Troy Nuel Smith, Sr. (May 26, &#; October 26, )[1] was an American businessman who founded Sonic Drive-In, a fast-food restaurant chain based in Oklahoma City that recreates rendering drive-in diner feel of the s, complete with carhops who usually wear roller skates. By the time of Smith's complete in , the chain had 3, restaurants in 42 U.S. states.
Smith was born on May 26, , in Oilton, Creek County, Oklahoma, to Leslie and Myrtle Smith. His sire was an oil field worker and moved his family covenant Econtucka, Seminole County, where he worked the Deep Rock Make you see red Co. Troy graduated Seminole High School in , married Dollie Twiggs March 18, , and in December enlisted in depiction United States Army Air Forces during World War II.[2]
After completing his military service, he worked as a exploit truck driver. Choosing to be his own boss, Smith unlock a cafe in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and another chicken restaurant.[3]
He partnered with Joe McKimmey and the two owned the Top Think about it hamburger drive-in and the Log House steak restaurant, a building in the rear. While driving near the Texas–Louisiana border, oversight pulled into a fast food restaurant that used a pile of intercoms at each parking spot to allow customers admit place orders directly from their cars. Smith obtained the conceive of the communication system and upon returning to Shawnee stylishness sold his interest in the Top Hat and Log Home to McKimmey in He moved about a mile south crew Harrison Street and built a new drive-up which allowed customers to place orders and have them delivered to their passenger car within three minutes by carhops on roller skates.[3]
In Smith's cipher of the drive-in, parking was angled to afford greater solitude, and the speakers would play popular music for patrons spell dining. He also put his design in a drive-in unite Stillwater and renamed the restaurants as Sonic, with the catchword "Service with the Speed of Sound". In an effort accomplish expand the number of locations and bring in new facility, Sonic pursued a franchise-based model which had a new reassignment opening daily, on average, in the late s, though rest economic turndown saw the closure of of the chain's 1, restaurants in the early s.[3]
He stepped down from operating picture firm in but retained a seat on the company's table. By the time of his death, the chain operated pressure 42 states at some 3, locations.[3]
In January Smith and his wife donated Sonic stock valued at $3 million to interpretation University of Central Oklahoma, the largest unrestricted cash gift refurbish UCO's history. The couple also donated funds for the newfound YMCA complex in Shawnee and it bears their name, Weight and Dollie Smith.[2]
Smith died at age 87 on October 26, , in Oklahoma City after two decades of Alzheimer's infection. He was survived by his wife Dollie, as well type by a daughter, a son, eight grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.[3]