Sonic Drive-In - The Rise and Fall...And Rise Again

Sonic Drive-In is one of the largest fast food chains in the United States. This video focuses on a point where their business was struggling and how they recovered from it. It also takes a look at some major changes happening with them recently and the potential motivation behind them.
To submit ideas and vote on future topics:
companymanideas.com
Patreon: / companyman
Twitter: / mikecompany17
A very special thanks to this wonderful group of Patrons:
Tyrone Cowan, Ken, Ronnie Cheng, Eric Shapley, PleaseUseWisely, Michael Sawyer, Astra, Cervidian, Brooks Sparling, Brian Smith, Huperzia Selago, Ahmad, Jesse Long, Robert T Kirton, milkshake, Brandon L, Jon, Christian & Penny Gray, Emerald Computers - Jason Dragon, Dylan Kinnard, Brett Walton, Dominique Dugas, Nicholas Murphy, Peter Wesselius, Tristan Williams, Meow Wolf, Amy Westacott, MyNameIsKir, Jimmy1985, Stewart Tritapoe, Sondre Grimsmo Sinnes, Chris Lion-Transler, Sirpoptart.
Company Declines:
Kmart: • The Decline of Kmart.....
Blockbuster: • The Decline of Blockbu...
RadioShack: • The Decline of RadioSh...
Solo Cups: • The Decline of Solo......
Toys "R" Us: • The Decline of Toys R ...
hhgregg: • The Decline of hhgregg...
Pan Am: • The Decline of Pan Am....
ESPN: • The Decline of ESPN......
Gibson: • The Decline of Gibson....
iHeartMedia: • The Decline of iHeartM...
Bon-Ton: • The Decline of Bon-Ton...
Kodak: • The Decline of Kodak.....
General Electric: • The Decline of General...
Woolworth: • The Decline of Woolwor...
Dell: • The Decline of Dell......
Sears: • The Decline of Sears.....
Payless: • The Decline of Payless...
Hostess: • The Decline of Hostess...
Redbox: • The Decline of Redbox....
Nokia: • The Decline of Nokia.....
JCPenney: • The Decline of JCPenne...
Quiznos: • The Decline of Quiznos...
GameStop: • The Decline of GameSto...
NASCAR: • The Decline of NASCAR....
Shopko: • The Decline of Shopko....
MoviePass: • The Decline of MoviePa...
Reebok: • The Decline of Reebok....
The Gap: • The Decline of The Gap...
Pier 1 Imports: • The Decline of Pier 1 ...
Sbarro: • The Decline of Sbarro....
AOL: • The Decline of AOL...W...
Long John Silver's: • The Decline of Long Jo...
Chuck E. Cheese's: • The Decline of Chuck E...
GNC: • The Decline of GNC...W...
Hertz: • The Decline of Hertz.....
Steak 'n Shake: • The Decline of Steak '...
CiCi's Pizza: • The Decline of CiCi's ...
Boston Market: • The Decline of Boston ...
Yahoo: • The Decline of Yahoo!....
Montgomery Ward: • The Decline of Montgom...
______________________________
Website created by - fullertonmedia.com
Intro Made By - / @jombo1

[@thebahooplamaster]

As a Sonic manager, all I’ll say is the beginning of COVID made our store absolutely explode in sales when restaurants were closing and going drive thru only and it was absolutely an insane sight to see.

[@thebahooplamaster]

@Mike Li At my sonic, we closed down the patio for a couple months and the restrooms for one month but that was about it

[@28ebdh3udnav]

And whats funny about that, the media asked the most obvious questions... "Why are people going to drive thrus more now than ever?"

[@jov6372]

For real there's a longer line at sonic then the in n out right next to it

[@RetroMMA]

Just curious, Are 80% of your customers interracial like in the commercials?

[@hotwax9376]

Does Sonic serve floats? They aren't listed on the website but I've heard and seen menus from some franchises that list them. And if so, is it just root beer, or can you get it with another fountain drink like Coke or Dr Pepper?

