Sonic Drive-In, the popular fast-food restaurant known for its unique “carhop” service and carnival-like menu, is planning its second Long Island location in Riverhead.
The restaurant would be built in the vacant lot at the intersection of Route 58 and Osborn Avenue, across from Apple Honda. Though the lot is currently empty, zoning laws would permit the construction of a fast-food restaurant there.
Its site plan includes 21 covered parking stalls, each with its own menu board and intercom, for Sonic’s drive-in “carhop” service. Customers will park, place an order and then have it delivered personally to their car window by a Sonic employee, who will skate across the parking lot wearing Sonic’s iconic rollerskates to bring meals to waiting customers.
A traditional drive-through window would also be available.
The proposed restaurant includes seating for 44 people indoors, as well as tables outside with an additional 16 seats. Menu items include cheeseburgers, hot dogs, wings and ice cream sundaes.
Sonic currently has only one other location on Long Island, nearly an hour’s drive away from Riverhead in Deer Park.
Riverhead Planning Board will schedule a public hearing on the restaurant’s site plan this week for January 7, 2016.
The site plan also includes the construction of a second building, which would be located next to Sonic. The second building would be 8,250 square feet and have its own 33-stall parking lot. A tenant has not yet been announced for this building.
The proposed complex would be located on the north side of Route 58 and calls for exits on both Osborn Avenue and Route 58.
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