A new study crowned Sonic Drive-In the nation's top post-pandemic comeback for search interest, yet San Antonio keeps losing drive-in locations. That split between national hype and local closures is a handy reminder that what trends online does not always translate into healthier neighborhood storefronts.
According to a study by Restaurant Furniture, Sonic's Google search volume jumped 1,601% between 2021 and 2025, the largest increase among the chains the firm analyzed. The study says it compared combined monthly search volumes in Google Keyword Planner, using terms such as a brand's name, "near me," "menu" and "website" to calculate percentage gains.
A June 2025 data brief from the CDC found about one-third of U.S. adults ate fast food on a given day between August 2021 and August 2023, underscoring how large the quick-service market remains. That context helps explain why online spikes draw attention even when local results diverge; searches can reflect curiosity, nostalgia or promotional boosts rather than immediate store openings.
On the ground in San Antonio, though, the story is quieter. Several Sonic locations have closed since 2024, including spots on De Zavala Road, Zarzamora Street, Ingram Road, Nacogdoches Road, Pat Booker Road and Culebra Road, and about 37 locations remain listed as open, as reported by MySA. The closures are spread across the city's north, west and northeast sides rather than clustering in one neighborhood.
Those shuttered drive-ins are turning up on the commercial market or being reworked into something new. LoopNet listings show several former Sonic parcels in San Antonio, including a former location on S. General McMullen Drive that has been marketed for sale, and other former sites have been refitted into independent restaurants and shops.
The closures also arrive alongside high-profile local incidents that kept the brand in headlines, notably a fatal Sonic shooting in July 2024, though there is no simple line from headline shocks to the health of individual stores.
Why The Disconnect?
Search-volume studies measure interest, not unit economics, which helps explain the gap between Sonic's national buzz and its shrinking local footprint. The Restaurant Furniture study relied on Google Keyword Planner volume rather than sales or franchise counts, so a big percentage jump can signal renewed curiosity or successful marketing rather than immediate expansion in every city.
Put another way, Sonic can be trending nationwide while local landlords, franchise turnover and neighborhood competition decide whether a given drive-in stays open. In markets like San Antonio, those local forces have quietly redrawn the map even as online searches spike.
