Anyone ever tip at Sonic?

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

And the Franchise fee is quite reasonable actually at just $47,000. Of course they will be making more money off you as you'll be buying your products from them. And of course there's the millions it takes to build one. You'll have to pay that too. But the franchise fee is quite reasonable.

 

[King Schultz]

They are indeed franchised.

http://sonicfranchises.com/

Okay, thanks for the info.

 

[bcla]

See, I'm surprised there are Sonics on the East coast. . . I always thought they were an Oklahoma/Midwest thing.

I know they're based in OK City and the first one was in Seminole, OK. and as far as I know they aren't franchised.

They're definitely franchised. It says the vast majority of their restaurants are franchises right in the annual report.

http://ir.sonicdrivein.com/secfiling.cfm?filingid=868611-14-54&cik=

The first Sonic Drive-In restaurant opened in 1953. As of the end of our fiscal year on August 31, 2014 , the Sonic system included 3,518 Sonic Drive-Ins in 44 states of which 391 were owned and operated by Sonic Restaurants, Inc., the Company’s operating subsidiary (“Company Drive-Ins”), and 3,127 were owned and operated by franchisees (“Franchise Drive-Ins”).​

I used to see a lot of their commercials on ESPN, but they had no locations around here at that time. I was giving a work intern from Texas a ride (he had no car) and he asked if there were any Sonic locations around here. He explained that their big thing was their drink selection and the use of carhops.

I found out more about them later on. They did have a location near the outskirts of the San Francisco Bay Area and tried it. They eventually set up more locations, but some weren't in the most convenient locations (i.e. far from freeways). There's one in Hayward, California. That one is different because a city ordinance bans restaurants from using styrofoam. They definitely don't keep cold as long served in clear plastic cups.

 

[Wendy31]

When we'd pay w/ cash, it was usually a "keep the change" type thing. Now, at all our local Sonics, they've installed card readers at each menu board & there's no place to enter a tip, as others have said. We don't go to Sonic all that often, & I guess I've just never given it that much thought.

But, speaking of tipping & automated systems...

Last night, DH was working & I wasn't feeling well, so I ordered dinner from a local Italian place through "Dinner Delivered." I always tip the pizza delivery person 20%, but I usually tip in cash & will round up to the nearest dollar which means he/she ends up w/ a little more than 20%. W/ the "Dinner Delivered" system, you HAVE to enter the tip when you place your order, & the site gives the user the option of 15%, 18%, or 20%. Again, I normally tip w/ cash, but, since I couldn't, I just clicked the 20% button which ended up being about 30 cents less than I would have tipped had I used cash. Definitely not a huge amount, but I do wonder why the site won't let a person NOT enter a tip portion &, instead, tip w/ cash at time of delivery because I know I'm probably not the only person who rounds tips up when tipping w/ cash.

 

[pearlieq]

I tend to avoid Sonic because of this. I would happily go through the drive through if ours had one, but it doesn't. I have to order from the car hop. As many have said, paying with my card gives me no way to tip. The car hop does nothing but hand me my bag. That doesn't really seem "tip-worthy" to me, but I hate that awkward moment when the carhop lingers a beat too long.

I don't want to tip but feel like a heel for not doing it. It's just easier to go to PDQ or McDonalds right up the road where my meal doesn't come with a side of etiquette ambiguity.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

We tip at Sonic when we go which is rare.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Nope. As mentioned above, delivering a bag to my car isn't tip-worthy IMHO.

Last time we went there the food was so lousy we have no desire to go back. Just their stupid t.v. commercials are enough to keep me away.

 

[Alicenwonderment]

Just as a reference, "Carl's Jrs" is also known as "Hardee's".

Good to know. I had no idea what Carl's Jrs were but I have heard of Hardees from time spent in KY. We do not have Sonics here and our McDonalds doesn't carry food to our tables. I do know that I always tip when I do curbside at the Outback Steakhouse. I used to hostess there so I know the people that do curbside are paid like hostess etc. I worked there a long time ago but I would get a lower wage and 10 percent of tips made from each server was split between hostess, people that cleaned tables, curbside, etc . I know that curbside must put your order together and so many times did not have much work. Tipping some does not hurt me and can make their night a bit better.

 

[rer1972]

Unless I visit the drive through I tip. The kids at our Sonics work really hard and they always earn the tips.

 

[bcla]

Good to know. I had no idea what Carl's Jrs were but I have heard of Hardees from time spent in KY.

