If the lid is securely on my drink and napkins in the bag, then I tip. If not, then not.

I do not tip. I don't treat them any differently than the folks at McDonalds, Burger King, Whataburger, etc. It's fast food, not a restaurant. They get full pay, it's not reduced pay because of tips, so why do they need one? Yes they walk around all day to deliver food, but that's part of the job. If they didn't like that part of the job, they could have worked at any of the other fast food options out there.

Besides, the place is usually so slow, if they were going to get a tip at the beginning, it would have been gone by the time i get my food.

I'm pretty much the same mindset. That's one reason I use the drive through - really no need to bring the food out to me because I rarely eat there or in my car. However, I do tip at the one at SE 29 and Shields when someone I know brings my food out. Sonic must have a policy of hiring felons because I've seen a few former victims of prostitution working there that were trying to go straight. I've tipped them and given them kind words on those occasions.

However, I'm no fan of the Sonic closest to our house. Our son had to quit when we realized the manager was allowing him to park his car there and then borrowing another employee's car to go out on school nights (back when he was in high school - we didn't allow being out past 8pm on school nights unless he was working).

**cough** cheapskates **cough**

J/K

I'd say it's similar to pizza delivery etiquette: http://www.tipping.org/tips/deliveries.html I mean they are "delivering" the food to you and it's an extra service. Plus, for crying out loud they're usually teenagers trying to make a little spending money.

Reminds me about the old Sonic or Classic '50s drive-in in Norman back in the '70s. It had a mechanical delivery system where the trays were on rails that traveled to each stall. I never saw it operate but heard the first week they tried it all the customers got shakes dumped on them.

I've been a Sonic Drive-In fan since I first encountered one of their primitive, original, locations as a child. It was in some hot, dusty, little town, somewhere on the hot (and dusty!) two-lane road between Boulder, Colorado and Shady Nook, Oklahoma (out on 23rd St. between Spencer and Nicoma Park). This was back when we used to make an annual summer visit during the hottest part of the year . . . Come to think of it: Like right about now! Except without air-conditioning . . . Or GIANT Soft Drink Cups.

It was probably a Sonic location somewhere up near the panhandle . . . (Maybe even in Kansas?)

I am glad to see that Pickle-Os are apparently back on The Menu.
The Ched-R Peppers are fine, but Pickle-Os . . .
Well they are something else.

Speaking of Deep Fried, Crunchy Comfort Food . . .

When I was in high school--in Boulder, Home of The TwinBurger--there was another popular place called something like, "King's Family Food Host" or "King's Fine Food" or "King's Drive In" or just "King's." They were famous for amazing onion rings and fabulous malts/shakes. "King's" other claim(s) to fame were Cheese and Tuna Frenchies. Copycat recipes for those delights can be found all over Cyberspace.

(Sometimes they are referred to as "Frenchys" . . .
The spellings of "Cheese" and "Tuna" are never altered.)

Perhaps ten or fifteen years ago, I actually called Sonic Corporate Headquarters--using a primitive "land-line"--to ask if, maybe, they could add these to their menu. I described them in some detail--without providing any Internet Links to the recipe since the World Wide Web was only just beginning to be spun.

The "product development" guy (or maybe just the janitor)--to whom I was talking--said:
"Oh . . . Like a Monte Cristo Sandwich!"

I said: "Uh . . . Maybe . . . I dunno . . ."

(In addition to not having a computer at the time, I also had never heard of a "Monte Cristo Sandwich")

In any case, neither Cheese nor Tuna Frenchies have ever appeared on Sonic's menu.

And I have to wonder why (don't you?):
Don't they already have all of the required deep-frying stuff (and even the bread and the cheese)? (Yes)
Don't they already do onion rings? (Yes)
All they would have to add would be some crushed cornflakes or whatever (for the extra crunch).
Don't they already do "breakfast"? (Yes)

After all . . . Providing so-called "Health Food" has never been a Prime Directive for Sonic so I don't see why this isn't possible . . .
(Even if it requires overriding the anticipated objections of Mayor Mick.)

