Sonic 2014 Annual Report Download - page 10

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8
The Sonic tradition – entrepreneurial
spirit and passion – runs deep
through the generations. One
person who can attest to that is
Sonic franchisee Gary Kinslow. Gary
is the son of Matt Kinslow, one of
Sonic’s earliest franchisees and
the first winner of the Troy Smith
Award, Sonic’s highest franchisee
award. Already a restaurateur at the
time, Matt recognized the potential
of the Sonic brand early on and
opened his first Sonic Drive-In with
his wife, Joan, in 1962. Gary started
working at his father’s Sonic in 1969
at the age of 14 and, motivated by
the opportunities he saw, bought an
interest in his first drive-in in 1975.
Sonic has been a part of Gary’s
entire life, first with his father and
mother, and now joined by his wife,
Debra, and their two children, Matt
and Brooke. Together, they own
and operate 38 drive-ins in three
states. All are active in the family
business, along with Gary’s brother,
Larry. As Gary sees it, their business
is a generational blend, building
on the foundation created by his
parents and preserving the Kinslow
legacy for the next generation. To
do this, he recognizes the need to
inspire his team from the top down
to the Carhops, forming strong
relationships with the people
involved – from Sonic partners,
managers, and employees to vendors
and, most importantly, customers.
For Gary, it’s simple: Sonic may
sell cheeseburgers, but it is a
people business.
His advice to his children, and others
involved in the Sonic business, is to
work hard, seize every opportunity,
and chase your dreams with
passion. With iconic roots that
stretch back to 1953, Sonic provides
a unique and attractive vehicle for
franchisees to do just that, creating
an entrepreneurial climate that
fosters growth and success across
generations. Still loyal to the
brand ideals that have resonated
with consumers for more than 60
years, Sonic continues to surprise
and delight our customers – and
franchisees – at every turn of
the road.
Sonic, a multi-generational
success story
The Kinslows in Oklahoma City.
From left: Matt, Gary, Debra (seated), and Brooke.
hot dogs served in
American restaurants
are enjoyed at Sonic.