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    Franchise opportunities compared

    New York Fries 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.

    New York Fries2025 FDDSonic Drive-In2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    New York Fries

    $450,000

    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    New York Fries

    $50

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    New York Fries

    6%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Sonic Drive-In

    1%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

    Before you compare

    • New York Fries figures come from its 2025 FDD and Sonic Drive-In figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Only Sonic Drive-In has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    New York Fries

    $450,000
    Period (9) $2 5 ,000 - $30,000 As Arranged As Arranged Third - Parties TOTAL ( 10 ) — 450000
    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22

    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)

    New York Fries

    $50
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    New York Fries

    6%
    . Column 1 Type of Fee 1 Column 2 Amount Column 3 Due Date Column 4 Remarks Royalty — 6%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    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)

    New York Fries

    2.5%
    therwise specified by us. See Note 2 for definition of Gross Sales. Advertising Fund — 2.5% — 2.5%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    New York Fries

    4
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 53

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    New York Fries

    Not available
    Only one year reported

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    New York Fries

    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)

    New York Fries

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    New York Fries

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    New York Fries

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    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.

    New York Fries vs Sonic Drive-In: common questions

    Which costs less to open, New York Fries or Sonic Drive-In?
    New York Fries: $450,000 (2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22); 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 New York Fries. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do New York Fries and Sonic Drive-In royalties compare?
    New York Fries: 6% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17); 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, New York Fries or Sonic Drive-In?
    New York Fries: 4 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 53); 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 New York Fries and Sonic Drive-In disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    New York Fries 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.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full New York Fries 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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