Franchise opportunities compared

    Killer Burger 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

    Killer Burger

    Not available

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Killer Burger

    Not available

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Killer Burger

    5%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10

    Sonic Drive-In

    1%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

    Before you compare

    • Killer Burger figures come from its 2025 FDD and Sonic Drive-In figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Killer Burger: 4, Sonic Drive-In: 8). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Killer Burger

    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)

    Killer Burger

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Killer Burger

    5%
    Royalty fee
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10

    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)

    Killer Burger

    1% of current
    Franchisee brand fund contribution
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Killer Burger

    24
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 48

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Killer Burger

    +5
    Calculated: 19 at end of 2022 → 24 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)

    Killer Burger

    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)

    Killer Burger

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    Killer Burger

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Killer Burger
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table B franchised Killer Burger restaurants open and operating for the full ca…
    $1,576,090
    other gross sales
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table A franchised Killer Burger restaurants open and operating for the full ca…
    $1,396,099
    other gross sales
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table B corporate/affiliate-owned Killer Burger restaurants open and operating…
    $1,206,517
    other gross sales
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 44
    +1 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.

    Killer Burger vs Sonic Drive-In: common questions

    How do Killer Burger and Sonic Drive-In royalties compare?
    Killer Burger: 5% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10); 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, Killer Burger or Sonic Drive-In?
    Killer Burger: 24 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 48); 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 Killer Burger and Sonic Drive-In disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Killer Burger has reviewed Item 19 figures for 4 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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