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Home > Blogs > Taste: Dayton food and restaurants > Archives > 2009 > April > 06 > Entry
Kettering latest to feel the Sonic boom
The Sonic drive-in restaurant boom that has reverberated throughout the Miami Valley in recent months will be felt in Kettering on or about May 7.
That’s when the new Sonic will open at 2890 Wilmington Pike, just north of East Dorothy Lane at the site of a former White Castle restaurant, according to Chris Heitz, district manager for Houchens Industries, which owns the Dayton-area franchises. The White Castle was demolished to make way for the new Sonic, which will be the 13th to open in the Miami Valley in about two years.
A Sonic will open in Sidney in late May, followed by another new Sonic at 7888 Brandt Pike in Huber Heights that is scheduled to open in early June, Heitz said. And construction will begin soon on a new Sonic to be built on Dayton-Yellow Springs Road across from Fairborn High School, he said.
“Our goal is 29 restaurants in the greater Dayton market, and we’re more than halfway there,” Heitz said. “Even in this down economy, we’re building restaurants and creating jobs and helping keep some construction companies in business.”
The new Kettering Sonic will employ as many as 150 at opening, plus six managers, and will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Heitz said. The Kettering Sonic’s phone number is (937) 938-9900.
Sonic attempts to re-create the feel of 1950s-era drive-in diners and offers a menu that includes hamburgers, chili-covered hot dogs, onion rings and ice cream shakes.
Bowling Green-based Houchen Industries own Sonic franchises in the Columbus area and in some regions of Kentucky in addition to the Dayton area, Heitz said.
Permalink | Comments (34) | Post your comment | Categories: Restaurant openings
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By Hamburgersdoneright
December 30, 2010 10:38 AM | Link to this
Sonic is great never had a bad experience what is funny White Castle which I also like was torn down for a Sonic . I guess that White Castle was in a bad area for business. The Ice Cream is good at Sonic and the Philly Cheese Steak is excellent. So if you you don’t like Sonic go back to McFats.Whats in there Burgers ?At least Sonic uses real Beef.
By GR
April 26, 2009 6:39 PM | Link to this
Agree w/Carl on best-out-West and Southwest, too, i.e. Tommy’s, Fatburger, Carls, JR.,Beck’s Prime, and agree with Eric on the onion rings…they taste like chocolate.
By ME
April 13, 2009 12:56 PM | Link to this
Sonic is amazing! White Castle was horrible and brought nothing but horrible TRASH to kettering!
By Billy Joel
April 10, 2009 4:24 AM | Link to this
KD’s Kettering BBQ is the best place to eat! Come on in and try our fantastic food!
By Green Apple Two Step
April 7, 2009 1:18 AM | Link to this
Okay, Wordell…I did as you suggested and consulted my lower colon and it told me that Sonic means the same thing as White Castle sliders: Gastric disorder and the squirts.
By Wordell
April 6, 2009 11:39 PM | Link to this
Ask your lower colon what “Sonic” means…….
By Eric
April 6, 2009 11:35 PM | Link to this
We stopped at the Huber Sonic on the way home from the Oregon District one weekend and the food was terrible. The onion rings taste like they use funnel cake batter. I’ve never had sugary onion rings and hope to avoid them in the future. The burgers were bland and cold. Adding a second location on Brandt Pike is a bad idea unless they are trying to find out how many empty Sonics can be built on one road. I just don’t see the attraction.
By nyc
April 6, 2009 9:07 PM | Link to this
i have never understood why people would eat fast food…it is total garbage…that is why they are able to serve it to you so fast…..they all serve “mystery meat”..
By Wordell
April 6, 2009 8:18 PM | Link to this
Thank you, Carl. I “bloviate”…you get to the point. Again, Thank You.
By Carl
April 6, 2009 8:00 PM | Link to this
You have no idea what great fast food is until you’ve had In-N-Out Burger. The BEST but only out WEST…where all things are superior to boring ho-hum frumpy ignorant conservative obese Midwest.
By Wordell
April 6, 2009 7:41 PM | Link to this
Sorry: “Academy” Wordell P.S. Also post your “good” Sonic food experience.
By Wordell
April 6, 2009 7:35 PM | Link to this
Watch the T.V ads: A nerd, with his nerd friend…OR…a nerd, with his “nerdette” wife, at the drive through. Great discussions occur prior to ordering “fast food”. Discussions bordring on the intensity of the food…. Keats, Mark Twain, Cooter & Lamar contesting the validity that “Smokey and the Bandit” wasn’t nominated for an Acamedy Award!!!!!! Hmmm…didn’t know that this food was “brain food”!!!! Eat there, post your comment on good or bad….but don’t deny you weren’t warned about a let down…
By Cat
April 6, 2009 5:57 PM | Link to this
The Sonic’s that are here in the Dayton area (including Xenia) are NOT the same as they are down south. It’s weird. We always stop at the same Sonic on our way to the Outer Banks in NC and the food is good; here it’s just not the same. I think they did a poor job of hiring. We have stopped in at 2 local ones and the staff was rude, the food cold; I think the franchisee for this area went nuts. Should have picked 1 or 2 locations. A few will go under in a short time.
