![]() ![]() In 1967, the year Pappe died, the brand had 41 drive-ins. As the company grew into a regionally known operation during the 1960s and 1970s, the drive-ins were mainly in small towns in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, New Mexico, Missouri, and Arkansas. It provided franchisees with equipment, building plans, and basic operational instructions. In 1973, Sonic Supply was restructured as a franchise company that was briefly named Sonic Systems of America. Under Smith, longtime franchise holders Marvin Jirous and Matt Kinslow were hired to run the division. Sonic's founders formed Sonic Supply as a supply and distribution division in the 1960s. 1960s and 1970s A Sonic Drive-In stand at the Lamar County Historical Museum The first franchise contracts under this plan were drawn up, but still no joint marketing plan, standardized menu, or detailed operating requirements were in place. The proceeds would then be split between Smith and Pappe. The pair decided to have their paper company charge an extra penny for each Sonic-label hamburger bag it sold. Although Smith and Pappe were being asked to help open new franchise locations, no real royalty plan was in place. The original Sonic with the first sign was demolished and renovated in May 2015. This was the first of three Sonics in Stillwater. After the name change, the first Sonic sign was installed at the Stillwater Top-Hat Drive-In. The new name worked with their existing slogan, "Service with the Speed of Sound". Upon learning that the Top Hat name was already trademarked, Smith and Pappe changed the name to Sonic in 1959. Sonic Drive-In neon sign at the Oklahoma History Center By 1958, two more drive-ins were built, in Enid and Stillwater. ![]() Smith and he negotiated the first franchise location in Woodward, Oklahoma, in 1956, based on a handshake. Charles Woodrow Pappe, an entrepreneur, saw the Shawnee drive-in and was impressed. He also had some so-called " jukebox boys" wire an intercom system in the parking lot. Smith borrowed several automobiles from a friend who owned a used-car lot to establish a layout for controlled parking. He suspected that he could increase his sales by controlling the parking and having the customers order from speakers at their cars, with carhops delivering the food to the cars. In Louisiana, Smith saw a drive-in that used speakers for ordering. Originally, Top Hat customers parked their automobiles anywhere on the gravel parking lot and walked up to place orders. After realizing that the stand was averaging $700 a week in the sale of root beer, hamburgers, and hot dogs, Smith decided to focus on the more-profitable root beer stand. The two continued operating the root beer stand and converted the log house into a steak restaurant. In 1953, Smith joined with a business partner to purchase a five-acre parcel of land that had a log house and a walk-up root beer stand named the Top Hat. Before long, he sold it and opened a fast-food service, Troy's Pan Full of Chicken, on the edge of town. Soon afterwards, Smith purchased the Cottage Cafe, a little diner in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He decided to work delivering bread because bread is lighter than milk. Smith, Sr., returned to his hometown of Seminole, Oklahoma, where he became employed as a milkman. ![]() The company also has a breakfast menu.įollowing World War II, Sonic founder Troy N. The company's core products include the "Chili Cheese Coney", "Sonic Cheeseburger Combo", "Sonic Blasts", "Master Shakes", and "Wacky Pack Kids Meals". Sonic is known for its use of carhops on roller skates, and hosts an annual competition (in most locations) to determine the top skating carhop in the company. Originally a walk-up root beer stand outside a log-cabin steakhouse selling soda, hamburgers, and hotdogs, Sonic currently has 3,545 locations in the United States. Smith, Sr., opened its first location in 1953, under the name Top Hat Drive-In. Sonic, founded as Sonic Drive-In and more commonly known as Sonic (stylized in all caps) or "Sonic Drive-In", is an American drive-in fast-food chain owned by Inspire Brands, the parent company of Arby's, Dunkin' Donuts and Buffalo Wild Wings. ![]()
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