Item