Sonic Drive In vs Hot Stuff Foods Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Sonic Drive In vs Hot Stuff Foods including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
Investment |
$1,242,000 - $3,523,300 | $59,500 - $140,000 |
Franchise Fee |
$45,000 | N/A |
Royalty Fee |
2.45-5% | 0 |
Advertising Fee |
3% | 0 |
Year Founded |
1954 | 1982 |
Year Franchised |
1959 | 1993 |
Term Of Agreement |
20 years | 5 years |
Term Of Agreement |
20 years | 5 years |
Renewal Fee |
10 years for $6K | 0 |
Business Experience Requirements |
Experience |
Industry experience General business experience If no industry experience, must have an operating equity partner | Industry experience General business experience Marketing skills |
Financing Options |
|
In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party |
Franchise Fees |
No/Yes | No/No |
Start-up Costs |
No/Yes | No/Yes |
Equipment |
No/Yes | Yes/Yes |
Inventory |
No/Yes | No/No |
Receivables |
No/Yes | No/No |
Payroll |
No/Yes | No/No |
Training & Support |
Training |
On-The-Job Training: 400 hours
Classroom Training: 24 hours
Additional Training: At existing franchise location
| - |
Support |
Purchasing Co-ops
Newsletter
Meetings/Conventions
Toll-Free Line
Grand Opening
Online Support
Security/Safety Procedures
Field Operations
Franchisee Intranet Platform
| Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations |
Marketing |
Co-op Advertising
Ad Templates
National Media
Regional Advertising
Social media
SEO
Email marketing
Loyalty program/app
| Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising |
Operations |
International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 60% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 25
Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. |
Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. |
Expansion Plans |
US Expansion |
Yes | - |
Canada Expansion |
No | No |
International Expansion |
No | Yes |
Company Overviews
About Sonic Drive In
Sonic Industries Inc. was founded in 1973. In 1974, Sonic acquired the name 'Sonic Drive-In' from Troy Smith, Sr., and began franchising. Smith used his more than 15 years of experience in the restaurant business to develop and operate the Sonic franchise program. A wholly owned subsidiary of Sonic Corp., the company is based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and has locations throughout the United States. The company's storefronts recently got a facelift to give them a 'retro-futuristic' look.
Your estimated initial investment necessary to begin operation of a
Traditional Sonic Drive-In franchise ranges from approximately
$1,242,200 to $3,537,700 plus land costs and includes the $45,000
franchise fee that must be paid to Sonic.
Your estimated initial
investment necessary to begin operation of a Non-Traditional Sonic
franchise ranges from approximately $361,900 to $978,700 and includes
the $22,500 franchise fee that must be paid to Sonic.
#91 on Franchise Rankings.com
#4 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
#28 in Franchise 500 for 2021.
About Hot Stuff Foods
Developed in 1986, Hot Stuff Pizza has become the flagship brand of Orion Food Systems and the go-to favorite for consumers around the world. With delicious and satisfying options for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and every snack in between, this pizza powerhouse offers extensive and crowd-pleasing menus that are easy-to-prepare and highly customizable.
We provide national marketing campaigns with new promotions every quarter, including high-impact advertising materials, exciting new product introductions, and limited-time offer options, whichever is better for your business.
Join over 900 franchisees and capitalize on America's most popular foods. With core menus that include a wide variety of pizzas, ready-to-bake appetizers, hot sandwiches, hot wings, breakfast burritos and croissants, Cinnobabies, and other on-the-go favorites.
Our recipe is simple: Quality Products through Quality People. At Orion Food Systems, we have a great team that cares about creating the very best-tasting restaurant-quality food - in addition to providing boutique-level service. When you partner with us, you'll receive a nimble, customizable food service solution as well as all of the training, marketing, and 24-hour support you'll need to be successful.
Contact us at 1-877-841-1431 to learn more about putting the Hot Stuff Pizza brand to work for you!
Seeking new franchise units in the following regions/states:
Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado,
Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois,
Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North
Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada,
New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont,
Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming