Starting Monday, Oklahoma City-based Sonic Drive-in will be serving new cheeseburgers stamped with an edible logo of a local college football team, including the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Oklahoma State 
University Cowboys. The burgers have local flavor, too, like hardwood-smoked barbecue brisket atop the patty.
Like an Oklahoma Sooner logo on that Cheeseburger? Burgers are crafted with ingredients that Sonic hopes appeals to regional tastes — like Tabasco spicy mayo and pepper jack cheese on the Ragin’ Cajun burger.
“We’re a gathering spot in many smaller communities,” explains James O’Reilly, chief marketing officer at Sonic, which has 3,500 locations in 44 states. “This will generate a lot of buzz.”
The stamp is made with tapioca starch and up to three USDA-approved food colorings. The logos are steamed onto the buns from wax paper just before the burgers are served. The steaming adds several seconds to the cooking process, O’Reilly says.
Consumers who don’t like food coloring can request the burgers without the logos. The limited-time promo should be available for up to three months after rollout.
Last year, the chain tested the concept in Louisiana, and it was a hit. If the expanded rollout also catches on, O’Reilly says he’d consider expanding the logo stamping to pro sports, too. “Any opportunity to take a great-tasting product and tailor it to the local community makes good sense,” he says.
