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    SDvsTE

    Franchise opportunities compared

    Sonic Drive-In vs Thai Express

    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.

    SDSonic Drive-In2026 FDDTEThai Express2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    Thai Express

    $494,050 – $532,400

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available

    Thai Express

    $30,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 30

    Royalty · Item 6

    Sonic Drive-In

    1%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

    Thai Express

    18%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 38

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Thai Express discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only Sonic Drive-In has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (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

    Thai Express

    $494,050 – $532,400
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Thai Express

    $30,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 30
    Royalty (Item 6)

    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

    Thai Express

    18%
    Breaching Royalties: for percentage-based royalties, up to 18% of Gross Sales during any period of franchisee breach or default, without advance notice or right to cure; franchisor may instead charge the greater of three times the fixed Royalty fee. Breaching Royalties apply for at least 14 days.
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 38
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    Thai Express

    4%
    Marketing Fund Contributions may be increased to 4% of Gross Sales only if at least 75% of franchisees in the system at the time vote in favor. — 4%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Sonic Drive-In

    3,412
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74

    Thai Express

    Not available
    No reviewed outlet counts
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Sonic Drive-In

    −109
    Calculated: 3,521 at end of 2023 → 3,412 at end of 2025

    Thai Express

    Not available
    Only one year reported
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Thai Express

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Thai Express

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

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Thai Express

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    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
    TEThai Express

    Not 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.

    Sonic Drive-In vs Thai Express: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Sonic Drive-In or Thai Express?
    Sonic Drive-In: $1,485,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38); Thai Express: $494,050 – $532,400 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Thai Express. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Sonic Drive-In and Thai Express royalties compare?
    Sonic Drive-In: 1% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34); Thai Express: 18% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 38). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Do Sonic Drive-In and Thai Express disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Sonic Drive-In has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups; Thai Express makes no Item 19 financial performance representation. 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

    SD

    Full Sonic Drive-In report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    TE

    Full Thai Express report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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