Sonic Drive-In expanding in Sacramento

Sonic Drive-In, a fast-food hamburger chain that has struggled with troubled franchises in Sacramento, said Monday it plans to open 11 restaurants in the area over the next seven years.

The company didn’t specify where in the region the new restaurants would open. Franchise agreements have been signed, the company said.

The announcement represents a significant commitment to Sacramento for a chain that has had setbacks in the region. The three Sonic locations in greater Sacramento closed in 2014 as former area franchisee Abe Alizadeh’s legal troubles mounted. Another franchisee stepped in and reopened two of the restaurants, in Roseville and Yuba City.

All told, Sonic announced it plans to add 33 locations in California between now and the end of 2022.

Alizadeh, a Roseville developer, lost numerous restaurants and other properties after crashing financially during the recession. More recently, he and a co-defendant have been charged in a bank fraud case.

This story was originally published January 4, 2016 at 4:18 PM with the headline "Sonic Drive-In expanding in Sacramento."