FranchiseBudget
Fast Food & Restaurant

Sonic Drive-In Franchise Cost 2026

Total investment: $1,072,500–$3,531,400. Franchise fee: $45,000. Royalty: 5.0% + 3.25% ad fee. Based on FDD disclosure data.

$45,000
Franchise Fee
One-time brand license
$1,072,500–$3,531,400
Total Investment
Full startup range
5.0% + 3.25% ad
Royalty Rate
Monthly % of gross revenue
$1400K
Est. Annual Revenue
Per unit estimate

Startup Cost Breakdown

Item 7 FDD disclosure categories for Sonic Drive-In

Real Estate & Buildout $950,000
Equipment & Fixtures $400,000
Initial Inventory $15,000
Initial Marketing $35,000
Working Capital Reserve $200,000

Qualification Requirements

Net Worth Required
$1,000,000
Liquid Capital Required
$500,000

vs. Fast Food & Restaurant Average

Investment vs. Category Avg
+53% vs. avg ($1502K)
Royalty vs. Category Avg
-0.1% vs. avg (5.1%)

Break-Even Estimate

Rough estimate based on industry-average net margins for Fast Food & Restaurant franchises. Actual results vary.

~43.8 years

Based on $1400K estimated annual revenue, 12% net margin, and 5.0+3.25% royalty burden.

This is an estimate only. Call current franchisees (listed in FDD Item 20) for real-world data.

Other Fast Food & Restaurant Franchises

Compare Sonic Drive-In against other brands in the same category

Arby's

$314,650–$1,791,500 · 4.0% royalty

Baskin-Robbins

$97,000–$394,000 · 5.9% royalty

Buffalo Wild Wings

$1,621,000–$3,933,000 · 5.0% royalty

Burger King

$1,865,000–$3,270,000 · 4.5% royalty

Chick-fil-A

$342,990–$2,231,000 · 0.0% royalty

Cold Stone Creamery

$370,000–$640,000 · 6.0% royalty

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$286,000–$2,086,000 · 0.0% royalty

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$644,395–$1,493,145 · 7.0% royalty

Orangetheory

$563,534–$1,496,050 · 8.0% royalty

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Data Sources

Investment ranges, royalty rates, and fee structures: Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs) filed with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission under the FTC Franchise Rule (16 C.F.R. Part 436). Revenue estimates: Item 19 Financial Performance Representations where available. Updated May 2026.