Prizes

Prizes are subject to availability. SONIC Industries Services Inc. (“SONIC”) and Games Headquarters reserve the right to substitute similar merchandise of equal or greater value; and are not responsible for cards lost in the mail.

SONIC reserves the right to audit all prize claims, either directly or indirectly, in order to identify any misuse of prize redemptions. Misuse of the program by an individual may result in the recovery of the value of any prize obtained through such misuse. Management level - General Manager, Operating Partner, Director, and Franchise Owners - are not eligible to win prizes, as this is a team member incentive.

Mystery Shops

The DR PEPPER SONIC GAMES include the complete Mystery Shop excluding the skating Carhop component. This Shop will be taken directly from your regularly scheduled Mystery Shop. You will receive 5 total Mystery Shops: Shop per month (January - May). The 4 best Mystery Shops with the highest score will count towards your final score; the Mystery Shop with your lowest score will be dropped. Drive-ins that receive multiple Mystery Shops per month, a computer-generated program will randomly select your Mystery Shop and mark it with an asterisk (*). Drive-ins will be scored on the same scale. Mystery Shop questions regarding scoring or disputes within the Preliminary Round must be submitted to Games Headquarters by May 31, 2024, 5:00 p.m. Central Time. If a drive-in becomes permanently closed after enrolling, the store will be removed from the competition. If a drive-in is temporarily closed (<45 days), shops will be made up using one of the following:

1. Use next completed Shop(s) in the current month if time permits.
2. Use next completed Shop(s) in the next month, unless the missing Shop occurs in May, then the last completed Shop of April will be used.
3. If a drive-in only receives one Shop per month, then it will be at the franchisee's expense for an additional Shop to be conducted and that Shop will then make up for the missed Shop.

Shop disputes should be submitted to the following email: US-MYS-SonicInfo@ipsos.com.

Food Safety Audits

You must have a passing score in your most recent Food Safety Audit to move through the Advancing Rounds. If your drive-in qualifies for an Advancing Round based on points earned during the Preliminary Round, but fails their most recent Food Safety Audit, your drive-in will not progress any further. "Re-audits" do not count as your Food Safety Audit for advancing in the DR PEPPER SONIC GAMES.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible personnel are employees who perform his/her job in accordance with SONIC operational standards and are in good standing. It is up to the discretion of each Manager whether or not the Assistant Manager(s) at the participating drive-ins can compete in the Games.

• No Multi-Unit Leader is allowed to compete as a team member in the Knowledge Bowl or Final 12 Competition.
• No Manager can compete for another drive-in location in the Knowledge Bowl or Final 12 Competition.
• To compete in the Knowledge Bowl you must have been employed with the competing drive-in for the most recent 90 consecutive days prior to competition. (April - June)
• To compete in the Final 12 you must have been employed with the competing drive-in for the most recent 90 consecutive days prior to competition. (June - August)
• All Finalists must be a legal US resident and have a valid ID to board a commercial flight and must submit ID to Games Headquarters.
• It is mandatory for the Final 12 participants to arrive and depart with their team - any other form of transportation will not be accepted and could lead to disqualification.

Disqualification

By participating in any part of the DR PEPPER SONIC GAMES you acknowledge that sharing answers with other drive-ins on any part of the competition will lead to immediate disqualification of your drive-in. This includes sharing information within your own franchise organization. Managers are prohibited from completing TOT Zone modules for team members and cannot help team members during the module. Cheating or falsifying certifications is prohibited too. SONIC and Games Headquarters will conduct random audits of all results.

Final Decision

In all matters pertaining to the interpretation and application of any rule of this program, the decision of SONIC shall be final.

Award and Travel Conditions

Each drive-in advancing to the National Finals will be awarded trips for seven participants - one Manager and six Station Champions. These trips include the teams' hotel rooms, meals, and transportation during the National Finals Competition and SONIC'S National Convention. In the event that a winning drive-ins' participants are required, due to extenuating circumstances, to deviate from the planned events itinerary, travel arrangements, or from room accommodations provided by the DR PEPPER SONIC GAMES, that team must get permission from SONIC in advance and provide SONIC with all documentation pertaining to the situation. That participating team is also responsible for all additional costs and expenses incurred. Any and all costs and expenses associated with itinerary changes or extensions of the DR PEPPER SONIC GAMES National Finals trip, initiated by the drive-in or participant, are the sole responsibility of the drive-in or the participant. All participants must sign and follow the Code of Conduct provided by Games Headquarters; if not, participants and/or teams can be disqualified.

Responsibility

SONIC, Dr Pepper, Brightspot (Games Headquarters), and their respective parent, subsidiaries, and all affiliated companies, maintain no control over the personnel, equipment, or operations of any air, water, or surface carrier, bus, transportation company, hotel, restaurant, or other persons or entities furnishing services, products or accommodations as part of the trip, because all of these suppliers are independent contractors, SONIC, Dr Pepper, Brightspot, and their respective parent, subsidiaries, and all affiliated companies, shall not be liable for any injury, damage, loss, expense, accident, delay, inconvenience or irregularity, that may be caused or contributed to (1) by any wrongful, negligent, or unauthorized act or omission on the part of any of these sponsors and suppliers or any of their agents, servants, employers, or independent contractors, (2) by any defect in or failure of any vehicle, equipment, instrumentality, service, product, accommodation that is owned, operated, furnished, or otherwise used by any of these sponsors and suppliers, (3) by any wrongful, negligent, or unauthorized act or mission on the part of any person or entities not under the direct control of SONIC, Dr Pepper, and Brightspot, respectively, or (4) by any other cause, condition or event whatsoever beyond the direct control of Brightspot, SONIC, and Dr Pepper respectively.

During the trip, participants may have the opportunity to participate in various optional activities, such as water sports and other athletic activities, contests, excursions, and side trips. SONIC, Dr Pepper, Brightspot, and their respective parent, subsidiaries, and all affiliated companies shall not be liable for any injury, damage, loss, expense, accident, delay, inconvenience, or irregularity arising out of or relating to said participants.

Taxes

Any Program prizes earned by any individual may be treated as taxable income upon issuance of the award and be considered direct compensation for U.S. Federal taxation purposes. Liability for U.S. Federal, state, or other taxes imposed upon an award is the responsibility of the award recipient and not the responsibility of SONIC, Dr Pepper, or the fulfillment agency. SONIC is required to report the issuance of all applicable prizes to the appropriate taxing authorities, including the Internal Revenue Service. A U.S. Federal Form 1099 reflecting Program prize value may be issued to Program participants for the calendar year in which the Program is in effect.

Employment

Each franchise organization is an independent employer and thus responsible for making its own employment-related decisions. The DR PEPPER SONIC GAMES should not be construed as SONIC or the applicable franchisor being involved in or having control over a franchise employee’s terms and conditions of employment. Franchise organizations remain solely responsible for any and all employer obligations related to their employees’ participation in the DR PEPPER SONIC GAMES.