Another suggestion would be to add "Steak Fingers" (like "Chicken Fingers" except not chicken and higher on the food chain). They already "do" "Chicken Fried Steak" so the transition should be easy. (I'm not sure about the Odessa, Texas-style Dipping Gravy.)

Just so you know, a "Cheese or Tuna Frenchie" is to a "Monte Cristo Sandwich" as "Pickle-Os" are to ":Ched-R Peppers": Not the same thing at all.

Oh, before I forget: Always Tip at Sonic. Always.

No, I don't wonder why cheese or tuna frenchies don't appear on Sonic menus. Any kind of food will have some people who like it but that isn't something that sounds appealing to me at all. Sonic isn't going to change it's menu based on a casual call from an unknown person. Even if you don't approve of their menu items, they actually do market studies and testing on food items that they might add to the menus. What you're describing would have limited appeal or it would be offered in many places.

Did I say that I didn't approve of their menu items? (No, I did not.)

In fact, I approve of some of them so much that my wife and I actually hit the closest Sonic just tonight to see if Pickle-Os had actually returned. (They had.)

The other menu item I approved of was one of those new "New York Style" hot dogs.

BTW: We also tipped the carhop two dollars. I think she approved.
A good rule of thumb might be to tip the carhop one dollar per adult and fifty cents for each child in the car.

Did I say that I didn't approve of their menu items? (No, I did not.)

In fact, I approve of some of them so much that my wife and I actually hit the closest Sonic just tonight to see if Pickle-Os had actually returned. (They had.)

The other menu item I approved of was one of those new "New York Style" hot dogs.

BTW: We also tipped the carhop two dollars. I think she approved.
A good rule of thumb might be to tip the carhop one dollar per adult and fifty cents for each child in the car.

Perhaps I should have said you disapprove of a lack of certain items on the menu then. However, I really wasn't talking about just you specifically when I made that comment. It was meant as more of a general observation.

Oh those pesky pronouns . . .

Oh those pesky pronouns . . .

You're always supposed to understand exactly what I mean with no further explanation. LOL

Tried their newest "premium" dog, the Baja(sp) had pepperjack cheese jalapeneo(sp) and tomatoes?. Anyway it was quite tasty. Was expecting the same tough dog that is in the new and improved footlong (but just smaller) and it wasn't tough at all. May try the other ones. Pleasantly surprised.

Tried their newest "premium" dog, the Baja(sp) had pepperjack cheese jalapeneo(sp) and tomatoes?. Anyway it was quite tasty. Was expecting the same tough dog that is in the new and improved footlong (but just smaller) and it wasn't tough at all. May try the other ones. Pleasantly surprised.

I just tried the Baja Dog today for the first time. Opened the bag once I got to where I was doing, and I'm all like "what the french, toast?! Where's the poppy seed bun?" The website (http://www.sonicdrivein.com/menu/viewRecipe.do?recipeId=2145916229&sectionId=52407) says the Baja Dogs are supposed to be made with the same awesome PSBs they use for the Chicago Dogs, but that wasn't the case today.

I am disappoint.

I just tried the Baja Dog today for the first time. Opened the bag once I got to where I was doing, and I'm all like "what the french, toast?! Where's the poppy seed bun?" The website (http://www.sonicdrivein.com/menu/viewRecipe.do?recipeId=2145916229&sectionId=52407) says the Baja Dogs are supposed to be made with the same awesome PSBs they use for the Chicago Dogs, but that wasn't the case today.

I am disappoint.

Maybe they ran out. It happens.

Or someone just grabbed the wrong bun...mine was on the poppy seed variety.

