A fast- food chain with a drive-in may finally break into New Jersey.
Sonic, a drive-in style restaurant, presented sketch plans to the township planning board Wednesday night for a West Avenue location.
The spot behind Spoilers Automotive Spa is the first of a dozen planned across the Lehigh Valley. Orwig Restaurant Group, LLC, owners of the three Quiznos in the area and City Line Coffee in Easton, and City Line Construction and Development teamed up to bring the franchise chain to the Valley.
The closest current location is in Ephrata, Pa.
“You say ‘Sonic; ‘ they say when,” Orwig representative Paul Klotz said of the potential market. “They catch on real quick.”
Sonic ads have been airing in this area for years despite no local drive-in. The franchise features a drive-through and drive-up service. Klotz called the food “McDonald’s meets Dairy Queen.”
Based on the conversation Wednesday night, Sonic won’t be landing in the township soon. The planning board referred the developers to the zoning board because the 1.3 acre site pegged for the restaurant presents myriad problems.
Township engineer Mike Finelli said Spoilers faced similar scrutiny when it located on West Avenue.
The road is a side street when entering the Circuit City shopping center across New Brunswick Avenue at the intersection of Route 22.
Sonic would draw 600 cars per day, far more than Spoilers.
“This is going to generate a lot more traffic in this neck of the woods than before,” Finelli said.
Finelli said there would likely be a long process with sewer capacity as well.
Cityline developer Kirk Leister admitted it would be a long road.
“It’s one of those situations where we need a variance for just about everything,” Leister said.
Leister said the restaurant would bring 60-65 new jobs to the township.
Board member Kenneth Hoser noted there was once a drive-in at that location some 50 years ago.
Oklahoma City-based Sonic has 3,200 locations nationwide and in Mexico. Customers using the drive-in place orders at intercom boxes. Carhops then walk or skate the orders out to vehicles.
According to the company’s Web site the locations averaged $1 million in sales each in 2006.