SONIC DRIVE IN acquired by INSPIRE BRANDS

Inspire Brands completed the acquisition of Sonic Corp. on December 7, 2018. After closing, Sonic continued to operate as an independent brand under the Inspire umbrella, with Claudia San Pedro leading the brand and Cliff Hudson serving as senior advisor during the transition. The strategic rationale was straightforward: Sonic offered a highly distinctive and nationally recognized concept with a loyal customer base, strong systemwide sales and meaningful room for operational and geographic growth. Inspire saw value in Sonic's drive-in model, beverage innovation, breakfast traffic, and broad consumer appeal, all of which complemented its existing restaurant assets. The acquisition also fit Inspire's broader strategy of using centralized expertise in franchising, digital investment, and brand building to support large-scale restaurant concepts. At the time, the combined company became the fifth-largest restaurant group in the United States, with more than 8,300 restaurants and annual systemwide sales above $12 billion.