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March 2007 Business of the Month | |||||||||||||
It takes more than carhops to deliver all those Extra-Long Cheese Coneys! There’s a whole team pitching in to make sure that every order is made the way you want it and delivered fresh to your car. For more than 50 years, SONIC Corp. has built a dominant position in the drive-in restaurant business. “What makes us unique is our personal carhop service to each customer,” says Ed Bylina, manager of Harrisonville SONIC. Bylina currently has 49 employees. Assistant managers John Baker, Bonnie Finley and Jim Matteson have been with the company for about 10 years; Shawn Warner about 17 years, Jake Fordyce, three years; and Bylina himself for 18 years. “This is my first official job,” Bylina said. “I started when I was 16 in 1989, and enjoyed working for Duane Beddo, who is now my supervisor.” Despite the longevity, Bylina finds his greatest business challenge in keeping his employees happy. “Especially finding hours for them during the slow winter months. I just try to do my best.” In the 1950s, SONIC’s unique use of curbside speakers to allow customers to place food orders without ever leaving their cars, spawned the slogan “SONIC, Service with the Speed of Sound.” In recent years, that slogan has been replaced with “SONIC, America’s Drive-In.” SONIC was originally named Top Hat Drive-In. The name was changed to SONIC in 1959. Bylina is looking forward to a vibrant retrofit of his store, which will happen sometime this year. The new exterior design will give the location an updated look and refreshed image that keeps with the company's goal of providing friendly service and clean, exciting drive-ins that outshine the competition. Harrisonville SONIC is proud to be a generous supporter of local school programs, youth sports, churches and civic organizations. "You name it, we've done it," says Bylina.
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