Carl's Jr wasn't really that big a chain. They were mostly in and around California before the merger with Hardee's. Hardee's was much bigger, and I think still are.

 

[Nancyg56]

See, I'm surprised there are Sonics on the East coast. . . I always thought they were an Oklahoma/Midwest thing.

I know they're based in OK City and the first one was in Seminole, OK. and as far as I know they aren't franchised.

We have one in Manchester CT. I think I am the only one in CT who has never been.

 

[King Schultz]

We have one in Manchester CT. I think I am the only one in CT who has never been.

They're okay for fast food- they have really good onion rings and the cherry limeades are great.

I prefer What-a-burger or even Burger King to their hamburgers tho. .

 

[Nancyg56]

They're okay for fast food- they have really good onion rings and the cherry limeades are great.

I prefer What-a-burger or even Burger King to their hamburgers tho. .

I am a fast food junkie so if I go once, I am cooked! I love the McDoubles at Mickey D's. GO figure! LOL!

 

[King Schultz]

I am a fast food junkie so if I go once, I am cooked! I love the McDoubles at Mickey D's. GO figure! LOL!

I go to McD's for the fries once or twice a month.

 

[hereyago]

I hardly go to Sonic. We have 2 in my city. One will actually give you the food through the drive thru window, unless you have to wait for the food to be made then you pull up and a car hop brings it.

I used to tip, but why am I tipping because you are just handing me my food. You didn't take my order and you can't ask me if I want refills because I am not staying.

Our Chic File A's bring you the food if you are dining in and I don't tip for that.
Great now I am craving some Chickers,lol

 

[Bluestars]

When we'd pay w/ cash, it was usually a "keep the change" type thing. Now, at all our local Sonics, they've installed card readers at each menu board & there's no place to enter a tip, as others have said. We don't go to Sonic all that often, & I guess I've just never given it that much thought.

But, speaking of tipping & automated systems...

Last night, DH was working & I wasn't feeling well, so I ordered dinner from a local Italian place through "Dinner Delivered." I always tip the pizza delivery person 20%, but I usually tip in cash & will round up to the nearest dollar which means he/she ends up w/ a little more than 20%. W/ the "Dinner Delivered" system, you HAVE to enter the tip when you place your order, & the site gives the user the option of 15%, 18%, or 20%. Again, I normally tip w/ cash, but, since I couldn't, I just clicked the 20% button which ended up being about 30 cents less than I would have tipped had I used cash. Definitely not a huge amount, but I do wonder why the site won't let a person NOT enter a tip portion &, instead, tip w/ cash at time of delivery because I know I'm probably not the only person who rounds tips up when tipping w/ cash.

Maybe they know that there are people out there who won't tip anything, so they want to make sure their employees are reasonably compensated. I know a pizza delivery person and he says that some people actually don't tip anything. That's crazy.

 

[ksjayhawks]

I don't tip at Sonic because I don't equate it with waiting tables. At a restaurant they come to your table, take a drink order, deliver drinks, take your food order, deliver food, check to make sure everything is okay, check to refill drinks, clear plates, present a check, cash you out- that's what I equate to tipped waiting position.

At our sonic you order through a speaker, swipe your card at the speaker, and then someone comes out and simply hands you a bag of food, end of interaction.

I also echo people that say our Sonic doesn't give you an option to tip with a credit card and we are 100% cashless. They do make minimum wage here similar to all other fast food restaurants.

Same for me.

 

[Kitty 34]

Makes me want to go find a Sonic's to see if I would tip. I tip about everyone except for fast food drive thrus but a carhop bringing us food.....that to me might be a definite tipable situation!

 

[bcla]

Maybe they know that there are people out there who won't tip anything, so they want to make sure their employees are reasonably compensated. I know a pizza delivery person and he says that some people actually don't tip anything. That's crazy.

I know of one pizza place near where I live that actively tells their customers not to tip. Their sign says that they pay their employees a higher wage ($15-25/hr) than typical and that this is reflected in their prices.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

See, I'm surprised there are Sonics on the East coast. . . I always thought they were an Oklahoma/Midwest thing.

I know they're based in OK City and the first one was in Seminole, OK. and as far as I know they aren't franchised.

Sonics came to my area (Southern NJ) about 6 or 7 years ago. About half closed within a few years. There were long lines of cars waiting to get into one when it opened, but it failed after about a year.