SLO County was supposed to get 2 new Sonic Drive-Ins years ago. Are they still coming?

Remember back in 2016 when we were all: “Sonic Drive-In could be coming to two SLO County cities”?

Well, now it’s 2021 and the popular fast-food restaurant has yet to grace the county with its roller-skating wait staff and brain-freeze-inducing slushies.

So you’re probably asking: What’s up with that?

Turns out both Sonic projects have faced significant delays in recent years, though at least one of the restaurants is still moving forward.

According to Cindy Jacinth, senior city planner with Morro Bay, the Sonic Drive-In that was slated to go into the vacant lot at 1840 Main St. is still in the works.

In May, the Morro Bay Planning Commission even approved a two-year extension to the restaurant’s coastal development permit, allowing more time for the company to develop the site.

Jacinth said the restaurant applicant must now re-submit the building permit application because the previously proposed plans needed corrections.

She said the city has not been provided with a time schedule on when the restaurant could be expected to go in.

In the meantime, the property is going to temporarily be home to Morro Bay U-Haul and Propane, which had to relocate while construction work is ongoing on a roundabout near its former location on Morro Bay Boulevard. That business is just waiting for PG&E power, she said.

It’s more unclear just what is happening with the proposed Paso Robles location. In 2016, the company was pursing building a new Sonic at Golden Hills Plaza, but little has been done since then.

According to Paso Robles Ccity planner Darren Nash, the city’s building department issued a permit to Sonic in October 2018, but the company never started construction.

“While their permit is still valid, we have not heard whether they plan to move forward or not,” he said.

A request for comment from Sonic on the fate of the two new locations was not returned Thursday.

This story was originally published October 22, 2021 at 5:00 AM.

Kaytlyn Leslie

The Tribune

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Kaytlyn Leslie writes about business and development for The San Luis Obispo Tribune. Hailing from Nipomo, she also covers city governments and happenings in San Luis Obispo. She joined The Tribune in 2013 after graduating from Cal Poly with her journalism degree.