PEABODY — Mark Meads, Jared Aiken and Derek Metcalfe hatched a plan to be first.
"We got here at 6:30 (a.m.) and woke up at 6," said Meads, who drove his two buddies to the Sonic on Route 1 for the drive-in restaurant's opening day.
The trio of 17-year-olds from Middleton waited four hours to be the first to pull into a drive-up pad and order fast food.
Yesterday's opening marked New England's first Sonic — a twist on a burger joint with roller-skating carhops and a menu that features novelties like limeades, chili cheese tots and chicken club toasters.
To pass the time before the 10:30 a.m. opening, the three friends played street hockey in the parking lot.
"The anticipation was killing us," Aiken said. "We've been waiting for Sonic to come here for four years."
Metcalfe said they wrote down the opening date months ago to be sure they wouldn't miss it.
"We were ready to go," he said.
Meads and Metcalfe each ordered No. 2s, a SuperSonic cheeseburger with two patties. Aiken opted for the chicken club toaster, a No. 6.
They washed down their meals with two limeades (Sprite with lime flavor) and two bright blue "ocean waters" (Sprite with blue-colored coconut flavoring).
"Unbelievable," Aiken said after the trio took their first coordinated bite together.
Customers waited for local dignitaries to do their ribbon-cutting before they could pull into a stall, drive up to the drive-through window, or park and wait for a table under the covered seating area.
"We have a lot of Sonics to build in this area," said company President Scott McLain, noting Texas has 1,000 of the drive-in restaurants.
Oklahoma City-based Sonic moved into the Northeast about three years ago and has steadily opened franchises like the one in Peabody, he said.
A queue of cars circled the restaurant yesterday and delayed northbound traffic on Route 1. Franchise owners Greg and Gina Monastiero hired a valet company to orchestrate the first-day lineup. Well into the night, police were still contending with massive traffic backups in the area.
If the day-one excitement is any indication, the couple have cooked up a successful business recipe. They hope to open 25 restaurants in the state in the next six years.
"I wanted to make a big impact," Greg Monastiero said. "It's an exciting brand. It's a really fun place for a lot of people to work."
In fact, the Monastieros hired 142 people to run the restaurant, he said.
One of the 142 was Matt Coffey, 18, of Rowley. He was among the roller-skating crew serving food and handing out condiments at yesterday's opening. Coffey said he liked the idea of skating while earning his keep.
"I think it's actually pretty awesome," he said. "I get paid to have fun."
But the skates are unlikely to roll out to customers in the throes of winter.
"Skating is optional," Greg Monastiero said. "In winter, a lot of people walk."
Gina Monasteiro praised the company for their help getting the Peabody location off the ground.
"They work with you to try to make everything go smoothly," she said.
Ward 5 Councilor David Gamache welcomed the business to Route 1.
"I love it," he said. "This isn't going to be a drive-by. This is going to be a destination."
He hoped Sonic would be the start of a good thing — more businesses along bustling Route 1.
By the Numbers
3,500: Sonic drive-ins
168,000: Drink combinations available
142: Employees in Peabody
25: Number of franchises the owners hope to open in the next six years
41: Number of states that have Sonic drive-ins
1953: The year the hamburger stand opened as Top Hat Drive-In in Shawnee, Okla.
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