Sonic Is On The Way To Post-recession Recovery, C E O Says

Sonic chairman and CEO Clifford Hudson knows the numbers, and although he may cringe, he certainly does not cower from the realities or the challenge.

After 22 consecutive years of same-store sales growth, Sonic's systemwide sales numbers declined in both fiscal years 2009 and 2010. The falling figures sobered Sonic's successful streak and invincible attitude, reminding the corporate office and the system at large that growth was not guaranteed.

"Twenty-two years is a long time to go before you max out," Hudson says, pointing to the recession, as well as Sonic's own missteps, as reason for the slide.

While the Oklahoma-based drive-in chain had consistently focused on the core elements spurring its 22-year upswing�namely service and product differentiation�it struggled in 2009�2010 with strategic standing and value messaging, a particularly critical element as consumers yanked back on discretionary spending given growing financial woes.

In a sincere Midwestern voice, Hudson admits No. 10 Sonic got caught flat-footed at the onset of the economic downturn. Teamed with years of competitors improving their own customer service and food quality models, the brand found itself in the unfortunate, and rare, position of playing from behind.

Sonic needed to react. And quickly.

"If you aren't on top of your game all of the time, then you'll pay for it," Hudson says of the quick-service landscape and, more specifically, the ultra-competitive burger segment.

As a result of its falling fortunes, including a sales decline of more than $200 million from 2009 to 2010, Hudson redoubled the company's efforts on strengthening the brand.

First, Sonic heightened food quality and the diversity of its offerings. The chain introduced new items such as the footlong Quarter Pound Coney, built a better burger with a bigger patty and bun coverage, and altered its ice cream specifications with increased butter fats and milk solids to create "real" ice cream. Then the company broadcast the changes, shouting to a national audience that it had the unique food to match the unique experience.

Next, the brand focused on customer service, new product roll outs�such as a line of six-inch hot dogs and loaded burgers�and refined its marketing with the hiring of a new CMO (former PepsiCo vice president of marketing Danielle Vona), a new advertising agency (San Francisco�based Goodby, Silverstein & Partners), and a new media buy partner (New York City�based Zenith Media).

In 2011, Hudson assures, the brand is poised for a rebound and the beginnings of a new streak.

America's Drive-In Founded in 1953 by Troy Smith, Sonic began as the Top Hat Drive-In, an adjacent afterthought to Smith's Shawnee, Oklahoma, steakhouse. Yet Top Hat immediately proved to be the more lucrative operation and Smith pursued the drive-in business. In 1959, he adopted the name Sonic and a fitting restaurant mantra: "Service with the speed of sound." Providing the quick-service staples of hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, and milkshakes, Sonic sprouted from its Oklahoman roots over the next four decades to become a major regional player with about 1,500 stores spread south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Today, Sonic, by far the nation's largest chain of drive-in restaurants, operates in 43 states and serves about three million customers each day.

Not bad for a one-time afterthought.

Throughout its history, Sonic has utilized the drive-in concept as its primary point of differentiation in a segment blanketed by heavy hitters like McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's, as well as recent up-and-comers, such as Five Guys and Smashburger. Many Sonic staffs still embrace the company's roller-skating food delivery roots, a defining characteristic that lends an entertainment value to Sonic, unmatched by any of the major players. Sonic is, as the tagline suggests, "America's Drive-In." Capitalizing on nostalgia and happier times, a presumed antidote to recessionary plight, Sonic's drive-ins also appease customers' desires for convenience and control. Never rushed and with low fuss, customers order, pay, and eat in their car.

"Nothing occurs until that customer touches the button and begins their personalized service," Hudson says. "That's a different experience from the competition." In fact, differentiation has been central to Sonic's success and messaging, both with customers and prospective franchisees.

Once labeling its points of differentiation like the carhop service, distinct menu options, and made-to-order items as treasures, Sonic has elevated itself from a crowded field. Rather than mimicking the traditional fast food dine-in experience, Sonic carved its own niche with classic style on the back of the automobile. Rather than marketing burgers and fries, Sonic promoted its tater tots, cherry limeade, and Coneys.

Franchisees, meanwhile, have flocked to the system in robust numbers.

In 2008, QSR asked franchisees which concept they would most want to join if money was no obstacle. While McDonald's headed the list, Sonic was No. 2, topping the likes of Chipotle, Panera, and Chick-fil-A. Operators have generally cited the brand's drive-in format as the top draw, a concept that offers a competitive point of differentiation but also lower build-out costs.

"The longstanding success of our growth and the differentiation of the brand over time gave us elements of uniqueness over the competition," Hudson says of prospective franchisees' interest. "Plus, there's a record of growth and profitability over time and our franchisees experience solid ROI." Leading the Sonic Brand For nearly half of the company's 58-year history, Hudson has been a member of the Sonic team, including the last 17 years as the company's chief executive.

He arrived at Sonic in 1984, a 29-year-old lawyer with just four years' experience at a private business law practice. Over time, Hudson ascended the Sonic ranks, serving in the roles of general counsel, CFO, and COO before being named CEO and president in April 1995. Five years later, he inherited the chairman's title as well.

Under Hudson's watch, Sonic shifted its focus to brand building, leaning heavily on operator engagement to understand the restaurant's strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. The winds of change gradually swept across the Sonic brand, but never at the risk of diminishing those well-guarded treasures.

Hudson pledged to lead the company's development from regional player to national name, "The Sonic Boom" as it was once called.

And lead he has.

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