News

Sonic franchisee adapts prototype to cater to truck drivers

April 25, 2013

Sonic franchisees Tommy and Julie Dorries have modified their Sonic prototype to cater to their large semi-truck, trailer, school bus and RV customer base. The Valliant, Okla., restaurant features a stall built specifically for these larger vehicles, with the Sonic menu and "press to order" red button elevated about 3 feet higher than traditional stalls. This allows truck drivers to order from their seat.

The unit also features a circle drive to help those drivers merge onto the main highway easier than if they had to pull out of a parking lot.

"We have a lot of truck traffic in Valliant, so we wanted to make it easy for these drivers to enjoy SONIC as they pass through town," Tommy Dorries said. "We probably have more than 20 trucks pull into this stall every day, and we've even fed entire ball teams pulling through on their buses. The drivers have been so appreciative, saying they've never seen anything like it."

Mike Gallagher, Sonic's vice president of development and franchising, said there is strong demand for the brand's development in smaller towns.

"We're always looking for ways to creatively adapt our prototype to best meet the needs of the local community. The Dorries' idea for a truck stall is a great example of that," Gallagher said. "At Sonic, we spend a lot of time talking to our franchisees because it's often their ideas that drive innovation across the system."

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