Sonic eyes Des Moines expansion

If you can't get enough cherry limeade slushies, then good news — Nik Bhakta, the franchise owner of the metro's two existing locations, wants to open up to 10 more restaurants in the state over the next five years.

The issue? He doesn't know where to put them.

Driving the news: Bhakta signed an agreement with Sonic to open more drive-thru locations in the Des Moines area.

• During the pandemic, he said his restaurants "thrived" because they're primarily outdoor dining.

Zoom in: Bhakta, who purchased the Johnston and Ankeny locations last year, wants to be more competitive with other prevalent fast food restaurants like Burger King and McDonald's, he said.