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Fast Food Restaurants in the USA and Canada - Sonic

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Introduction

This page describes typical restaurants in the chain. Individual locations may differ.

Only a small sample of menu items are listed here.

Unless otherwise stated, prices exclude sales tax and are normal (not special offer) prices.

Area

System

Pull your car into an empty bay, choosing one near the kitchen entrances (at the front of the building) if possible to save the server an unnecessary walk. Make sure as you do this that you can reach the red button at the bottom of the board on your left.

Study the main menu board (on the left) and the desserts menu board (on the right).

When you are ready to place your order, press the intercom red button briefly (do not hold it down). Wait until you are asked via the intercom to place your order and then do so. Do not press the red button while speaking, otherwise the person at the other end will not be able to hear you.

Wait for the food to be prepared and brought to your car.

Make payment. Servers can supply small amounts of change immediately but may have to return to the kitchen for larger amounts.

Eat in the car, or if you prefer at one of the outdoor tables.

You may wish to order dessert items separately after finishing the main meal.

Place rubbish in a paper bag on the metal shelf attached to the pole in front of the driver's side window. However, since the paper bag will often be blown off the shelf by the wind, you may prefer to put it in one of the rubbish bins.

Almost all Sonic locations are drive-ins which use the above system. However, we did find one Sonic in Roswell, New Mexico which had an eat-in dining room.

Receipts are always supplied.

Most locations also have a drive-thru.

Breakfasts

However, Douglas Jacobs sent me this email message:

I just wanted to clarify that not all Sonics serve breakfast. I ran into a couple up in Kansas City that didn't. (Boy was I disappointed!) However, those that do serve breakfast (and it seems like Texas and Oklahoma do) serve it all day long.

Toaster Combo (Toaster, plus coffee or medium soft drink and regular Tater Tots) $2.99 (Roswell, New Mexico, Apr-01)

Breakfast Burrito $1.49 (Roswell, New Mexico, Apr-01)

Pancake On A Stick (a buttermilk pancake wrapped round a sausage, on a stick) 99c (Roswell, New Mexico, Apr-01)

Three Fruit Taquitos (pastry filled with apple, blueberry or strawberry) $1.29 (Roswell, New Mexico, Apr-01)

Lunch And Dinner

Burgers. I would guess that Sonic's #1 and #2 burgers are quarter pounders.

Fries.

Milkshakes

Senior Discounts

Opinion

Value for money - consistently excellent.

Cleanliness - I cannot comment, since I've never seen the inside of any of Sonic's drive-in kitchens.

Quality and speed of service - generally excellent.

There are two relatively minor disadvantages to Sonic:

• At most locations there is no toilet for use by customers, although you may be allowed to use the staff toilet inside the kitchen building.

• It can sometimes be difficult to communicate via the intercom system, especially for visitors from other countries (each party may have problems understanding the other), for those who suffer from hearing problems, or when there is adjacent traffic noise. However, orders are always repeated back for you to check and we've never had an incorrect order yet. Obviously if you do not have an American accent then it will help if you speak slowly and clearly.

External Links

Sonic official web site or Sonic official web site

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Most recently modified 26-Sep-02