KAHULUI >> Hawaii’s first Sonic Drive-In will open Monday with drive-thru service, patio seating and ordering through drive-in stalls, a throwback feature that figures prominently in the brand’s TV commercials.
The restaurant is located in Alexander & Baldwin’s Ho‘okele Shopping Center, a relatively new commercial development on former sugar cane land. Other tenants include a Safeway supermarket and fueling station and Taco Bell. Farther south on Hookele Street are Raising Cane’s and the state’s first Chick-fil-A outlet, which opened in September to much fanfare.
The new Sonic Drive-in is owned and operated by North Shore Provisions LLC, dba Sonic Drive-In Hawai‘i, and will employ more than 100 full- and part-time workers, according to a news release. The restaurant will be open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
Sonic Chief Operating Officer Tanishia Beacham said the company has been eyeing Hawaii “for a number of years,” and the Maui location is the first of several Sonic Drive-Ins the local franchisee plans to open in the state, the release said, without providing a timeline for future expansion.
The Kahului restaurant was designed by the RAD LAB architectural firm and features custom murals by Hilo artist Kristie Fujiyama Kosmides and a solar-power system.
“A visit to Sonic is a unique and special experience and we brought that same level of uniqueness to the Maui drive-in, ensuring this location represents the culture and the beauty of our island,” said Edwin Prather, managing member of Sonic Drive-In Hawai‘i in the release. “From the building’s architecture, independent local ownership, and the staff that serve our guests — each element proudly reflects the local community.”
Monday’s opening also will serve as the debut the Sonic Teriyaki Burger, developed exclusively for the Maui drive-In in partnership with the Aloha Shoyu Co. The new burger features a 100% beef patty topped with teriyaki sauce, American cheese, teriyaki aioli, onions, lettuce and tomatoes, served on a toasted bun.
The Maui menu also includes Sonic standards: hamburgers, hotdogs, limeade, shakes and slushes.
A grand opening ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, with the restaurant to serve guests immediately following at 11 a.m.
To celebrate the Maui opening, the Sonic Foundation is donating $40,000 to fund the needs of Maui public school teachers through its nonprofit partner, DonorsChoose, a platform that allows individuals to donate directly to public school classroom requests.
With the opening of the Maui restaurant, Sonic Drive-In will have at least one location in 47 states.
Sonic Drive-In is part of Atlanta-based Inspire Brands, whose restaurant portfolio includes Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’ and Jimmy John’s.
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