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Sonic, by the numbers

Every figure below comes from real financed deals — what buyers paid, where, and how the loans performed.

SBA Franchise Directory: listed ✓ (identifier S1598)

21 deals since 2020 · typical deal $1.3M

21

Deals since 2020

$1.3M

Typical deal

5

Deals since FY2025

—

Too few deals to score risk

Sonic has 21 SBA deals on record — real financing history, but too few to score a failure rate you should trust. Underwrite the location and the FDD.

What buyers pay for Sonic

Most Sonic deals financed between $411K and $2.08M. Above $2.08M, you're paying more than 75% of buyers did — make the seller earn it.

Monthly payment (10-yr)
$16,588
Down payment (10%)
$141K
Cash to close (all-in)
$193K

Estimates at today's rates and standard 7(a) terms. Not a loan offer.

Could you get the loan?

Three answers. No documents, no credit pull.

Credit score

Available cash (you'll need ~$193K)

Experience

Recent financings

  • Smooth Seas Holdings LLC in Miami Gardens, FL — $3.8M (2026) · Live Oak Banking Company
  • Smooth Seas Holdings LLC in Key Largo, FL — $650K (2026) · Live Oak Banking Company
  • JOHN COVE DUMFRIES LLC in Dumfries, VA — $126K (2026) · Bank Five Nine
  • Sonic Drive-In Auburn in Auburn, IN — $637K (2025) · First Bank of the Lake
  • SDI GRAND JUNCTION, INCORPORATED in Grand Junction, CO — $100K (2025) · Zions Bank, A Division of
  • HHB of Cranston Inc. in Providence, RI — $411K (2024) · Webster Bank National Association
  • HHB of Cranston Inc. in Providence, RI — $200K (2024) · Webster Bank National Association
  • Sonic Drive Ins Hayward; Sonic Drive Ins Salinas; Sonic Drive Ins Gilroy in Hayward, CA — $2.5M (2023) · purchase · United Business Bank
  • Tower Capital LLC in Saint Paul, MN — $5.0M (2022) · purchase · Live Oak Banking Company
  • HHB of Cranston, Inc. in Cranston, RI — $2.3M (2022) · Webster Bank National Association

Hover or tap a deal for terms: program, rate, SBA guarantee, days to fund.

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Sonic brand mark

Who funds Sonic — and where

Every dot is a financed Sonic — 20 mapped.

Financed Sonic locations — list all 20 as text

Top lenders for this brand

  1. 1.Live Oak Banking Company(8)
  2. 2.Webster Bank National Association(3)
  3. 3.Glacier Bank(1)
  4. 4.First Bank of the Lake(1)
  5. 5.Bank Five Nine(1)

Most active states

  1. 1.California (6 loans)
  2. 2.Florida (4 loans)
  3. 3.Rhode Island (3 loans)
  4. 4.Wyoming (1 loans)
  5. 5.Indiana (1 loans)
  6. 6.Virginia (1 loans)
  7. 7.Alabama (1 loans)
  8. 8.Colorado (1 loans)

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Common questions

How much does a Sonic cost to buy or open?

The typical deal for Sonic is $1.3M across 21 transactions since 2020. With the SBA's 10% minimum down payment, that points to roughly $140K of buyer cash on a typical deal.

How risky is Sonic?

Sonic has 21 SBA loans on record since 2020 — too few to score a reliable failure rate. Judge the unit economics and the franchisor's disclosure document, not a small sample.

Can I finance a Sonic with an SBA loan?

Yes — Sonic has been SBA-financed 5 times since FY2025, which means it clears the SBA Franchise Directory requirement regularly. Confirm current listing before signing an LOI.

Buying a Sonic franchise

Most Sonic buyers finance the purchase or build-out with an SBA 7(a) loan — up to 90% of the cost with roughly 10% down. The typical Sonic deal financed for $1.3M, which points to about $140K of buyer cash on a typical purchase. Sonic is listed in the SBA Franchise Directory (identifier S1598), so it's eligible to finance today — confirm current listing with your lender before the LOI. See the lenders that already fund Sonic — a bank that knows the brand approves faster — or pre-qualify for financing to see your likely loan size first.

AI summary

This profile summarizes public SBA financing activity for Sonic — lender activity, typical loan sizes, financing history, and risk and failure signals where available — via CapBench SBA Intelligence. CapBench is not a lender.

Source: CapBench SBA Intelligence, based on public SBA, lender, franchise, FDIC, and related records. CapBench is not a lender and does not guarantee financing.

Agent summary

This page summarizes public SBA 7(a) financing for Sonic — typical deal size, the lenders that fund the brand, geography, and failure-rate context — from CapBench SBA Intelligence. Sonic is confirmed in the SBA Franchise Directory here; CapBench is not a lender and does not sell franchises.

  • 21 SBA 7(a) deals since 2020
  • $1.3M typical deal
  • 5 deals since FY2025
  • Too few deals to score a reliable failure rate
  • SBA Franchise Directory: listed (identifier S1598)
  • Top lenders: Live Oak Banking Company, Webster Bank National Association, Glacier Bank

Next steps

Check SBA fitFind SBA lenders$9 lender report
Data freshness:
SBA records through 2026-05-31; FDIC through 2026-03-31; page updated 2026-06-17.
Sources:
Public SBA 7(a) loan records; FDIC institution data (BankFind); CapBench lender and franchise enrichment.
Canonical:
https://www.capbench.com/franchises/sonic
API:
https://www.capbench.com/api/public/franchises/sonic
Methodology:
Sources & methodology
  • Informational only — CapBench does not confirm this entity is for sale, eligible for SBA financing, or approved by any lender.
  • Figures come from public records and CapBench methodology; verify before relying on them.
  • Financing figures are historical SBA loan records, not a current offer or franchise availability. Confirm SBA Franchise Directory listing with your lender before an LOI.

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CapBench analysis of public lending records, FY2020–present. Charge-off rate measured on the FY2020–23 cohort. Not affiliated with Sonic.

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