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Sonic pioneers Charlie Pappe, left, and Troy N. Smith circa 1960. Photo: Sonic.
Smith opened the Top Hat Drive-In hamburger and root-beer stand in Shawnee, Okla., in 1953. Six years later, it became Sonic, a made-to-order fast-food company now dubbed "America's Drive-In," that currently has nearly 3,600 units in 42 states and serves 1 million people daily.
The chain was initially dubbed "Sonic" for its motto, "Service with the Speed of Sound," following its invention of curbside speakers in the 1950s, which allowed customers to order without leaving their cars. Smith also pioneered the use of parking lots that had angled parking spaces and overhead coverings.
These days Sonic is more popularly known for its value menu and drink combinations -- some 168,000 drink combinations make it what Sonic calls the "Ultimate Drink Stop."
Born in 1922 and raised in east-central Oklahoma, Smith served in the Army Air Corps before returning to the United States, where he would later operate milk and bread trucks. He expanded his business by opening various restaurants and cafes before founding Top Hat Drive-In. After opening three more Top Hat franchises, Smith unsuccessfully sought to copyright the moniker, changing it to the "speed of sound"-inspired title, "Sonic." The first Sonic opened in Stillwater, Okla.
Smith is survived by Dollie, his wife of nearly 70 years, a son, daughter, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Friday, at 2 p.m., at the First Christian Church in Edmond, Okla.
[via Nation's Restaurant News]
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10-29-2009 @2:45PM Lisa said... God bless the Smith Sonic families...LOVE the Sonic Chillers especially the Limeade/strawberry-lime ones & Grill Cheeses are yummy! LOVE OKlahoma, also....pretty native american/bobcats country!!
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10-29-2009 @3:04PM Emma said... Where the hell is a Sonic anyways. None in the S.F. bay peninsula.
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10-29-2009 @3:12PM nick said... If he lived to be 87 he must have never eaten his own food, that stuff will shorten your life if it is a staple of your diet.
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10-29-2009 @3:59PM Rich said... Even though they are still a fast food establishment, I still think Sonic differs greatly from your Burger Kings and McDonalds... most of my experiences have actually been really good. Not so good a ratio for McD's.. lol
One thing that always brings me back there though, is the Limeades... good God they are delicious.
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10-29-2009 @3:57PM Kathryn said... I live in Kansas and we have had Sonic Drive-Ins since I can remember. The food is good, the service fast and is not priced to break the bank.
To make a snide comment about the founder "eating his own food" and dying sooner because of it is in incredibly bad taste.
Most Sonic drive-ins are in the central US. A friend of mine visiting from Vancouver BC fell in love with the place and didn't want to go other places to eat. It was cute.
I love the diet cherry cokes and the burgers are great.
RIP Troy Smith. Your legacy lives on.
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10-29-2009 @4:02PM Richard said... @Kathryn
That's cool, I live in Wichita. We have em all over here. I think the coney is their most popular item, but yes, their burgers are quite good as well.
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10-29-2009 @5:13PM April said... I'm in Memphis TN. we have them all over here too. They are a great little fast food place to grab a bite. Have plenty of choices and friendly service. The prices are fair and the wait is short. Nothing can compare to the good taste and cleaniness. Thank you RIP Mr. TROY SMITH
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10-29-2009 @5:50PM Abraxus said... I live in Alexandria, VA - 10 miles outside of DC - we have them all over the place here too - I keep expecting to see the President at a Sonic one of these days - he's tried some others! And there is nothing wrong with eating fast food occasionally - it's just most of us eat it far too often for our own good - we can't blame the owner for that, only ourselves!
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11-05-2009 @8:18AM MLB said... Does anyone know the history of the Sonic Drive In as far as the persona it took over the years? I am interested in when they started using rock & roll music over the speakers and who started it.
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10-29-2009 @6:44PM C. Smith said... @Abraxus - I live in Annandale, VA right next to Alexandria, VA and I don't know of one Sonic close around here - if you look in their website, the closest one listed is in Fredericksburg, VA - over 40 miles from DC - I don't think Pres. Obama is going to travel 40 miles to go to a fast food place but stranger things have happened.
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10-29-2009 @7:48PM wen said... The first one I had ever been to was in Chickasha Ok. when I went to meet my inlaws.The first time I had experienced a foot long chile cheese coney with tater tots and a route 44 ocean water, and became my favorite to order. I even had my husband bring one 600 miles from Reno, Nv. home to hanford for me because that was the closest one. He is in the navy and had a det to Fallon, Nv. And yes it traveled well. We didn't have a Sonic in California, 10 years later I have 5 within a 50 mile radius. Thank you Troy for the wonderful memories. I'll stop by sonic and toast you with a limeade chliier.
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