In 1953, the prototype of the first SONIC® Drive-In® opened in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Back then, SONIC revolutionized the ordering process by using curbside speakers that allowed customers to place food orders without ever leaving their cars. This technology spawned the slogan “Service at the Speed of Sound™,” which translated to one word: SONIC. Troy Smith Sr. aptly changed the name from Top Hat to SONIC Drive-In in 1959.