Ran into the "sorry we are out" thing mid-afternoon at Carl Jrs/Green Burrito on Monday (July 4th). I had ordered their new hand breaded chicken sandwich and specifically asked what came on it. Was told mayo/tomato/lettuce. Ordered one w/mayo and one without but both w/onions added. Unwrapped them an no tomatoes. No big deal, took them back to get the tomatoes and was told "sorry we don't have any, won't get any until tomorrow when we get out truck". Kindly said I wished that had been mentioned before I ordered and paid for it and the manger on duty just shrugged. I went to their salsa bar and improvised taking the tomatoes out of the pico and used them. Overheard that they were also out of refried beans and the taco meat (among a few other items). Of course the folks back in the grill area were thrilled as it meant they had less things they had to make.

What amazed me about it was back in my high school/college+ days when I worked for a variety of fast food places (Wendy's, McDonald's, Hardee's and Taco Bueno), we were not allowed to run out of anything. Certainly not until the next day. You borrowed from another store or if a basic item like tomatoes, even send someone to the grocery store. Shoot, there were times when I worked at Wendy's we would borrow cleaning supplies from McDonald's (and they from us)!

Maybe they saw him coming and said, "Oooooh, let's mess with Barry today. We could give him the wrong bun! That'll send him reeling. I'm sure he'll post it on some message board."

I had a Baja Dog at Sonic today and it also came on a regular bun instead of a poppy seed bun as it is pictured. I about threw it back in the car hop's face and rammed my SUV through the building. But then I thought what the heck I'll give it a shot. And boy was it tasty!

I didn't even notice the poppy seed bun in the pic, just when I unwrapped it at home and thought, "well that's different". Ate it and really enjoyed it. I will buy it again for sure (but based on the comments here will check in advance to make sure they haven't run out of that bun).

Somewhere in FL they are apparently going to serve up beer/wine at some Sonics.

Somewhere in FL they are apparently going to serve up beer/wine at some Sonics.

It's their Sonic Beach concept. It's not the traditional drive in, instead it's an outdoor patio joint with TVs and water features.

I usually jet let them keep the change, but I will tip an extra buck or two if they roller-skate to the car

if my bill is 8 something then I give a 10 and they can keep the change,I try to give atleast 2-3 $ everytime!

If I feel like they're nice people---absolutely.

Just read the entire thread to see whether this was addressed: Lately I've noticed that Sonic will send your order to you in line at the drive-thru via a carhop. Another device to generate tips where they wouldn't otherwise be expected. Maybe this was in response to the cheapskate customers who opt out of tipping because using the card machine just makes it too dang hard to tip. Tight wads!!! LOL

Good one, JImbo . . . And right on the mark.
As I said before, I always tip at Sonic. Always.

In fact, a good--and fair--"rule" of thumb (IMHO, only) would be one dollar per adult and fifty cents per child in the vehicle as a tip to the carhop.

Here's The Paradox:

I almost never carry cash and if I don't have a wadded up dollar bill--or a handful of coins--in my pocket I simply don't eat at Sonic.

I always have a couple of (valid) credit cards handy, but if I don't have a dollar to tip the carhop, I feel like a bum.

You know what's funny about that poppy seed bun thing is that I actually tipped the carhop a buck when they brought it out--AND IT WAS A DUDE! I swear, I never ever tip the guys at Sonic and the one time I do, they **** up my order. Well, I learned my lesson, you better believe.

You know what's funny about that poppy seed bun thing is that I actually tipped the carhop a buck when they brought it out--AND IT WAS A DUDE! I swear, I never ever tip the guys at Sonic and the one time I do, they **** up my order. Well, I learned my lesson, you better believe.

Bad post.

You can not blame the carhop for your misorder.
Nothing is wrong with a male carhop.
Do not tip base on a carhop's gender.

I know this is one of the most pointless questions to ask, but I'm really curious. The reason being I got a burger from the Moore Telephone Rd. Sonic tonight and it couldn't have been prepared any more sloppily. The patty was only halfway onto the bun and the vegetable toppings were just tossed on with no regard to order or presentation. Fortunately it tasted like it should have, but it was just a disappointment considering an extra minute spent would have made it look entirely different.

