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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Sonic Franchise

Sonic Drive-In is a quick-service restaurant chain built around the classic American drive-in format, where guests order from individual stalls and are served by carhops alongside conventional drive-thru lanes. Founded in 1953 in Oklahoma and franchising since 1959, the brand is known for burgers, corn dogs, tots, and a signature range of customizable soft drinks, slushes, and frozen treats served across five dayparts.

Sonic operates more than 3,400 restaurants across 47 states. It is part of Inspire Brands, the multi-brand group that also owns Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Baskin-Robbins, Jimmy John’s, and Dunkin’, giving franchisees access to a large shared-services platform spanning supply chain, technology, and marketing.

The system is built for territory-based, multi-unit development and offers several building formats: freestanding drive-ins with carhop stalls, endcap, inline, and a newer small-format drive-thru that fit a range of sites. Its drive-in heritage and drink customization remain the core points of difference in the QSR market.

Latest Resales

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Why buy a Sonic Franchise?

Buying a Sonic franchise means stepping into one of the most recognizable names in American quick service, with a differentiated drive-in and carhop format that stands apart from conventional burger competitors. The brand’s drinks, slushes, and snack-led menu drives high-frequency visits across multiple dayparts, and national awareness gives operators a built-in customer base in a category that has proved resilient across economic cycles.

As part of Inspire Brands, franchisees tap a shared-services platform that an independent operator could not assemble alone: collective media buying, national marketing and PR, a loyalty program and consumer app, supply-chain scale, and revenue-management and reporting tools. Several building formats and a territory-based development model give multi-unit owners room to grow a portfolio.

Sonic Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1953

    • Franchising Since

      1956

    • New Startup Cost

      $1,485,200 – $2,522,900

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $15,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      $3,000

      for general transfer; $1,000 non-control/family/owned entity

    • Royalty Fee

      5%

      of Gross Revenue

    • Marketing Fee

      0.90%

      of Gross Sales

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      3412

    • New Units Opened *

      32

    • Units Transferred *

      100

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      $1,552,145

    * Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

Sonic – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Sonic's initial training runs to 336 hours of on-the-job training plus up to 24 hours in the classroom, covering operations and systems. Ongoing support comes through a dedicated Franchise Business Consultant, national marketing and PR, collective media buying, a loyalty program, and local marketing guidance. As part of Inspire Brands, operators also access shared supply-chain, revenue-management, and reporting platforms plus the consumer app. Resale buyers should confirm with Sonic what transfer training and system access are provided to incoming owners and staff when a restaurant changes hands.

  2. Ideal Owner

    Sonic suits hands-on, operations-led owners comfortable running a fast-paced quick-service restaurant with a large hourly team. Day-to-day success rests on managing throughput, labor and food costs, food safety, and consistent carhop service across multiple dayparts. Prior restaurant or multi-unit management experience is valuable, and the system leans toward developers building several locations rather than single-unit operators. Community-minded owners who can recruit, train, and retain staff while delivering a friendly local guest experience tend to fit best.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Sonic is one of the most recognized brands in US quick service, ranked among Franchise Times' Top 400 (#21 in 2025 on roughly $5.4 billion in systemwide sales) and in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, where it is also listed among the Top Food Franchises (#25). It draws further credibility from parent Inspire Brands, one of the largest restaurant operators in the country. For resale buyers, brand-level recognition should be weighed alongside the specific unit's local reputation, online reviews, and community standing, which ultimately drive day-to-day traffic.

  4. Industry / Market

    The US quick-service restaurant sector generates well over $300 billion in annual sales and continues to grow, supported by demand for convenient, affordable meals and the dominance of drive-thru and mobile-order channels. Beverage and snack occasions, central to Sonic's menu, are a growing share of QSR traffic and help smooth demand across dayparts. The category is generally resilient through economic cycles, as value-focused dining holds up when consumers trade down. For resale buyers, local traffic patterns, nearby competition, and a unit's drive-thru access materially shape sales potential.

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