Sonic Corporation, founded as Sonic Drive-In and more commonly known as Sonic or "The Drive-In," is an American drive-in fast food restaurant chain owned by Inspire Brands, the parent company of...
Sonic Corporation, founded as Sonic Drive-In and more commonly known as Sonic or "The Drive-In," is an American drive-in fast food restaurant chain owned by Inspire Brands, the parent company of Arby's, Dunkin Donuts, and Buffalo Wild Wings. Sonic's menu consists of hamburgers, french fries, onion rings, corn dogs, chili dogs, and breakfast toaster sandwiches. As of 2023, over 3,500 Sonic restaurants are in 47 US states. Sonic has operated since the early 1950s, and before its acquisition by Inspire Brands, its stock was publicly traded. Inspire acquired Sonic Drive-In for $2.3B in the Fall of 2018. Most restaurants are owned and operated by franchisees, and Sonic Drive-In’s total 2021 revenue was $5.83B. Corporate headquarters are in Oklahoma City, OK.
Inspire Brands, Inc. is a privately held holding company and the world's 2nd largest restaurant owner and franchisor. Inspire Brands was formed when Arby's Restaurant Group merged with Buffalo Wild Wings in early 2018. Inspire Brands is majority-owned by affiliates of Roark Capital Group, a private equity firm. Roark’s focus is consumer, multi-unit, and franchise brands. Roark Capital Group has over $33B in assets. The Inspire Brands family of restaurants includes Rusty Taco, Sonic, Jimmy John’s, Mister Donut, Baskin-Robbins, and Dunkin Donuts. Inspire manages over 32,600 restaurants, and 650,000 company and franchise members, and has over $32.5B in global system sales. Inspire Brands and Roark Capital are headquartered in Sandy Springs, GA.