I figure since each one is managed independently, I might as well give my business to the one that cares about presentation.

Is the one by the Bricktown Harkins run by corporate, considering how close it is to the main office? For as often as I've been down there, I've never eaten at that one.

The Bricktown location is not any better than any other Sonic and worse than a few. The only effect being so close corporate seems to be they close down occasionally so executives can test new products or whatever.

Your question is virtually unanswerable. You won't find anyone who posts here that has sampled enough Sonics on a consistent basis to give a good comparison. Also, best means different things to different people just like a thread that asks where to get the best pizza or best hamburger.

The best sonic is hands down the one that doesn't muck up my order, or take forever, or both. Sadly, this means the best Sonic varies from time to time. Sadder still, this is not something unique to Sonic. Lots of fast food staffers are afflicted with a chronic GAD deficiency.

I wish there was a cure. It's rather sad to see so many people with their giveadamn busted.

I won't try to speak on the best, but my preferred Sonic is the one at SW 119th & Penn. The service is typically quick and the food is always done well. I actually live closer to the location on Telephone, but they are so slow that it's just as quick for me to drive a few extra miles to 119th to get my food done the way it should be. Last week my wife stopped by the Telephone Rd location during happy hour and got us drinks. My standard Cherry Limeade with extra lime had two lime wedges in it, they were at the bottom, and they weren't even squeezed. A few days later I went by 119th (also during happy hour) and there were 7 lime wedges in my drink and they were squeezed. It's a little thing, but that extra attention to details makes 119th & Penn my preferred location.

I don't eat Sonic, except for the occasional Blast during the summer. If I had to guess, I would agree with ljbab728.

Honestly it is all way too determinate on employee care levels and attitudes at the time of making meals etc. This is why going out to eat on Fridays (particularly not late at night) is best scenario because most people are in better moods on Fridays compared to other days. You want to encounter people on their "fridays", not their "mondays". I put those in quotes because a lot of people who work in food industry do not have Mon-Fri standard jobs. But in general I would say Friday is the best chance to get good service as most people look forward to weekends for social events etc regardless of work schedule.

but my preferred Sonic is the one at SW 119th & Penn

there isn't a sonic at that intersection... do you mean 134th & penn or 119th & may?

I usually go to the one on 23rd, just east of I-44 and they are pretty consistent. I will say the one on Expressway, next to Hooters, is without a doubt the worst one I have ever been to. They take forever and half the time the order is wrong. I used to go to that one all the time when I lived across the street at Warwick West apartments. I just thought all of them were like that. It took me going to different ones to realize how terrible it was.

Sorry, 134th & Penn

I was driving through Newcastle a while ago and stopped by the sonic on NW 32nd St and was really impressed. It seems to me that the smaller towns care a little bit more about the quality of food.

Can I say none of them? Sonic has gone downhill a lot since the 90s when they had a much smaller (and cheaper) menu and the food was actually decent. Now you pay $8 for a burger combo that isn't worth half that.

When I lived up at 50th & Lincoln sometimes we would go to the one on Eastern just off I-44. The service was so good the first time we went there, we went back a week later just to see if it was a fluke. It wasn't.

i used to work nearby, so i'd grab food from there every now and then. i totally agree... what's weird is that the mcdonald's just south of there routinely had the worst service of any place i've been in the city. -M

I live on the north side of OKC, and there are plenty of Sonics closeby. If I was going to order food, I would go to the Sonic on MLK Blvd by the movie theater. One of the best run Sonics and fresh, not overcooked
food. They seem to work a little harder to get your order right the first time. Never had bad food from there.

I usually judge my favorite Sonic's by which one's know what "Easy Ice" and "Easy Easy Ice" mean and actually do it. Their non-happy hour drink prices are way too high, so its really annoying when they fill the cup with ice (IMO).

