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Drive-in may attract carhops
By ED QUIOCO, Times Staff Writer OLDSMAR -- A 1950s-style hamburger chain that features roller-skating carhops and chocolate-covered peanut butter shakes could be on the way to Oldsmar, according to development plans recently submitted to the city. Olympia Development Group in Dunedin has filed plans with Oldsmar for a Sonic drive-in restaurant on 7 acres at the southwest corner of Tampa Road and Forest Lakes Boulevard. That location also is the future home of a Dunkin' Donuts and a Chick-fil-A. Instead of drive-through lanes common in other fast food restaurants, Sonic features parking stalls equipped with menus and curbside speakers so customers can take their time ordering and stay in their cars. Carhops, who are encouraged to use skates, bring those orders usually in four minutes or less on trays that can be placed on car doors, said Celina Abernathy, Sonic director of communications. "The customer drives the whole process from the time they drive into the lot and the time they want to leave," Abernathy said. "There is nobody behind them waiting in line and hurrying them." Sonic drive-ins, which have a "retro-future" look, offer burgers and chicken sandwiches on Texas toast, hot dogs with chili and cheese, onion rings, and shakes, malts, cherry limeades and slushes. "This month, we have a strawberry cheesecake shake," Abernathy said. Sonic is an Oklahoma-based, publicly held company with 2,400 drive-in restaurants in 30 states and one in Mexico. Sonic has 30 locations in Florida. Its core markets are in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri. In January, the company announced plans to open a Sonic in Kenneth City and a company spokeswoman said at the time that there were plans to open several more in Florida. Sonic executives declined to discuss their plans for the Oldsmar restaurant last week. The proposed Sonic in Oldsmar will include a 1,930-square-foot building, canopy and 28 parking spaces, according to plans filed at Oldsmar City Hall. The first store opened in Oklahoma in 1953 under the name Top Hat Drive-In. The restaurant was renamed Sonic in 1959 and began to license franchises. Forbes magazine has named Sonic one of the 200 Best Small Companies in America eight years running. "It's a nice gathering place for the community," Abernathy said. Olympia Development vice president Eddie Entreken said his company's 7-acre parcel has attracted new restaurants because of the traffic from Tampa Road and the city's booming industrial district. Several large companies recently have moved or announced plans to relocate offices to Oldsmar, bringing a thriving lunchtime crowd, Entreken said. "The work population is out there," Entreken said. "There is a very good daytime population out there, and you have a lot of traffic." -- Ed Quioco can be reached at 445-4183 or quioco@sptimes.com.
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