Former Sonic CEO Clifford Hudson says technology should serve customers. He cited card readers: credit-card sales rose from 5% to 55% of total sales, and he said card sales accounted for all Sonic revenue growth, from nearly $2 billion to $4.5 billion over 15 years.
Hudson said strong performance can make companies complacent. Even in Sonic’s best year, he kept asking what was next because competitors were trying to win its customers. He also urged leaders to look beyond their own company and industry for ideas.
Hudson spent 35 years at Sonic, including 23 as CEO. During his leadership, the chain grew from about 900 stores to 3,600. The card readers were installed at every drive-up space, where servers traditionally brought food to customers’ cars and collected payment.
