Sonic is making its move as a truly national chain with the opening of its first drive-in in Massachusetts, the 41st state for the chain's stores, according to a story in The Patriot Ledger. The store in Peabody is the first of at least 20 Sonics franchisees Gina and Gregg Monastiero plan to open in the next five years or so. Another franchisee is working on plans to open at least three restaurants in Connecticut, and a franchisee in New York has plans for several in that state.
Sonic president Scott McLain, on hand for the grand opening, said the company isn't worried about how the drive-in concept will fair in the region's harsh winters.
From The Patriot Ledger:
"We've got Sonics in a lot of cold-weather places that do exceptionally well," he said.With the Peabody location's opening, Sonic now has restaurants in 41 states."At some point, we'll probably be in all 50," McLain said. "We're in 41, and we have yet to find a place where Sonic doesn't work."
The Peabody grand opening is another example of Sonic's warm welcome up north. The Salem News reports that cars waited in long lines and tied up traffic on a nearby highway.