I've also caught employees at the one at SE 29 and Shields stealing (years ago) - they'd take an order, tell you the microphone thing was broken and then bring you your food and the total and no receipt. They'd never ring the order up and simply keep the money. Obviously this took the cooperation of more than one employee. Problem is, they weren't mathematical geniuses and the total would be off. If you insisted on a receipt the time on the receipt would be AFTER you had actually ordered and received your food. Corporate sent me a big ol' gift card for alerting them.

I live on the north side of OKC, and there are plenty of Sonics closeby. If I was going to order food, I would go to the Sonic on MLK Blvd by the movie theater. One of the best run Sonics and fresh, not overcooked
food. They seem to work a little harder to get your order right the first time. Never had bad food from there.

I agree - that particular Sonic is my favorite by far. The staff is very friendly even in the early morning and I have never had bad food from there.

Is this really a thread?

Ok, to play along, I'll say the closest Sonic from wherever I am when I'm really thirsty.

I know this is one of the most pointless questions to ask, but I'm
really curious... etal...
The Sonic at N.W. 22nd and N. Council Road is good. At least they
prepare the food as you ordered it.

To tell the truth, the only thing I like about Sonic is the Foot Long
Chili Cheese Dog with mustard and onions. Not sure what they do to
make it so good. I cook the onion rings at home and have a
Mexican Coca Cola.

OMG, this one time the 16 year old fast food worker had the AUDACITY to spill the fries in the bag. THE HORROR. Life-changing experience. I'm still in therapy. Maybe I should make a thread on it....

So I tried the pretzel dog. It comes pre-loaded with mustard. It was mediocre, but it was from the Bricktown location. The pretzel-ness was more like sponge-ness.

I'm going with none of the above.

A couple of years ago there was a Bricktown hot dog vendor named
Marcus. He had a great biz and I'd visit during breaks. One day he
was gone.

The one in Mustang is pretty good. They understand easy, easy ice. Didn't care for the pretzel dog, and I want to strangle the two dudes that do the commercials for them. Time for new PR.

... I want to strangle the two dudes that do the commercials for them. Time for new PR.

Personally, I liked when Molly Erdman was in Sonic's commercials. She's great at improv and has a pretty quirky blog.

Personally, I liked when Molly Erdman was in Sonic's commercials. She's great at improv and has a pretty quirky blog.

Good improve comedian and a excellent snarky wife. A singing armadillo would be better than the present choice.

Best Sonic ive ever eaten at was the one in BLANCHARD, just south of Knippelmeir Chevrolet. They have a volleyball court, kiddy play area, etc.

As for the food, last time I ate there (and I ate there a lot a few years back) the food was very IMPRESSIVE for fast food. Cant say ive had anything close to it since.

It would be pretty impossible to figure out which is the best (on a consistent basis), but out of the 4 that I work and live near the best one is off of Memorial & May Ave. The worst one is off of May Ave & Wilshire Blvd. They take forever, the get orders wrong and although they're never really busy when I go they always take forever. Either way I could honestly take or leave Sonic's food at this point. I really only go when I'm craving a cherry limeade.

Oklahoma City houses Sonic's national test kitchen | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-houses-sonics-national-test-kitchen/article/5357669)

I don't know if Sonic has ever considered this but I think it would be interesting if they had some kind of visitors center in their headquarters given all of the tourists that come to Bricktown. Being able to view their test kitchen from outside is a start I guess.


Chefs bustled around Sonic’s newly completed Culinary Innovations Center one recent weekday morning with all the intensity of dinner service at any busy restaurant, only there were no customers.

The new test kitchen, on the ground floor of Sonic’s Bricktown headquarters at 300 Johnny Bench Drive, is devoted to inventing and perfecting new menu items for about 3,500 Sonic Drive-Ins nationwide.

With its ceiling-to-floor windows, work in the test kitchen is visible from the street in Bricktown.

