For Jared Ervin, SONIC is more than just a brand – it’s a family tradition. “In 1975, my grandparents opened their first SONIC with my parents in Grapevine, Texas. 50 years later, we’re still carrying on what they started half a century ago. It’s in our blood.” 

As a third-generation franchisee, Jared grew up watching his father lead their family restaurants. At 15, he joined his dad at work. “SONIC has been my first and only job – and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” By his early 20s, Jared was regularly traveling to help open new locations. “It was around that time I had a conversation with my dad and told him, ‘This is what I want to do with my life.’ It’s been full speed ahead ever since.” 

Today, Jared operates 20 SONICs across the Dallas-Fort Worth area for the Ervin Group. “We are a true family-operated business, with my siblings and I working as partners alongside our dad, Rick. I oversee the day-to-day operations of our restaurants, while my brother and sister manage the administrative and accounting work in-house. Together, we’ve seen a lot of change: hand-written tickets have become touch-screen monitors, and parking now includes order ahead.” 

At Inspire, our format innovation offers franchisees a variety of real estate and development options to fit any space. At SONIC, that includes optimized formats with multiple drive-thru lanes, streamlined drive-in footprints, and drive-thru-only designs. 

 “You have to evolve for long-term success. We see the advantages of the new concepts and continue to explore them,” says Jared. 

To celebrate 50 years of SONIC, Jared and his family kicked off a special 50-cent menu at the Grapevine location that started it all, offering 50-cent Jr Cheeseburgers, Corn Dogs, hot dogs, and Cherry Limeades on the anniversary of its original opening. 

“This is also a big year because – for the first time ever – we now own the dirt our Grapevine SONIC sits on,” shares Jared. “The founder of SONIC, Troy Smith, was our original landlord, and we recently purchased the land from his grandkids. It’s a pretty big moment for us.” 

While the SONIC brand and consumer have evolved over the last 50 years, Jared says he and his siblings have never forgotten their roots. “The foundation that my family has built remains the heartbeat of everything we do. It’s a legacy we’re honored to continue.” 

To learn more about franchising with Inspire and our brands, visit inspirebrands.com/Franchising.