Staff reports

The first Sonic Drive-In in the Rochester area is planned for the Depot Plaza on East Ridge Road at Carter Street in Irondequoit, with an opening projected for July or August, franchisee Fran DeSimone said Thursday.

DeSimone said he hopes to build another Rochester Sonic this year but more realistically expects two others to open locally in 2015 and two more in 2016. Locations for those restaurants have not been determined.

The Irondequoit Sonic will be part of an upgrade of the Depot Plaza, where a new Tops Friendly Markets is being built. DeSimone said all of the local Sonics will have indoor seating as well as outdoor car service, with employees on roller skates taking orders.

DeSimone said he plans to open four Sonics in Syracuse and one in Watertown, though opening dates and locations for those are still to come. Sonic announced last week that a another franchisee, Kevin DiPirro, will open eight restaurants in the Buffalo area over the next six years, with the first opening expected in 2015.

The upstate plans will more than triple the number of Sonics in New York state.

Sonic, based in Oklahoma City, has 3,500 restaurants in 44 states.

DeSimone has experience with fast-food franchises, including deals with Panera Bread, Burger King and Taco Bell.