“It’s kind of like the “Today Show” — we will have people stopping to look in the windows,” said Sonic spokesman Patrick Lenow. “We think it’s a pretty great thing for Bricktown and Oklahoma City as well.”

Sonic is working on a process by which people in the metro area can sign up for taste testing events at the Culinary Innovations Center, which also has a space for food testing focus groups.

Sonic, more than any other fast food place, seems to rely very heavily on new food items.

It seems like they have something new on their menu every other week...

I understand that's a big part of drawing people in but I'd sure like to see them put some emphasis on food quality as well. The last couple of times I've eaten there the food was just plain bad.

Oklahoma City houses Sonic's national test kitchen | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-houses-sonics-national-test-kitchen/article/5357669)

I don't know if Sonic has ever considered this but I think it would be interesting if they had some kind of visitors center in their headquarters given all of the tourists that come to Bricktown. Being able to view their test kitchen from outside is a start I guess.

I agree, especially since Sonic has somewhat of a cult following in areas where they don't exist (think In-N-Out here in OKC).

Sonic, more than any other fast food place, seems to rely very heavily on new food items.

It seems like they have something new on their menu every other week...

I understand that's a big part of drawing people in but I'd sure like to see them put some emphasis on food quality as well. The last couple of times I've eaten there the food was just plain bad.

They're trying on the quality side, I think. My son got tagged - somehow - to participate in a Sonic food test where he got to sample some prospective new chicken sandwiches from that very test kitchen. He went down there, and for a couple of hours of his time he got something like a $20 gift card and tested three new chicken sandwiches. He said one of the three was really, really good, but the others were only so-so. None of them have made their menu to date.

One of Sonic's biggest problems is local franchise quality control - even company-owned quality control. They're ridiculously inconsistent. You can go to one Sonic at one corner, and get a decent burger, fries, etc., but go a mile or two down the road to a different Sonic and get garbage. The uglier side of this is that their customer service response to bad service is really poor, at least in my experience. I've called a couple of times to report bad service, bad food, and their response is "gee, that's too bad," not even an apology, or even a coupon for a drink, nothing even resembling remorse that the customer's experience was less than stellar. And I try to keep it all in perspective - fast food fired up mostly by H.S. age kids has only so room for expectations, but at some point, I'm still forking over the $$ so I have at least some expectation for what's being served up.

I'm not even sure they put the microscope on the consistency of products their various suppliers provide. One Sonic buys buns from a supplier that look like they've been inflated they're so "poofy" (technical term, I realize), but another where they're flat and even taste completely different. Now, I know that most operations like Sonic tend to steer their franchisees to the same or similar vendors, so perhaps this is just a matter of really poor consistency from their bread vendor, but either way it's still indicative of the lack of consistency across restaurants.

Frustrating part is that Sonic can be really good - when they pay attention. Their grilled chicken sandwich isn't bad at all. A fresh, hot, properly built bacon burger at Sonic is as good as they get, but a cold, rubbery-bacon mess not prepared as ordered isn't worth my $. We visit Sonic on a few special promotion days, maybe for a drink on the weekends during the summer, but that's about it. Just get tired of the inconsistency.

Yes, even with the lowered expectations for fast food, their food usually disappoints.

I know their emphasis and most their profit is from drinks, but they really need to do a better job with their food otherwise their reputation is going to take a beating, and that's a bad thing for any sort of restaurant.

Sonic has food??? ;)

While I generally only go there for drinks I have found one secret that improves the quality of their corn dog. If a corn dog for breakfrast doesn't sound disgusting to you. Order one in the morning. They will be cooked fresh and they are always hot and crispy rather than soggy and lukewarm like they are served the rest of the day.

An interesting interview with Sonic CEO, Cliff Hudson.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/the-sonic-recipe-is-working-for-investors-190730051.html

Sonic has submitted revised plans for the NW 23rd and Penn location.

This looks like it may be the first of a new prototype.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sonic021920a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sonic021920b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/sonic021920c.jpg