Kent’s first Sonic Drive-In to open next year

Sonic Drive-In is coming next year to Kent.

You’ve probably seen the funny commercials for Sonic with the two guys sitting in a car talking about burgers and other items. But unless you’ve driven recently to Bonney Lake, Puyallup, Tacoma, Poulsbo or Lacey or visited another state, you haven’t been to Sonic.

The drive-in with more than 3,500 locations in 45 states plans to open a Kent restaurant next spring at the northeast corner of 116th Avenue Southeast and Kent Kangley Road.

Ben Wolters, city economic and community development director, told the City Council at its May 3 meeting about Sonic coming to town.

“That corner has been long vacant and a constant source of code enforcement,” Wolters said. “We are very pleased with the developer. They are proposing to put a Sonic restaurant in during the first phase as he continues to work with adjacent property owners to assemble all property on the corner.”

The proposal for the new Sonic is moving through the city permitting process, Wolters said. He expects the drive-in to open next spring.

“We know folks are enjoying all the new culinary opportunities we are having in Kent,” Wolters said.

Councilman Les Thomas asked Wolters about earlier plans for that corner of 116th Avenue Southeast.

“I thought a CVS Pharmacy was going into that corner,” Thomas said. “But I will take Sonic burger.”

Wolters replied that property owners supported a rezone for a CVS store but the developer and property owners could not agree on a price and wanted a larger footprint. He said the developer for Sonic can fit it on the property he owns and can take time to purchase adjacent properties when they are willing and able to sell.

Sonic started in 1953 in Oklahoma and has its headquarters in Oklahoma City. It serves about 3 million customers daily and features carhops at many locations.

For more information, go to sonicdrivein.com.