Hurricane shuts down up to 30 OKC-based Sonic restaurants

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Sep 9, 2005 by Journal Record Staff

Sonic Corp. on Thursday said 25-30 franchise drive-in restaurants remained closed because of Hurricane Katrina.

About half of the closures are expected to be temporary as the units wait for restoration of utility services. The remaining franchise drive-ins may have incurred significant structural damage and could be closed for a prolonged period of time.

Sonic has about 3,000 drive-ins including 148 in Louisiana, 114 in Mississippi and 103 in Alabama.

Clifford Hudson, chairman and CEO, said Hurricane Katrina caused no physical damage to any of Sonic's partner drive-ins - those in which the company has a majority equity interest. Interruptions to communications and power systems, blocked roads and restricted access in some areas have hampered the Oklahoma City company's efforts to assess the full impact of the storm.

Sonic's operators, supply partners, and customers are working to contribute to relief efforts for the victims of the hurricane. All customer donations will go to the American Red Cross. Sonic will collect donations to the American Red Cross through Oct. 15. Sonic Corp. also has set aside $250,000 to match contributions from its operators and supply partners for Hurricane Katrina victims, including employees.

As small businessmen and women, some located in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, our operators have a close perspective on the toll this catastrophe has taken on their local communities, and they have a real sense of urgency in seeing that significant aid is directed immediately to the hard-hit Gulf Coast region, Hudson said.