Tips at Sonic?????

[Patrick]

Okay everyone. I could really use some help here. I don't eat at Sonic very often. But, when I do, the queswtion always comes up......should I leave a tip? What do you guys think? From most people I've talked to, they usually leave a little something but never a full 15-20% tip.

[mranderson]

If they accept tips, then I guess if the service is acceptable, I would say yes.

To me, tips are earned. Not expected.

T.I.P.S.: To insure PROPER service.

[Patrick]

What's confusing about Sonic is that they don't actually serve you your meal and wait on you, and it is a fast food restaurant. I read on another website from a Sonic manager that they don't expect tips but appreciate them. Anyways, just curious what everyone else does at Sonic regarding this issue.

[suzi]

I always give a tip at Sonic and even leave a dollar at the buffet places. I guess this comes from four years of working for minimum wage and tips in NV. I am more likely NOT to leave a tip for bad waiters and waitresses at regular restaurants than I am at Sonic and buffets. I have never had a Sonic or buffet "waitperson" be rude to me. Maybe if they were not polite I wouldn't give them a tip but I have never had that happen at these places

[Patrick]

Okay, that makes sense. Yeah, I dislike when people don't give tips at buffets like Golden Corral....you get your own food, but they still bring out plates, drinks, etc. I don't leave them the tip I would at a full service restaurant, but I do leave something. Most of the time at Sonic I just go through the drive thru to avoid the confusion. But if I ever have a car hop come to my car I will leave her something.

A lot of the new Sonics have replaced drive thrus with "hop thru deliveries." That's made things even more confusing.

[Keith]

I usually patronize at least twice, maybe three times a week. The one on SW.59, just east of Blackwelder sells their Route 44 drinks for 99 cents all the time, plus Tuesday from 5-close, The #1 and #2 hamburgers are 99 cents.

Anyway, usually if I get a meal, and say it costs 4.35, then I just give the carhop a $5 bill and don't ask for my change back. I usually try to tip everytime I get something because the carhops have always been nice, and they always have a when they serve me.

[Patrick]

Hmmmm......what if the total is $4.89???

[Keith]

You got a calculator? They get an 11 cent tip.LOL

[mranderson]

11 cent tip. Probably more than I would give. I have not tipped Sonic.

[Patrick]

Why don't you ask for a penny back?? LOL! That way it makes it even!

[Joe Schmoe]

Yes, I tip at the Sonic. Former waiters are good tipers. Its been 30 years ago, but I still remember waitering was one of the busiest, hard jobs that I have ever had, & I've done a lot of things.

I won't leave a tip for a bad experience, but I like to tip just because it is a nice surprize for the kids who work there. They don't expect it as a matter of course, so they are appreciative when it happens. I don't see it as a reward for proper behaviour of the underlings. Its surprizingly hard work for minimum wage.

A little cash bump now & then makes it easier to get through the day. I can afford it & it adds up for the people who must do menial jobs.

[MasterWolf]

Sometimes I tip at Sonic. Actually, cant remember the last time I have been to sonic.

[Patrick]

I've noticed a few car hops at the Sonic near NW Expressway and May wear roller skates! I always make sure to tip them good for extra effort!

[Keith]

Yeah, and O have seen some really good skaters at Sonic. I have been really impressed. They used to do that at the Sonic at NW.23 & Penn, but I don't think they do it anymore. I give them credit, though. I can hardly walk correctly, so you can imagine what I would do on skates.LOL

[HoodRat]

Throw the kid a buck.... wont hurt ya and helps insure that the job stays filled. I'd hate to hafta hop my own car, can't skate.

[Ms.Relaxationstation]

I'm with Keith.....I just leave the change. However....if they would actually "HOP" to my car and then refill my empty cup, I would leave more.

[Polaris]

Okay everyone. I could really use some help here. I don't eat at Sonic very often. But, when I do, the queswtion always comes up......should I leave a tip? What do you guys think? From most people I've talked to, they usually leave a little something but never a full 15-20% tip.

