SONIC Drive-In Celebrates Top 12 Drive-In Teams in 28th Annual DR PEPPER SONIC GAMES with $600,000 Donation to Local Schools

SONIC to donate $50,000 on behalf of each team to fund classroom projects in their hometown

OKLAHOMA CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SONIC^® Drive-In congratulates the teams named in the Final 12 for the 28^th annual DR PEPPER SONIC GAMES! To celebrate this achievement and to further support the local communities where the Final 12 teams are based, SONIC is donating $50,000 in each team’s hometown to directly fund local classroom projects submitted by public school teachers, in association with educational nonprofit DonorsChoose.org. In total, the brand will donate $600,000 to public schools across the Final 12 team markets.

The DR PEPPER SONIC GAMES is the brand’s premier training program. For months, thousands of SONIC Drive-In crews across the country have competed against each other in a series of trainings, quizzes, and challenging team and individual competitions. A team’s efficiency, service and even friendliness have been put to the test during the length of the competition.

The Final 12 Drive-In Teams are:

• Bristol, VA
  • 877 Old Airport Road
• El Paso, TX
  • 10655 Vista Del Sol Drive
  • 9505 Socorro Avenue
  • 2270 Trawood Drive
  • 1865 N Zaragosa Road
• Gainesville, FL
  • 2162 NW 39th Avenue
• Krum, TX
  • 1221 East McCart Street
• Knoxville, TN
  • 7519 Mountain Grove Drive
• Las Cruces, NM
  • 1603 El Paseo Road
• Stratford, OK
  • 423 West Smith Street
• Sulphur, OK
  • 1322 W. Broadway
• Summertown, TN
  • 9102 Highway 20

“The DR PEPPER SONIC GAMES is a fantastic training tool we developed over 25 years ago to motivate our crew members and give SONIC the opportunity to recognize participants on an individual level,” said Kevin Knutson, Vice President of Training and Operations at SONIC. “We are so impressed by the dedication, hard work and commitment that each crew has shown during these games, and we’re excited to honor them in their hometowns with a $50,000 donation on each team’s behalf to support their local schools."

The Final 12 have earned their spot in this last leg of the competition by excelling above and beyond their peers in the fields of customer service and on-site training, and they’ll now compete live in front of a panel of judges in their own backyard over the next month. Each crew will then receive an all-expenses paid trip in September to SONIC’s Annual National Convention in Dallas, where SONIC will announce the teams selected for gold, bronze and silver awards.

“For the past 28 years, hard-working SONIC crews have focused on this training program to deliver world class guest experiences to their SONIC customers,” said Blaine Wood, Director of Sales for Keurig Dr Pepper. “We’re proud of the top 12 crews for their consistent excellence and for showing their commitment to SONIC and their local communities.”

SONIC donates a portion of proceeds from drink purchases to support local public schools. Since 2009, SONIC has donated more than $20 million to fund local education programs.

Learn more about the DR PEPPER SONIC GAMES and the drive-in crews that are competing from across the country by following along on Instagram.

About SONIC^® Drive-In

SONIC, founded in 1953, is the largest drive-in restaurant brand in the United States with more than 3,500 restaurants in 46 states. Served by SONIC’s iconic Carhops, the drive-in’s expansive, award-winning menu offers unique, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and drink options for the whole family. SONIC is part of the Inspire Brands family of restaurants. For more information, visit SonicDriveIn.com and InspireBrands.com.