Franchise opportunities compared

    green and the grain franchising 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.

    Initial investment · Item 7

    green and the grain franchising

    $402,000 – $1,397,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    green and the grain franchising

    $50,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 8

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    green and the grain franchising

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 9

    Sonic Drive-In

    1%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (green and the grain franchising: 13, Sonic Drive-In: 8). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    green and the grain franchising

    $402,000 – $1,397,000
    Total single Restaurant investment lower estimate
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15

    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)

    green and the grain franchising

    $50,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 8

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    green and the grain franchising

    6%
    Monthly royalty on Gross Revenues
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 9

    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)

    green and the grain franchising

    6%
    Maximum increased Brand Fund contribution — 6%
    2026 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)

    green and the grain franchising

    6
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 45

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    green and the grain franchising

    +0
    Calculated: 6 at end of 2023 → 6 at end of 2025

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    green and the grain franchising

    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)

    green and the grain franchising

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    green and the grain franchising

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    green and the grain franchising
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Location A opened 1/20/2018
    $1,996,629
    other Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 43
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Location D opened 7/13/2015
    $908,165
    other Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 43
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All six locations
    $1,242,154
    other Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 43
    +10 more groups in the full report
    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.

    green and the grain franchising vs Sonic Drive-In: common questions

    Which costs less to open, green and the grain franchising or Sonic Drive-In?
    green and the grain franchising: $402,000 – $1,397,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 15); 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 green and the grain franchising. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do green and the grain franchising and Sonic Drive-In royalties compare?
    green and the grain franchising: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 9); 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, green and the grain franchising or Sonic Drive-In?
    green and the grain franchising: 6 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 45); 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 green and the grain franchising and Sonic Drive-In disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    green and the grain franchising has reviewed Item 19 figures for 13 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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