Sonic in a former Taco Bell

jamcool
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Re: Sonic in a former Taco Bell

Post by jamcool »

There are many Sonics in hot places like AZ and TX, with no indoor dining, and they do quite well
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Re: Sonic in a former Taco Bell

Post by storewanderer »

I would guess 90% of Sonic Locations have no indoor dining based on what I've seen.

Based on the implementation of indoor dining I've seen them do where you still order via a speaker and there is no staff even present in or within view of the indoor dining area, I would suggest unless it is a strip mall or like downtown Denver they just scrap the concept of indoor dining entirely.
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Re: Sonic in a former Taco Bell

Post by cjd »

The Sonic in Kissimmee FL seems to be arranged the same as the one here, with indoor dining, tables out front and drive thru window and drive ins off to the left side. The building looks like it could have been a former Taco Bell, but the area around it all appears to be recently developed (from looking on Google streetview), so I would think this is a new build.
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Re: Sonic in a former Taco Bell

Post by Brian Lutz »

Here's a fairly new Sonic in Ellensburg WA that has an indoor (with large garage doors to presumably open in warm weather) dining area:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sonic ... 20.5402829

Meanwhile, the local Sonic here in Marysville has closed its carhop stalls and is operating drive-thru only since the last round of Covid restrictions (since relaxed) went into place, so indoor seating doesn't seem to be a priority right now. You can still order through the drive-thru and then park in a stall, but you can't order from one. Other drive-in restaurants (mostly locals like Burgermaster) have been operating more or less normally, so this is probably a franchisee decision.
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Re: Sonic in a former Taco Bell

Post by pseudo3d »

I do recall seeing a Sonic in a purpose-built building in Houston...at least it wasn't immediately obvious that was in a former location. Other than that, the only other Sonic stores I've seen with indoor dining have been gas stations. They do not typically inhabit older stores (though I've seen a picture from when Inspire Brands bought Sonic, of a Sonic inside of a former Arby's).

Sonic is extremely common in Texas, almost as common as McDonald's, and most small towns have one (if they have a Division 1 Walmart, they definitely have a Sonic).
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Re: Sonic in a former Taco Bell

Post by wnetmacman »

As a general rule, Sonic does not build indoor seating. I'd place the non-seating locations at closer to 98%.

In places where a building is available, however, they have been known to set up shop and make it work. I have seen three such locations - two are now gone, but one still exists.

Lafayette, LA had a location on Johnston St. near Camellia Blvd; it's gone now, but until about 2004, the Sonic was both traditional *and* had indoor seating. The location still had carhop service, regardless of where you ordered. Indoor booths had phones where you 'called' the kitchen to order. The building was razed in favor of a widening at the intersection to make an approach for a long needed bridge over the Vermilion river.

Patterson, LA (about 4 miles north of Morgan City) had an older building that was adjusted into a Sonic. It lasted until the early 2000's; the new Sonic sits in its place.

Natchitoches, LA still has a Sonic that was built in a building that had been constructed for Pizza Inn. It has a traditional counter ordering system, but also has the outside stalls. Pizza Inn built in front of a new Albertsons in 1999; it didn't last long. The grocery is now a part of Brookshire Grocery's Super 1 Foods chain.
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