Sonic Drive In vs Carts of America Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Sonic Drive In vs Carts of America including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Sonic Drive In Franchise
Carts of America Franchise
Investment $1,242,000 - $3,523,300$3,299 - $6,999
Franchise Fee $45,000N/A
Royalty Fee 2.45-5%-
Advertising Fee 3%-
Year Founded 19541972
Year Franchised 19591972
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Renewal Fee 10 years for $6K-


Business Experience Requirements

 
Sonic Drive In Franchise
Carts of America Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • If no industry experience, must have an operating equity partner
  • -

    Financing Options

     
    Sonic Drive In Franchise
    Carts of America Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/Yes-/-
    Start-up Costs No/Yes-/-
    Equipment No/Yes-/-
    Inventory No/Yes-/-
    Receivables No/Yes-/-
    Payroll No/Yes-/-

    Training & Support

     
    Sonic Drive In Franchise
    Carts of America Franchise
    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 -
    Marketing Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Email marketing Loyalty program/app -
    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.

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    Expansion Plans

     
    Sonic Drive In Franchise
    Carts of America Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion No-

    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.

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    #4 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
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    About Carts of America

    The Original All American was founded in 1972 on the premise that the customer is always king. We recognized that the need to supply people with their own low-cost, fairly easy to run profitable business was real. With this in mind we created a very durable hot dog cart, the ORIGINAL - The Original All American. It was meant to be a virtually indestructible workhorse. It is, 42 years later. It is virtually unchanged. It is the most copied hot dog cart ever built. We started it.

    Since 1972 we have added 5 more equally durable carts to our lineup and we continue to provide great customer service & follow-through. We even do your licensing paperwork for you and we provide a free detailed business plan. We are the oldest cart-manufacturing specialists in North America. We are as happy to serve you now as we were in 1972.

     
     
    We are one of the largest factory direct showrooms in the Midwest United States, Located in northern Indiana and Punta Gorda, FL. Carts of America sells a full line of hot dog carts and mobile food stands that you can view and purchase any time. Our carts are made from one of the highest qualities of stainless steel available in the food service industry and that is why we back them with a manufacturer's one year warranty that protects you from major issues in your first year of ownership. If you are just starting out in a new vendor cart business or are looking to expand your cart business with a more complex model, we have what you are looking for.  When you call you will talk to someone who actually works in the business and knows the ropes of starting, owning and operating your own business, they have helped many people start their own businesses and become successful food business operators. Many of their customers still call just to talk about the business. They are happy to help you in any way they can.