Sonic Drive-In restaurant had a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday for the grand opening of its new location at 5836 Mayfield Rd. in Mayfield Heights.

"This is going to be an east side hub to draw in all of the neighboring communities," said Frank Cuevas, director of operations and marketing for Sonic owners North Coast Drive In's, LLC. "We've got people coming down here from Eastlake."

He added that a Mentor location might be considered in the future, but that is as close as another Sonic is going to get to Mayfield Heights, which also is serving as a test site for concepts such as indoor dining, a staple among other quick service restaurants but not frequently a part of Sonic.

"This is the first in the Midwest with indoor seating," Cuevas said. "We just felt that Mayfield had the density to support it."

The restaurant also is the first Sonic nationally to have two drive-through lanes and there is an outdoor seating area in front.

"We're testing a lot of elements here," Cuevas said.

Of course, the site has the traditional features for which Sonic is known – car hops on roller skates bringing orders to drive-in stalls and a menu featuring a wide variety of hot dogs, burgers, breakfast items and a mixable drink selection that offers 390,000 combinations.

"Our cherry limeade is kind of our signature drink," Cuevas said.

All menu items are available during all store hours, which are 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 6 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.

Mayfield Heights Mayor Gregory Costabile had the honors of cutting the ribbon and noted that he grew up on nearby Byron Drive and was often at the site when it was a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant.

"The Colonel made an appearance here once. That was a big deal. He didn't go to many of them," Costabile said.

Costabile said he was pleased that the vacant KFC building was renovated by Sonic and the opening reflected the desire businesses have to be in Mayfield Heights.

"They want to come here. Everything is right about Mayfield Heights. It's like I say, 'If you build it, they will come.' Especially ever since the improvement of Mayfield Road was finished," he said.