Do you tip at Sonic?

[DianeV]

We always tip at Sonic but we always tip at buffets too

 

[cats mom]

We tip anyone that serves us food, the only exclusion would be a fast food restaurant.

But that's exactly what Sonic is... a fast food joint.
It's just that they've chosen to set it up in a way that encourages tipping. Maybe McDonalds et al will follow suit, and tips will become the norm at all fast food joints.

I don't have any problem tipping car hops at Sonic if I choose to use that service. I do have a problem when a Sonic location is set up such that there is no other choice. ie: no drive thru window, and no walk in and pick up your own food option.

 

[ICF]

We tip anyone that serves us food, the only exclusion would be a fast food restaurant. We also tip at the buffets the people that clean up our table. Gosh, I am really flabbergasted that some people mention that because they make minimum wage they don't tip. I'm quite sure that anyone who makes minimum wage, is struggling in this economy. IMO, If you can afford to go out to eat, you could afford to tip someone at least something.

Why not fastfood places? They sometimes bring it to your tables such as Hardees or if you have special order food that takes longer to get ready.

What about a 'fast food place' such as CiCi's where there are people that come clear your dirty plates but dont actually get you your drinks or food?

 

[Justsyd2]

I wouldn't dream of not tipping at Sonic, and I'm very surprised at how other people justify not tipping. I agree with the person who said not to eat out if you can't afford a tip. The servers are not paid well at all, and they depend on tips. I tip anyone who does a service for me simply because it's my choice if I want to go to their establishment. I would never do so and make an excuse for not tipping. Just my opinion.

 

[rmom50]

yes tip. if someone is serving you, you tip them. I am honestly surprised that anyone doesn't.

 

[vickalamode]

When they opened the first Sonic in MA last summer, my friends and I went to the part where you park and they bring it to your car...and since that was the first Sonic ever in our area, most people had never been and the guy who brought us the food told us tipping was allowed...I honestly wasn't considering tipping because it's fast-food (and I'm a waitress!), but it makes sense to leave them SOMETHING since they do bring it out to you and then will go and get and bring you any condiments you request after they already brought the food

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

My neice works as a car hop at Sonic and only makes $3.50 an hour!!! It is definitely a tipped position.

 

[mmouse1239]

I worked as a waitress in high school and college. Most people would be amazed at how cheap people are. Some of the biggest offenders of not leaving tips are people who can easily afford it. My theory is, if you can afford to eat out, then you can afford to tip. I won't eat out with people who don't tip. It's ridiculous. There is a definite difference when someone regularly delivers your food to you....not like ordering and picking up at a counter. JMHO

 

[MrsHeg]

Yes I always tip, but not as much as I would tip for a sit down meal.

 

[JamesMom]

It never occured to me to tip at Sonic and I go at least 1-2x a week.
Now, sometimes school groups will do fundraisers (with signage) and I tip them.
Never had a carhop look at me strange or 'linger' waiting for a tip. Even on the credit card receipt there is no place to write in a tip.
Wow. I'll have to ask around.

 

[Nik's Mom]

I go through the drive-thru and do not tip. I can see both points of view for those of you who park.

 

[sillysmom]

When I said I didn't tip at fast food restaurants, I meant like McDonalds and places where you order at the counter and get your own food. If I go to the drive-through and someone brings out my bag, I always give them a $1. No, I don't tip people at Sonic like I would at a sit down restaurant. Sit down restaurant servers, do give more of a service. And for the poster that mentioned that people shouldn't always tip a server just because they make minimum wage, I disagree. I'm also one of those people that if I go out on a holiday, I tip much more to the people working. Thats just me. I have always been a very sensitive and thoughtful patron when it comes to tipping. My mother was a waitress my entire life and relied on those tips greatly. As kids, we always knew how to behave in a restaurant. As adults we have always showed our appreciation for service with a gracious tip.

 

[Nik's Mom]

sillysmom, why do you tip at the drive through window at Sonics, but not when you go to a place like Mc Donalds. I'm not trying to argue, I'm just curious. I personally do not tip at a drive through window. But I'm a very generous tipper under other circumstances.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

It never occured to me to tip at Sonic and I go at least 1-2x a week.
Now, sometimes school groups will do fundraisers (with signage) and I tip them.
Never had a carhop look at me strange or 'linger' waiting for a tip. Even on the credit card receipt there is no place to write in a tip. Wow. I'll have to ask around.

This seems like the biggest point to me. If they want a tip they need to give a person paying credit a chance to tip. I never have cash with me.

I can afford a tip, and I do leave big tips in a sit down restaurant. Also like I said before they just hand you a bag and never come back. If they left a tray I would try to scrape up some change to leave on the tray at the end of the meal (which is when tipping should occur.)

 

[sillysmom]

At Sonic, I don't go to the drive through, I go where you order and the person brings at your food. At McDonald, I go to the counter and get my own food. Its different when someone actually has to come out to your car and deliver your food and get you anything else you may need. On the rare occasion that I go to the drive though anywhere, if I have to pull over and they need to bring my bag out to me, as I said I do give the person $1. And again, thats just me, if you are comfortable doing what your doing, thats great. The OP just asked our opinion, and thats what I did.

 

[LoriABil]

I tip at Sonic, but I have never had a carhop act like they expected it. Usually, it's around 10%, but I have to admit, I'm not as exact with it as I'd be at a full service restauraunt.

 

[Nik's Mom]

At Sonic, I don't go to the drive through, I go where you order and you the person brings at your food. At McDonald, I go to the counter and get my own food. Its different when someone actually has to come out to your car and deliver your food and get you anything else you may need. On the rare occasion that I go to the drive though anywhere, if I have to pull over and they need to bring my bag out to me, as I said I do give the person $1. And again, thats just me, if you are comfortable doing what your doing, thats great. The OP just asked our opinion, and thats what I did.

Oh, I see what you are saying. I thought you were saying you tip drive-thru service at Sonics, but not at other places.

 

[sk!mom]

I used to always tip although usually only the change up to an even dollar amount.

Now that Sonic has the card readers at the stations, not always. Only because sometimes I stop at Sonic without any cash.

I'm actually surprised to hear that Sonic can pay their Car Hops less than minimum wage as there is no opportunity to tip if you use the card readers unless you happen to have cash- no tip line on the receipt.

The lack of a tip line actually made me wonder if I'd been tipping for years when Sonic didn't really intend for the Car Hops to get tips.

 

[englishteacha]

I'm a northern girl and have never been to a Sonic. How does it work? Do you order via a machine or does the carhop take your order? Are there tables to sit at or must you eat in the car?

 

[mrsklamc]

There is usually a drive through, but they are known for being a "drive in." There is a speaker at each parking spot, you order through that and then they bring the food to you. You pay the server and they also bring you straws, ketchup, etc. The ones I have eaten at the server comes back around later and asks if they can get you anything else and offers you mints.

I have seen ones that have picnic tables, sometimes the tables have their own little 'speaker.' When I lived in Topeka, KS they also had a playground and sand volleyball court for their patrons in the summer.