OKLAHOMA CITY – Sonic Drive-in announced plans to expand in California by adding 33 new locations. The company expanded two existing franchise agreements and added new agreements to its portfolio. The drive-ins will be built over seven years, the company reported.
Sonic said the 33 drive-ins are planned for multiple markets across California, including: 11 in Sacramento; 12 in the San Francisco Bay Area; three in west Los Angeles; five between Bakersfield and Stockton and two in the Palm Springs area. The company expects the drive-ins to be serving customers by 2022. Currently, there are 68 open drive-ins operating in California. The expansion will bring the total of upcoming drive-ins to 101.
“As a franchise-centric brand with more than 60 years of heritage, Sonic is a smart choice for motivated entrepreneurs interested in building a business with an established, respected brand,” said John Budd, chief development and strategy officer for Sonic. “These new and existing partners in California represent some of the best in the business, with a great deal of restaurant and multi-unit experience. As we continue to seek qualified partners for the Sonic brand and in the state, these franchisees will exemplify the kind of success that comes from bringing Sonic Drive-Ins to previously underserved markets.”
Pacific Drive-Ins, an existing franchise group with multiple drive-ins in California already, signed on for 14 additional locations, while Scott McMillan, also a current Sonic franchisee, agreed to bring five new drive-ins to Bakersfield and Stockton over the next five years.
New Sonic franchisees include Arthur D’Souza with two drive-ins and Charanjiv Dhaliwal with Norcal Cajun Foods Inc., who committed to 12 new restaurants in the North and East San Francisco Bay areas. Norcal Cajun Foods is also a developer and restaurateur for Popeye’s, ARCO, Twin Peaks and Black Bear Diner.
