Sonic Sets Sales Record in Manchester, Considering Expansion into Enfield

A big week for Sonic just became a little bigger. 

The  of the popular fast-food restaurant broke the single-day sales record for any Sonic franchise on Saturday. 

Meanwhile, its owners said discussions about expanding into Enfield have turned serious.

Robert Mesite, whose family owns the Sonic of Connecticut franchise, said Sunday night that Sonic executives at the corporate level confirmed the record sales news earlier that day. He said corporate policy prohibits him from divulging the exact figures, but his restaurant did break the previous record set by the Wallingford Sonic opened by his family last July. 

Mesite said his family are the first-ever Sonic franchise owners to set two single-day sales records on a franchisee's back-to-back opening Saturdays. 

"And it rained,'' Mesite said. "The worst thing for a Sonic is rain and we still set a record. Imagine what would have happened if the weather had been nice?''

Mesite hired police officers and had a staff member trained under a state Department of Transportation program on duty during the busy hours for traffic control. Things went smoothly except for one incident,  when an Ellington man talking on his cell phone ran over the toes of a Sonic traffic control employee.

According to a Manchester police arrest report, on Saturday at 2:48 p.m., Jason Boucher of 9 Fairview St., Ellington, approached the Sonic Driveway at 90 Buckland St.  Mesite said both the police officer and the Sonic employee attempted to direct Boucher into the Sonic parking lot, but because he was talking on the phone and not paying attention, he ran over the foot of the employee.

Mesite said he witnessed the incident. "How can you miss our employee, plus a police officer in a bright green safety vest?''  Mesite said. "This guy is a poster boy for distracted driving. He broke every rule about distracted driving. Our employee tried to get out of the way, but he could not and the car's tire nicked his toe.''

Mesite said the employee was not injured, but was upset. 

"Of course he was upset,'' Mesite said. "But we're glad it wasn't worse.''

Boucher has been charged with third-degree assault, reckless driving, illegal use of a cell phone while driving and distracted driving, according to a police report.  Police said his bond was set at $5,000 and he is due in Manchester Superior Court on June 28. 

Mesite said he also had to contend with who stood in front of the Sonic Friday night with signs indicating there was no wait under the golden arches around the corner. 

Mesite said he laughed the stunt off, but added that members of the Walsh family, which owns several McDonald's in the area, including the one in Buckland Hills shopping district, went to Sonic to personally apologize. 

The Wallingford and have been so well received that Mesite is talking serious expansion and mentioned two areas specifically - the Boston Post Road corridor in either Milford or Orange and Enfield near the Enfield Square Mall.

Mesite did not mention a specific parcel of land, but said all the sites looked at were close to the mall. 

He said Enfield town officials have ''laid out the red carpet'' and added he would release details as they are agreed upon. 

"Enfield is on the list,'' he said. "And we're expanding."