Franchise opportunities compared
Long John Silver'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.
Initial investment · Item 7
Long John Silver's
$665,500
2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 25Sonic Drive-In
$1,485,200
2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38Initial franchise fee · Item 5
Long John Silver's
Not available
Sonic Drive-In
Not available
Royalty · Item 6
Long John Silver's
Not available
Sonic Drive-In
1%
2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
- Only Sonic Drive-In has reviewed Item 19 figures here.
Financial commitment
Long John Silver'sLong John Silver's
Sonic Drive-In
Long John Silver's
Sonic Drive-In
Long John Silver's
Sonic Drive-In
Long John Silver's
Sonic Drive-In
System scale & health
Long John Silver'sLong John Silver's
Sonic Drive-In
Long John Silver's
Sonic Drive-In
Long John Silver's
Sonic Drive-In
Long John Silver's
Sonic Drive-In
Long John Silver's
Sonic Drive-In
Financial performance (Item 19), by location group
Long John Silver'sNot disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation
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.
Long John Silver's vs Sonic Drive-In: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Long John Silver's or Sonic Drive-In?
- Long John Silver's: $665,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 25); 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 Long John Silver's. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- Which has more locations, Long John Silver's or Sonic Drive-In?
- Long John Silver's: 479 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 59); 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 Long John Silver's and Sonic Drive-In disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Long John Silver's 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.
Keep researching
Full Long John Silver's 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