By forgetfastfood
April 6, 2009 5:24 PM | Link to this
eating sonic burgers leads to obesity, heart disease, is bad for the environment and is bad for the economy. it’s a sad time now that dayton is awash in this garbage.
By Sheryl Cowers
April 6, 2009 5:17 PM | Link to this
The food aat Sonic isn’t bad, but it’s the drinks and desserts that make them. It’s like if Dairy Queen and Burger King had a child. They offer bananas on the value menu. At least the one in Urbana does. That’s pretty weird.
By Doc
April 6, 2009 4:23 PM | Link to this
Sonic is nasty. As bad as White Castle was sometimes, I’d still rather eat a half dozen sliders instead.
By thirsty
April 6, 2009 3:32 PM | Link to this
The drinks are the best - especially the lo-cal diet cherry limeaid. Happy Hour is from 2-4 and they have discounts on all their drinks everyday!
By relax2009
April 6, 2009 3:31 PM | Link to this
I’ll eat there if I’m in Kettering, I like the one in Xenia, and I figure they should all be about the same. They have such good drinks that I’d rather go there than McD’s or BK. They’re faster than the other places, and the employees actually smile at you!
By Nicole
April 6, 2009 3:25 PM | Link to this
Sonic is great! Their ice cream is good and I love their onion rings. It’s nice to see them branching northward after being a favorite in the Southern states for years.
By erin
April 6, 2009 3:16 PM | Link to this
i was sad when they shut down white castle, i heard sonic bought out whitecastle because they liked the location (even though theres 100 empty buildings elsewhere
By e.Craig
April 6, 2009 3:06 PM | Link to this
I’ve dined at Sonics in Lancaster, Huber Heights, Englewood & Middletown. The service has always been spot-on, and the food is tasty.
By JKirkwood
April 6, 2009 2:31 PM | Link to this
Bryan: Maybe its cause you ate at the one in Springfield. Susu: No one cares about your judgement.
By Bryan
April 6, 2009 1:43 PM | Link to this
Not a big fan, I’ve tried the the Springfield and London, Ohio locations. Food was poor and service was like pulling teeth.
By t
April 6, 2009 1:38 PM | Link to this
I love Sonic, it’s the only fast food place that I can order breakfast all day long!
By D
April 6, 2009 1:36 PM | Link to this
Sonics are the best down South. Arkansas, Mississippi, etc.
By McRib
April 6, 2009 1:01 PM | Link to this
Shuting down Wgite Castle was a good move regardless. That food can kill! Never had Sonics because I’ve thought there was a good reason they weren’t here for quite sometime. Seems that it was a curiousity that has since died. McDonalds rules!
By null
April 6, 2009 1:01 PM | Link to this
I just don’t know if I’ll be going there or not. I think I’d feel too guilty. Like I’d be cheating on my beloved Rootbeer Stande.
By April
April 6, 2009 12:46 PM | Link to this
I like it but I don’t love it…there is something with the cooking oils that I just can’t have a lot of it and then the sandwiches taste funky after a while.
By shellymoe
April 6, 2009 12:43 PM | Link to this
I thought about trying Sonic when it opened on Brandt Pk. in front of Kroger last year, but didn’t want to fight the crowds. Now they’re always dead and no longer open 24/7. Money’s tight and I’m not about to waste what little I can use to eat out to try something new that obviously isn’t doing well. I’ll stick with what I know I like - BK, Wendy’s and of course, Panera Bread.
By me
April 6, 2009 12:27 PM | Link to this
When I lived in Florida Sonics was the best . I am glad they are here GREAT FOOD
By tca
April 6, 2009 12:26 PM | Link to this
Sonic is decent fast food at decent prices. I like whitecastle, but with so many of them closing, Sonic is a good replacement. they also have a great variety of cold treats that are not found anywhere else. I have been eating at Sonics for about 40 years and have never had a problem with service at any of them. It is fast food…I do not expect gourmet out of the kitchens.
By Dean
April 6, 2009 12:22 PM | Link to this
Sonic is GREAT!! It has amazing food and great service! Im glad to see that they are building more because the few Sonics that I have seen are extremely busy.
By sam
April 6, 2009 12:17 PM | Link to this
Sonic has the worst food in the world. It all tastes the same and the service sucks. I pass various Sonics and they are never busy, leading me to wonder why they are building more.
By Doug
April 6, 2009 12:09 PM | Link to this
Bring back White Castle!