sonic drive in

just incase anyone comes here and wonders excactly what it is I do as far as sonic is concerned here is a brief history about sonic drive in

An Everyday American Dream
In 1953, Troy Smith, the founder of Sonic and World War II veteran, was living in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Troy's dream was to own his own business. In fact, he had already tried his hand at running a restaurant...twice.

Troy's first venture was a tiny diner with 12 stools and four booths called the Cottage Cafe. It was barely large enough to make a living for his wife and two children. He sold it and bought a bigger place.

Troy's Panful of Chicken was so successful that Troy tried opening more of them. Unfortunately, the fried chicken concept didn't fly in early 1950s Oklahoma, and Troy's Panful of Chicken faded quietly away.

What didn't fade was Troy's desire to own a restaurant. His ultimate dream was to run a fancy steak house in Shawnee. And, for a while, he did.

The Fateful Glass Of Root Beer
The lot where Troy's steak house sat also had a root beer stand. Troy meant to tear it down to add more parking for the steak house. Until he got around to it, he figured the root beer stand could make him a little extra pocket change.

In a twist of fate, the humble Top Hat Drive-In, as the root beer stand was called, proved to be more profitable, and outlasted the steak house.

The Top Hat was like other root beer stands of the era. It was a cash business, serving easily-prepared hamburgers and hot dogs cooked-to-order. Customers would park on the lot and order at the walk-up window. They could eat on a picnic table or in their cars. The Top Hat was moderately successful, averaging $700 per week. Not bad for pocket change!

Ever the entrepreneur, Troy continued to look for ways to improve the business. Yet, he could not have predicted that his improvements would earn him a place in American fast-food history.

Troy and Charlie would have kept the Top Hat name, but lawyers informed them it was copyrighted. So, they opened up the dictionary and started searching for a new name.

Echoing the common theme of those days, Top Hat's slogan had been "Service With the Speed of SoundSM." Indeed, the post-war world was changing fast. The country had seen the dawn of the Atomic Era and the beginnings of the Jet Age and the Space Race.

When Troy and Charlie ran across "sonic," meaning "speed of sound," they knew they had the perfect name. The Stillwater, Oklahoma Top Hat Drive-In became the first Sonic Drive-In and still serves hot dogs, root beer and Frozen Favorites® desserts on the same site.

In 1994 and 1995, customers, franchisees, suppliers and drive-in managers were invited to join a series of Dream Team meetings to discuss what Sonic was doing right and what Sonic could improve.

The meetings spawned Sonic 2000, a new multi-layered strategy to further unify the company in terms of a consistent menu, brand identity, products, packaging and service. As a result, the new "retro-future" Sonic logo was introduced, and the entire system adopted a consistent new look and menu, including a section dedicated to Fountain and Frozen Favorites™. The strategy allows Sonic continued success. The chain is expanding, brand awareness has increased, franchises are enjoying accelerated growth and chain operations are better unified for greater cost efficiencies. Today there are more than 2,700 Sonic Drive-Ins in 30 states, making it the nation's largest drive-in chain.

The country and the fast food business have changed a great deal since Troy Smith installed the first intercom system at the Top Hat Drive-In. Food fads have come and gone, but Sonic has differentiated itself through its business model, unique menu items and, of course, friendly "Service With the Speed of SoundSM."

Comments

[sue shipman]

I was hoping you could let me know who we could write to to find out if they would like to opent a sonic in south jersey perferably in mays landing new jersey on route 40 . We sure could use something new in this little town besides a mcdonalds and pizza places. We have seen sonic's down in kentucky as we visit our grandson, and on tv shows around new jersey but none around new jersey and to be the first to have one in our town would be just great. it would be really nice since we really have alot of car clubs in the area that would use it for cruise nights. But if anything just to finally get some good food and some good service . I have had my fill of mcd's. Please let me know who to contact or could you forward this on to someone else to see about getting a sonic in this area. See the area I am talking about is a Route 40 that brings people form the delaware bridge over to ocean city , atlantic city, margate, and all shore point areas, and going to and from the delaware bridge they would have to eat, and from the delaware bridge there is only a cracker barrel , then you drive another 40 minutes and hit a diner in Mays landing or a mcdonals beofore the shore points so a sonic in Mays landing on route 40 would bring in a lot of business and people to work it also. So please think long and hard.

[Darlene]

Is this the "Top Hat" drive-in that I see in So. CA? If so, why cann't you build one in So. ORegon too. We have nothing to compare with your wonderful pastrami sandwichs.
Thank you

[Steve]

I'll trade Sue a Good ol New Jersey Diner (but it has to come with a GREAT Philly Cheesesteak) for one of the Sonic's here. We've got a bunch of them in North Carolina!

[Keith Edens]

I am intersted in obtaining a Sonic franchise. Would like to know how to go about doing so.

[Marie Allison]

I grew up in Oklahoma, and moved away in the early 70's. I sure miss sonic and wish we had one in Washington State. We have a second home in Henderson Nevada just a few blocks from a Sonic. My Chihuahua and I go every night. He jumps up to the front driver window to put in his order as soon as he sees where we are. Then he watches the door until his strawberry malt arrives. It is the best part of our day. We just need a few in Western Washington.

[keri]

where are all the sonics in massachusetts i wish they would put one here i see tv ads all the time

[claude cockerham]

why dosn't sonic have a senior meal and drinks? i have been going to sonic for 30 years