Troy Smith (businessman)
Encyclopedia
Troy Nuel Smith, Sr. was an American
entrepreneur
who founded Sonic Drive-In
, a fast-food restaurant chain based in Oklahoma City
, Oklahoma
that recreates the drive-in diner feel of the 1950s, complete with carhops who usually wear roller skates. By the time of Smith's death in 2009, the chain had 3,600 restaurants in 42 U.S. state
s.
Smith was born on May 26, 1922, in Seminole, Oklahoma
, part of the oil patches in the east central portion of the state. He attended Seminole High School
, married Dollie Twiggs in 1940, and in 1943 enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces
during World War II
. After completing his military service, he worked as a milk truck driver. Choosing to be his own boss, Smith opened a number of restaurants, ranging from a diner to a steak house, in Shawnee, Oklahoma
.
Of all his operations, his most successful was a root beer stand called Top Hat that he opened in 1953, which brought regular profits of 20% annually. While driving near the Texas
-Louisiana
border, he pulled into a fast food restaurant that used a series of intercoms at each parking spot to allow customers to place orders directly from their cars. Smith obtained the design of the communication system and put it in place at Top Hat, allowing customers to place orders and have them delivered to their car within three minutes by carhop
s on roller skates.
In Smith's version of the drive-in
, parking was angled to afford greater privacy and the speakers would play popular music for patrons while dining. As the Top Hat name had already been trademarked, he renamed the restaurants as Sonic in 1959, with the slogan "Service with the Speed of Sound". In an effort to expand the number of locations and bring in new talent, Sonic pursued a franchise-based model which had a new location opening daily, on average, in the late 1970s, though an economic turndown saw the closure of 300 of the chain's 1,300 restaurants in the early 1980s.
He stepped down from operating the firm in 1983 but retained a seat on the company's board. By the time of his death, the chain operated in 42 states at some 3,600 locations.
In January 2007, Smith and his wife donated Sonic stock valued at $3 million to the University of Central Oklahoma
, the largest unrestricted cash gift in UCO's history.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
who founded Sonic Drive-In
Sonic Drive-In
Sonic Drive-In is an American drive-in fast-food restaurant chain based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, complete with carhops who sometimes wear rollerskates. As of August 31, 2010, there were 3,500 restaurants in 43 U.S. states. Sonic serves approximately 3 million customers daily.-1950s:Following...
, a fast-food restaurant chain based in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
that recreates the drive-in diner feel of the 1950s, complete with carhops who usually wear roller skates. By the time of Smith's death in 2009, the chain had 3,600 restaurants in 42 U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s.
Smith was born on May 26, 1922, in Seminole, Oklahoma
Seminole, Oklahoma
Seminole is a city in Seminole County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 6,899 at the 2000 census. Seminole experienced a large population growth in the 1920s due to an oil boom...
, part of the oil patches in the east central portion of the state. He attended Seminole High School
Seminole High School (Oklahoma)
Seminole High School is a public high school located in Seminole, Oklahoma, operated by Seminole Public Schools.As of the 2006-07 school year, the school had an enrollment of 482 students and 30.6 classroom teachers , for a student–teacher ratio of 15.8.-Notable alumni:*Troy Smith , founder of...
, married Dollie Twiggs in 1940, and in 1943 enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After completing his military service, he worked as a milk truck driver. Choosing to be his own boss, Smith opened a number of restaurants, ranging from a diner to a steak house, in Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 29,857 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Oklahoma City-Shawnee Combined Statistical Area; it is also the county seat of Pottawatomie County and the principal city of the Shawnee Micropolitan Statistical...
.
Of all his operations, his most successful was a root beer stand called Top Hat that he opened in 1953, which brought regular profits of 20% annually. While driving near the Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
-Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
border, he pulled into a fast food restaurant that used a series of intercoms at each parking spot to allow customers to place orders directly from their cars. Smith obtained the design of the communication system and put it in place at Top Hat, allowing customers to place orders and have them delivered to their car within three minutes by carhop
Carhop
A carhop is a waiter or waitress who brings food to people in their cars at drive-in restaurants. Usually car hops work on foot but sometimes use rollerskates. The popularity of movies such as American Graffiti and shows like Happy Days created a misconception of carhops as exclusively roller...
s on roller skates.
In Smith's version of the drive-in
Drive-in
A drive-in is a facility such as a bank, restaurant, or movie theater where one can literally drive in with an automobile for service. It is usually distinguished from a drive-through. At a drive-in restaurant, for example, customers park their vehicles and are usually served by staff who walk out...
, parking was angled to afford greater privacy and the speakers would play popular music for patrons while dining. As the Top Hat name had already been trademarked, he renamed the restaurants as Sonic in 1959, with the slogan "Service with the Speed of Sound". In an effort to expand the number of locations and bring in new talent, Sonic pursued a franchise-based model which had a new location opening daily, on average, in the late 1970s, though an economic turndown saw the closure of 300 of the chain's 1,300 restaurants in the early 1980s.
He stepped down from operating the firm in 1983 but retained a seat on the company's board. By the time of his death, the chain operated in 42 states at some 3,600 locations.
In January 2007, Smith and his wife donated Sonic stock valued at $3 million to the University of Central Oklahoma
University of Central Oklahoma
The University of Central Oklahoma, often referred to as UCO, is a coeducational public university located in Edmond, Oklahoma. The university is the third largest in Oklahoma, with almost 18,000 students and approximately 434 full-time and 400 adjunct faculty...
, the largest unrestricted cash gift in UCO's history.