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    Hungry Howie’s Pizza 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.

    Hungry Howie’s Pizza2022 FDDSonic Drive-In2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Hungry Howie’s Pizza

    $319,100 – $520,264

    2022 FDD · Item 7

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Hungry Howie’s Pizza

    $25,000

    2022 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Hungry Howie’s Pizza

    5.5%

    2022 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    Sonic Drive-In

    1%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

    Before you compare

    • Hungry Howie’s Pizza figures come from its 2022 FDD and Sonic Drive-In figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Hungry Howie’s Pizza 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 (Hungry Howie’s Pizza: 68, Sonic Drive-In: 8). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Hungry Howie’s Pizza

    $319,100 – $520,264
    2022 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)

    Hungry Howie’s Pizza

    $25,000
    2022 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Hungry Howie’s Pizza

    5.5%
    Royalty fee
    2022 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    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)

    Hungry Howie’s Pizza

    7%
    Marketing fee — 7%
    2022 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Hungry Howie’s Pizza

    534
    Outlets at end of 2021
    2022 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 75

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Hungry Howie’s Pizza

    −3
    Calculated: 537 at end of 2019 → 534 at end of 2021

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Hungry Howie’s Pizza

    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)

    Hungry Howie’s Pizza

    1983
    From a verified franchisor listing

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Hungry Howie’s Pizza

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Hungry Howie’s Pizza
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All Units for the 52 weeks ended December 26, 2021
    $835,503
    other annual gross sales
    2022 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 56
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Units for the 52 weeks ended December 26, 2021
    $844,651
    other annual gross sales
    2022 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 56
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Affiliated Units (Broadcast), 52 weeks ended December 26, 2021
    $944,141
    other annual gross sales
    2022 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 56
    +65 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.

    Hungry Howie’s Pizza vs Sonic Drive-In: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Hungry Howie’s Pizza or Sonic Drive-In?
    Hungry Howie’s Pizza: $319,100 – $520,264 (2022 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 Hungry Howie’s Pizza. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Hungry Howie’s Pizza and Sonic Drive-In royalties compare?
    Hungry Howie’s Pizza: 5.5% (2022 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14); 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, Hungry Howie’s Pizza or Sonic Drive-In?
    Hungry Howie’s Pizza: 534 (2022 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 75); 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 Hungry Howie’s Pizza and Sonic Drive-In disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Hungry Howie’s Pizza has reviewed Item 19 figures for 68 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

    Full Hungry Howie’s Pizza 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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