Quick Verdict · who it fits
Sonic Drive-In fits owner-operators looking for a mature food & beverage concept.
The numbers a buyer needs first — straight from the filing.
Initial investment (Item 7)
$670K - $2.5M
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$15K
Royalty (Item 6)
5% + 1.625–3.25% ad
Item 19 median rev
$1.47M all franchised traditional restaurants
System size (Item 20)
3,120 +32
Years in business
15+ yrs
Model Sonic Drive-In's costs in the investment calculator → Prefilled from this filing — startup cost, cash flow and break-even.
Data extracted from the 2026 FDD filed with state regulators. Fees and terms may have changed since filing — request the current FDD from the franchisor before deciding. Not legal, financial, or investment advice. Full disclaimer.
Drag to your projected annual sales. Royalty 5% + ad fund 1.625–3.25% on gross sales.
PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES$1,470,000
$100k$2.7M
Royalty (5%)
—
Ad fund (1.625–3.25%)
—
Total / year
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▪ Of-sales fees only · excludes rent, labor, COGS, and one-time costs · for illustration
Free AI summary — the first read on the filing.
3,412
Total units open
32 franchised restaurants
Units opened last year
opened in 2025
56 franchised restaurants closed in 2025
Units closed last year
-24 units
Net unit growth
2025 fiscal year
What our analysis flagged across the 2026 filing.
5
Risks to review
4
Strengths identified
5
Questions to ask
How Sonic Drive-In ranks against 811 Food & Beverage peers we've analyzed.
Initial investment
78th pct · of 811 peers
Franchise fee
4th pct · of 811 peers
System size
98th pct · of 811 peers
Food & Beverage industry averages
Avg investment
$528K - $1.3M
Avg franchise fee
$38K
Avg system size
235
Franchises analyzed
811
Closest concepts by category and investment.
| Brand | Item 19 | Fee | Investment | Royalty | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonic Drive-In | Disclosed | $15K | $670K - $2.5M | 5% | 3,120 |
| Deli ManagementSimilar price | None | $35K | $1.7M - $2.5M | 4% | 73 |
| Doctor's AssociatesBiggest system | None | $15K | $227K - $630K | 8% | 18,773 |
| Vintage Hospitality GroupTop-rated in category | Disclosed | $50K | $3.5M - $6.4M | 5.5% | 33 |
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Free explainers to go deeper before you sign.
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Brand Analysis
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. reported 656 company-operated stores in 43 states as of January 30, 2026, and the brand has never sold a franchise. Huddle House and Another Broken Egg cover the same daypart with filed FDDs, at $555,375 to $1,715,275 and $792,500 to $1,804,000.
Sonic Drive-In requires a $15,000 initial franchise fee and a total initial investment range of $670,200–$2,522,900, per the most recent FDD on file.
Sonic Drive-In is franchised by Sonic Franchising LLC, the franchisor entity of record on its Franchise Disclosure Document. Item 1 of the FDD discloses the franchisor's corporate history, parents, and predecessors.
Yes. Sonic Drive-In discloses Item 19 financial performance representations with reported revenue around $1,465,090. See the financials sub-page for the full distribution.
Franchisees pay a royalty of 5% of Gross Sales and an advertising fund contribution of 1.625%-3.25% of Gross Sales on gross sales as defined in Item 6 of the FDD.
As of their 2026 FDD, Sonic Drive-In has 3,120 total locations, with 32 new locations opened in the most recent reporting year. This information comes from Item 20 of the FDD.
Per the FDD, Sonic Drive-In discloses a renewal fee of $15,000, a transfer fee of $3,000. Review Items 10 and 17 for the full renewal and termination provisions.
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