How much is a Sonic Drive-In franchise? $1,485,200 – $2,522,900 to open, per its disclosure filings
$1,485,200 – $2,522,900
Opening a Sonic Drive-In franchise takes $1,485,200 – $2,522,900 all-in, per its franchise disclosure filings (data as of 2026-05). The initial franchise fee is $15,250 – $17,650. Ongoing, franchisees pay a royalty of 5% on sales plus an ad-fund contribution of up to 3.25%. To qualify, Sonic Drive-In asks for a $115,000 net worth. Anything the filings do not state is marked "Not disclosed" below — never estimated.
Sonic Drive-In cost table
| Verification mark | Cost item | Low | High | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise feeOne-time, paid to the franchisor at signing | $15,250 | $17,650 | $15,250 to $17,650 | |
| Initial investment (all-in)FDD Item 7-derived range: build-out, equipment, opening costs | $1,485,200 | $2,522,900 | $1,485,200 to $2,522,900 | |
| Net worth requiredFranchisor's stated qualification minimum | $115,000 | $115,000 | $115,000 | |
| Liquid cash requiredFranchisor's stated qualification minimum | Not disclosed1 | Not disclosed1 | ||
| Cash to open (all-in range) | $1,485,200 | $2,522,900 | $1,485,200 to $2,522,900 | |
- 1 "Not disclosed" means Sonic Drive-In's filings do not state this figure. We publish the gap instead of estimating it.
| RoyaltyOngoing, % of sales | 5% |
|---|---|
| Ad fundOngoing, % of sales | Up to 3.25% |
| Initial termLength of the first franchise agreement | 10 years |
What's in that number — and what isn't
The $1,485,200 – $2,522,900 range is derived from Sonic Drive-In's filed initial-investment disclosure (FDD Item 7 class): build-out, equipment, and opening costs as the franchisor stated them. Your market's real estate, labor, and build-out prices can land you outside it.
Not in the opening number: the ongoing royalty of 5% on sales, the ad-fund contribution of up to 3.25%, and your operating losses while the unit ramps. Every figure marked "Not disclosed" above is a gap in the filings, not a zero.
How Sonic Drive-In's cost compares
A dollar figure means more with a yardstick. Here is where Sonic Drive-In's disclosed cost sits against the Food & Beverage category:
- Minimum startup cost of $1,485,200 — about 5.3× the Food & Beverage median of $282,500.
- Initial franchise fee of $15,250 — about 56% below the Food & Beverage median of $35,000.
Category medians are computed from the Food & Beverage brands in our data that disclosed each figure — a benchmark for scale, not a quality judgment. See all Food & Beverage franchises
What about earnings?
We don't publish per-brand earnings figures — for Sonic Drive-In or anyone else. The only primary source is Item 19 of the brand's own franchise disclosure document (FDD), and no law requires a franchisor to publish one, so the "average owner income" numbers circulating elsewhere are usually unsourced or survivorship-biased. Ask Sonic Drive-In for its current FDD and read Item 19 yourself — and if there is no Item 19, that silence is information too.
What is the Sonic Drive-In franchise fee?
$15,250 – $17,650, one-time, per disclosure filings as of 2026-05.
What ongoing fees does Sonic Drive-In charge?
A royalty of 5% on sales plus an ad-fund contribution of up to 3.25%, per disclosure filings as of 2026-05.
How much money do you need to qualify for a Sonic Drive-In franchise?
Sonic Drive-In's filings ask for a $115,000 minimum net worth (as of 2026-05). Capital figures are the franchisor's stated minimums, not our advice.