Arby's owner buys Sonic drive-in hamburger chain

ATLANTA (AP) — Arby's owner Inspire Brands is buying the Sonic drive-in hamburger chain.Inspire is paying $43.50 per share cash, or $2.3 billion, for Sonic, which has 3,600 restaurants in the U.S. Inspire expects the deal to close by the end of this year.Sonic will operate as a separate business unit within Inspire and remain based in Oklahoma City. The first Sonic opened in Oklahoma in 1953.Inspire says Sonic's management team will also remain in place.Sonic earned $63.7 million in its 20