0 to 1 design
The Sonic Overhaul
A beloved drive-in gets an extreme makeover, catering to the new generation.
Trailer
The setup
Sonic was purchased by Inspire Brands and needed a digital overhaul to match the multibrand's digital platform. The brand's design system was created by a third-party agency, but it did not fully match how the platform actually operated. As the senior product designer, I worked end to end on the overhaul across web and app.
Reconciling the agency system with the real platform
The third-party design system looked right in a brand guide but did not map to how the platform behaved. I bridged that gap, adapting the system so it worked in production, not just on paper.
A feature built just for Sonic
I introduced a core capability tailored to Sonic that did not fit across our other brands, which was the Check-In stall experience.
End to end, web and app
This was a full-surface rebuild rather than a reskin. I carried the work across web and the app so the overhaul felt consistent wherever customers met the brand.
The Original Cut
The Remaster
The premiere
Since launching in February 2023 across web and app, orders increased 12%, customer complaints dropped 6%, and app downloads rose 35%. The overhaul did more than refresh the look, it moved the numbers that matter.