Hiring ages › Fast food & restaurants

How old do you have to be to work at Sonic Drive-In?

You have to be at least 16 to work at Sonic Drive-In. Most Sonic Drive-In locations are independently owned franchises, and each owner sets their own minimum age. State law can raise the age — pick your state below.

From job postings · checked October 2026

Sonic Drive-In's hiring age policy

Postings on Sonic's own careers site say crew members, cooks and carhops must be at least 16. Most Sonic drive-ins are franchised, and each owner sets its own hiring rules. We did not find a verifiable Sonic posting that accepts 14- or 15-year-olds.

Minimum age by job

14
15
16
17
18+
16Crew member · Carhop / skating carhop · Cook
JobAgeNote
Crew member16+
Carhop / skating carhop16+paid a tipped base wage in some states
Cook16+

How much does Sonic Drive-In pay teens?

$7.25–$25 an hour — Crew and cook, 2026 postings on careers.sonicdrivein.com ($7.25 in MS up to $20-25 in CA). Carhops in some states get a tipped base as low as $5.25 plus tips.

How to apply at Sonic Drive-In

Search for a drive-in on Sonic's careers site and apply online, or ask the manager in person. Under-18s may need a state work permit.

See Sonic Drive-In jobs →

Sonic Drive-In hiring age by state

The youngest age Sonic Drive-In could hire you at in each state: the company's minimum or the state's, whichever is higher. “✓ seen” means we found a real Sonic Drive-In posting there accepting that age.

From 16
Show the table for all states
StateYoungest ageWork permitHours at 14–15 (school week)
Alabama16+Needed—
Alaska16+Needed—
Arizona16+No—
Arkansas16+No—
California16+Needed—
Colorado16+No—
Connecticut16+Needed—
Delaware16+Needed—
District of Columbia16+Needed—
Florida16+No—
Georgia16+No—
Hawaii16+Needed—
Idaho16+No—
Illinois16+No—
Indiana16+No—
Iowa16+No—
Kansas16+No—
Kentucky16+No—
Louisiana16+Needed—
Maine16+No—
Maryland16+Needed—
Massachusetts16+Needed—
Michigan16+Needed—
Minnesota16+No—
Mississippi16+No—
Missouri16+No—
Montana16+No—
Nebraska16+No—
Nevada16+No—
New Hampshire16+No—
New Jersey16+Needed—
New Mexico16+No—
New York16+Needed—
North Carolina16+Needed—
North Dakota16+No—
Ohio16+Needed—
Oklahoma16+No—
Oregon16+No—
Pennsylvania16+Needed—
Rhode Island16+Needed—
South Carolina16+No—
South Dakota16+No—
Tennessee16+No—
Texas16+No—
Utah16+No—
Vermont16+No—
Virginia16+No—
Washington16+Needed—
West Virginia16+No—
Wisconsin16+No—
Wyoming16+No—

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Questions

How old do you have to be to work at Sonic Drive-In?

You have to be at least 16 to work at Sonic Drive-In. Most Sonic Drive-In locations are independently owned franchises, and each owner sets their own minimum age. State law can raise the age.

Does Sonic hire at 14 or 15?

We couldn't find a real Sonic job posting that accepts 14- or 15-year-olds. The Sonic postings we checked all say you must be at least 16. Most Sonics are owned by franchisees who set their own rules, so you can ask your local drive-in, but plan on applying at 16.

How old do you have to be to be a carhop at Sonic?

Carhop postings on Sonic's careers site say you must be at least 16. In some states carhops earn a lower tipped wage plus tips.

How much does Sonic pay teens?

Crew postings from 2026 range from about $7.25 an hour in Mississippi to $20-25 in California. Pay depends on your state's minimum wage and the owner.

Do I need a work permit to work at Sonic at 16?

That depends on your state. Some states require a work permit or age certificate for anyone under 18, and state law can limit the hours you work. Check your state's rules before you start.

Other places that hire at 16

Sources

  1. Crew Member, Kerrville, TX - Careers at SONIC (2026-04) — minAge 16: 'The minimum age for the Crew Member position is 16.'; pay $10-$14
  2. Carhop/Skating Carhop, Hattiesburg, MS - Careers at SONIC (2026-09) — Carhop 'MUST BE 16 YEARS OF AGE TO APPLY'; pay $5.25-$7.25 (tipped)
  3. Carhop/Skating Carhop, Santa Fe Springs, CA - Careers at SONIC (2026-04) — 'Must be at least 16 years old'; pay $20.00-$20.50
  4. Carhop, Columbia, LA - Careers at SONIC (2026-10) — 'At least 16 years of age'
  5. Cook, Yuba City, CA - Careers at SONIC (2026-10) — pay $20.00-$25.00 (CA)
  6. Daytime Carhop, Sonic Drive-In Hurst, TX (Seasoned) (2026-10) — 'At least 16 years of age'
  7. Carhop, Sonic Drive-In Bryant, AR (Seasoned) (2026-09) — 'Hires 16+'; pay $9-$11

Last checked October 10, 2026. See a different age at your Sonic Drive-In? Tell us.