Franopolis
    SDvs

    Franchise opportunities compared

    Sonic Drive-In vs The Halal Guys

    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 FDDThe Halal Guys2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Sonic Drive-In

    $1,485,200

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38

    The Halal Guys

    $509,600

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available

    The Halal Guys

    $40,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14

    Royalty · Item 6

    Sonic Drive-In

    1%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 34

    The Halal Guys

    Not available

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Sonic Drive-In: 8, The Halal Guys: 2). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    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

    The Halal Guys

    $509,600
    5,250 As incurred As incurred Suppliers Delayed Opening Fee (4) See Note 3 Total (5) — 509600
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    The Halal Guys

    $40,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14
    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

    The Halal Guys

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    The Halal Guys

    2%
    able in your account for withdrawal. S ee N ote 2 . Worldwide Creative Marketing Fee — 2% — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    The Halal Guys

    81
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 69
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Sonic Drive-In

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

    The Halal Guys

    −7
    Calculated: 88 at end of 2023 → 81 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    The Halal Guys

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

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    The Halal Guys

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

    Sonic Drive-In

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    The Halal Guys

    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
    The Halal Guys
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — The Halal Guys Reporting Franchised Restaurants; open full 12 months as of Dece…
    $2,754,772
    other Highest gross revenue: $2,754,771.72
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 69
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — The Halal Guys Reporting Corporate Restaurants; open full 12 months as of Decem…
    $925,595
    other Lowest gross revenue: $925,595.43
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 69

    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 The Halal Guys: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Sonic Drive-In or The Halal Guys?
    Sonic Drive-In: $1,485,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 38); The Halal Guys: $509,600 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for The Halal Guys. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Sonic Drive-In or The Halal Guys?
    Sonic Drive-In: 3,412 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74); The Halal Guys: 81 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 69). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Sonic Drive-In and The Halal Guys disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Sonic Drive-In has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups; The Halal Guys has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 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

    SD

    Full Sonic Drive-In report

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

    Full The Halal Guys report

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

    Compare Sonic Drive-In with

    Compare The Halal Guys with

    Add a third brand

    Compare up to four side by side

    Explore by brand

    Filter every published report

    FDD glossary

    Plain-language meaning of each Item