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    HvsSD

    Franchise opportunities compared

    Hardee’s 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.

    HHardee’s2026 FDDSDSonic Drive-In2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Hardee’s

    $57,000 – $2,637,395

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Hardee’s

    $25,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 28

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Hardee’s

    3.5%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 29

    Sonic Drive-In

    1%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Hardee’s 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 (Hardee’s: 2, Sonic Drive-In: 8). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Hardee’s

    $57,000 – $2,637,395
    2026 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)

    Hardee’s

    $25,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 28

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Hardee’s

    3.5%
    Royalty — newly-developed restaurants, first 5 years
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 29

    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)

    Hardee’s

    7%
    Advertising and promotional obligation maximum — 7%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Hardee’s

    1,485
    Outlets at end of 2026
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 77

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Hardee’s

    −113
    Calculated: 1,598 at end of 2024 → 1,485 at end of 2026

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Hardee’s

    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)

    Hardee’s

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Hardee’s

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    HHardee’s
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Company-operated freestanding Hardee's restaurants in the United States during…
    $1,299,224
    other Company-Owned Hardee’s freestanding restaurants
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 75
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised freestanding Hardee’s Restaurants
    $1,294,442
    other Franchised Hardee’s freestanding restaurants
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 75
    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.

    Hardee’s vs Sonic Drive-In: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Hardee’s or Sonic Drive-In?
    Hardee’s: $57,000 – $2,637,395 (2026 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 Hardee’s. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Hardee’s and Sonic Drive-In royalties compare?
    Hardee’s: 3.5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 29); 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, Hardee’s or Sonic Drive-In?
    Hardee’s: 1,485 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 77); 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 Hardee’s and Sonic Drive-In disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Hardee’s has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 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

    Keep researching

    H

    Full Hardee’s 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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