Dear Patrick, I worked at Sonic when I was just a child, and I still eat there occasionally, and this is my feeling- 1 dollar is very good, less than 50 cents they will think you are poor, unless u r driving a new car, then they'll just think you're stingy. (and I wouldn't blame them) but just the same, any tip at all is greeted with a smile! (For the most part anyway). Have a great day! POLARIS

[sella35]

My daughter works at the NewCastle Sonic and she enjoys when she gets to car hop because of tips. She makes decent money with her check and the tips. Enough to pay her gas and go to the mall now and then.

I have always tipped a dollar or two plus the coins at Sonic. I have never worked in the food industry but know that tips are important.

[mranderson]

I know the places I am about to mention are not Sonic, however, the point is the same. Bad service, no tip.

These occured on the same trip. I was in New Haven, Ct (never could spell the state) and went to Denny's for dinner since I could not find a good buffet. The waitress had a name tag on that said "Snow White." Could have been her real name, I did not ask her. She was VERY friendly, came around often and refreshed my coffee, and even gave me double portions of food, plus talked a bit. I was so gracious of the service, I tipped her five bucks.

In Camp Springs, Maryland, another Denny's. This one, just for the record, is on the final approach for Andrews AFB (Air Force one). I had to wait what seemed longer than the flight later that day back to Chicago. The food was half cooked, the home fries I ordered never showed, and the waitress never stopped by except to give me my check. I started wondering if it was because I was the only white person in the place. The hostess asked if I wanted to leave a tip. I told her she had a lot of nerve asking me because the serviced was the worst I had ever had. I said "here's your tip. Fire that waitress and hire someone cares." I walked out. When I wrote the company to complain, I never heard a word.

Actually there is a third. Different trip. Shoney's in a suburb of Richmond, Virginia. I found an "o" ring in my food and causaly mentioned it. I did not expect anything accept an appology. I got a free meal. I told the hostess to add a ten dollar tip (the price of the meal) for the kind way they handled a situation that was just a friendly note. I will return to that same Shoney's next time I am in that area.

Point is. Be friendly. Work the room. Make sure the food is prepared to order. Make sure the customer is seated quickly. If not, you do not deserve a tip.

Again. T.I.P.S. To insure PROPER service. Not these people are so greedy they only pay me a couple bucks an hour, so fork it over, pal.

A man on the radio named Dave Ramsey calls waitpersons on commision. Not a bad way of looking at it. Think of it as the old Smith-Barney ads. "We make money the old fashoined way... We ea-a-a-a-arn it."

[Patrick]

Thanks for all of the advice in regards to tips at Sonic and tips in general. I actually did tip $1 and change at the Bricktown Sonic the other day. It's not a sit down restaurant where they check on you, but they still make the effort to pack your fod up and bring it out to you.

[1adam12]

Even though I get discounts many times when I visit Sonics, I still tip at least a couple of dollars.

[Patrick]

Hey 1adam12, what kind of discounts do you get at Sonic?

[1adam12]

It all depends on which one I go to. I usually go south or downtown.

[nurfe75]

As I used to wait myself, I am always a good tipper in full service restaurants. But keep in mind that full service restaurants pay their waitstaff like $3/hour. Sonic employees are paid a regular wage. I don't want to sound like a jerk, but the carhops at sonic don't do anything a cashier at McDonalds or Taco Bell don't. Do you tip them as well? I don't tip at sonic.

However, if you ARE going to tip--leave a real tip. Leaving tips under a dollar or just saying "keep the change" when the change is 11 cents is RUDE. It is more insulting to receive a small tip than no tip at all. Leaving no tip just tells the person you don't tip. Leaving someone 11 cents is an over slap in the face. Think about that...

[mranderson]

As I used to wait myself, I am always a good tipper in full service restaurants. But keep in mind that full service restaurants pay their waitstaff like $3/hour. Sonic employees are paid a regular wage. I don't want to sound like a jerk, but the carhops at sonic don't do anything a cashier at McDonalds or Taco Bell don't. Do you tip them as well? I don't tip at sonic.

However, if you ARE going to tip--leave a real tip. Leaving tips under a dollar or just saying "keep the change" when the change is 11 cents is RUDE. It is more insulting to receive a small tip than no tip at all. Leaving no tip just tells the person you don't tip. Leaving someone 11 cents is an over slap in the face. Think about that...

Question to former waitpersons. Do you tip for bad service? If so, why?