A franchisee of Sonic Inc. drive-in restaurants plans to open stores in Kettering, Huber Heights, Beavercreek and Celina in 2008 as its regional expansion continues.

The franchisee, Houchens Industries Inc., already has selected sites in these cities and has received zoning approvals, said Rick Fee, the franchisee's director of operations. In addition, Houchens will open Sonic stores in Urbana in January and Springfield in February, Fee said.

The company, which entered the market last year, opened stores in Troy in August and Englewood in December, he said.

Ultimately, Bowling Green, Ky.-based Houchens plans to open 30 stores over five years in Dayton, adding a new restaurant chain to the local mix of eateries.

Houchens officials in December approached the city of West Carrollton about opening a restaurant at 881 E. Dixie Drive, part of the redevelopment of the former Woody's Market site in that city. Fee said his company will submit plans to West Carrollton during the first quarter, but city officials haven't signed off on a restaurant there.

The 3,400-store restaurant chain's concept includes carhops on roller skates, sandwiches made with thick Texas toast, tater tots and milk shakes.

"We have a distinct niche," Fee said.

Fast-food and other styles of eateries prefer to cluster together, creating a magnet for hungry conusmers, said Lisa Grigsby, the Miami Valley Restaurant Association's marketing director. But, while restaurants benefit by being close together, a new arrival also adds some competitive pressure, she said.

"You'll feel some impact, but it will be so minimal," Grigsby said. "I think one of the things Sonic will do is re-introduce a style of dining that hasn't been around forever, which is that family dining where you sit in the car and have them bring it out to you. It's more of an event."

Houchens owns the right to develop 11 counties in Ohio and one in Indiana.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7317 or ttresslar@DaytonDailyNews.com.