All Over Albany

Sonic's planning to open in Latham this summer

Sonic is typically a drive-in, eat-outside type of fast food place. But as it's moved into areas of the country with colder winters, Sonic has added locations with indoor seating.

Long in circulation, now official: Sonic will be opening its first Capital Region location at 701 Troy Schenectady Rd in Latham (AKA where Route 7 intersects with Wade Road).

The fast food chain says it's planning a June opening for the location. From a press release: "In advance of the June grand opening, the site will undergo a $2 million remodel to transform it into a state-of-the-art SONIC Drive-In complete with traditional drive-in stalls, a drive-thru window and indoor dining. The location will employ close to 50 local Albany residents in a variety of jobs, including the iconic skating Carhops."

Sonic says it's planning at least 8 locations around the Capital Region over the next seven years in "Albany, Latham, Schenectady, Troy, Saratoga Springs, Clifton Park, Amsterdam and the surrounding areas."

The chain has been looking at the Albany area since at least a year ago. It's been moving into upstate New York over the last few years. It now has locations in Watertown, Rochester, Binghamton, and the Middletown/Newburgh area, with Syracuse and Buffalo in the pipeline. Last year the company said it had plans for 27 locations around upstate. Nationwide there are more 3,500 Sonics.

Sonic is fast food -- burgers, fries, hot dogs. It's one of those things that people have often mentioned they've wanted to open here. Now they can mark it off their lists. (And watch as a We Want Chick-fil-A sleeper cell activates amid the limeade-induced chaos in order to recruit new members.)

Sonic planning 8 locations in the Albany area

A rendering of the indoor location design Sonic is using upstate.

Sonic is planning to open its first location in the Albany area in spring 2015 in Latham, the fast food chain announced Tuesday. It says it's planning to ultimately open eight locations around the Capital Region.

Press release blurbage:

[Franchisee] Fast Eats, LLC, led by an experienced service industry team, is already fast at work on their first location in Latham with expected opening in the spring of 2015. Within seven years, Fast Eats expects to open eight drive-in locations in the New York Capital District, including Albany, Latham, Schenectady, Troy, Saratoga Springs, Clifton Park, Amsterdam and the surrounding areas.

A spokesperson said the company didn't yet have officially confirmed details of the exact Latham location.

Sonic has been looking at this area since at least early this year -- back in February the company told us it was in talks with potential franchisees about setting up in this area.

The chain has been expanding through New York State over the last few years. It has locations in Watertown, Rochester, Binghamton, and the Middletown/Newburgh area, with Syracuse and Buffalo in the pipeline. The company says it currently has plans for 27 locations around upstate. Nationwide there are more 3,500 Sonics.

Sonic locations are set up like drive-ins. The company is based in Oklahoma, with a large concentration of its locations in the southeast and southern midwest. So it's planning some adjustments for its upstate locations, including indoor dining areas.

image: Sonic