[@zank1101]

They need to bring the two dudes back they carried the whole business

[@xXLegendXx-ng1xp]

Yeah the owner sure didn't

[@nerymuniz6427]

Yeah I miss the dudes in the car

[@thegillmanedits]

Kidding me? Those idiots were annoying as fuck. Literally stopped going as to not support these douchebaga.

[@gialonn7599]

Wtf?

[@charlesmurphy1510]

Agreed!

[@40PMLucian]

Never knew this channel existed until now. I think learning about this kind of stuff is awesome. Keep it up bruther

[@mikewalsh1252]

Not your bruther muther

[@cason3547]

I legitimately despise their new commercials with ppl sitting in their car critiquing their food

[@Y2KPlatinum]

They come off as so fake. The 2 guys chilling was iconic

[@ilovecupcakes7132]

I thought I was the only one who like the old commercial. The new ads are lame 😒

[@highnoon9333]

@@Y2KPlatinum I loved the two guys - trying to find a new name for "happy hour" - "Unsad wet afternoon chunk" 😂

[@carterhurt1910]

New??? Those commercials have been around for at least 15 years. I remember seeing them when I was in middle school. But yes, I agree they're extremely annoying.

[@cason3547]

@@carterhurt1910 I’m talking of the newest ones with different friends and families; not the ones with the same two guys

[@ComicDrake]

man, I wish my local Sonic had "service at the speed of sound." >.>

[@Tona_Studios1219]

Lol

[@TheSupremeStriker]

I mean for $8 an hour you get what you get.

[@covjek.4427]

Nice

[@ryanduffy6089]

I don't know, I think the constant shockwaves from carhops reaching the speed of sound would be distracting

[@grizzlydino]

@Turk February I live in Canada so I never went to a Sonic's before

[@ejr-mb8ty]

I love sonic. But damn the wait times are crazy. The number of times I’ve pulled in and driven away because no one took my order is a lot

[@yungcaleb1638]

There's drive tthrus in em now lol

[@dustinmcdevitt6819]

You gotta press the red button

[@nelumboandrews6762]

This guy didnt press the red button

[@ejr-mb8ty]

@@nelumboandrews6762 🤣damn learned something new today

[@aaronflores21af]

I used to work at a sonic here in south east tx and all of our orders at least on the food side had to be 3 min or less or it was a problem but usually in total to get to the costumer it could be like 5 min total

[@jlane99]

Sonic was a staple of my childhood. I miss seeing the carhops. In many areas (specifically southern US) it’s a cultural thing. Highschool kids tailgating with a bunch of friends on a Friday night at sonic. I remember seeing it when I was little. I wish sonic could capitalize on that aspect, bring back the carhops to every single location, and advertise with that “cultural” aspect in mind. People don’t realize it but we all desperately want those little quirky restaurants and places to hang out at. Especially with so many restaurants today being so dull and drab

[@lucianovargas2934]

Well we have carhops but not many do skate. Those that apply as carhop never skate and those who did quit because of being on skates for too long on their shifts. We let them sit down but getting busier means less time to sit down 😔

[@Tacos888]

It depends on the area and school.

[@DakotaofRaptors]

Dude there was a Sonic just down the street of my highschool. I remember one of my friends accidentally breaking the soda machine and us running out of there...

[@dontrumpjr2244]

Daddy said blacks weren’t allowed when he was in school.

[@King-Canine]

I currently work at one as a Manager and the most common problem I've seen with all 3 locations I've worked in is just keeping our employees. Training new people every day just to have them quit a few days later is pretty off putting. COVID really helped our sales and sent us into a big boom but we're so understaffed its almost impossible to keep our service up.

[@valerief1231]

It would be great if customers could add TIPS when paying with a card at the drive up. They finally added it to the app, but in a predominantly cashless society, it is irresponsible for Sonic to not reward the carhops.

[@porkmilk8984]

@@valerief1231 the US needs yo join the rest of the world and end the commonplace tip for service workers.

[@mariahconklin4150]

Wow that’s not good. I literally am going on an interview today and the one I applied to is here in CA and they are getting bad reviews and I think it’s because people are quitting. I really hope o get hired

[@kesha3655]

Their logo is litterally red white and blue now. Partner with the damn Hedgehog already!

[@mimimarquez9956]

they literally sell chili dogs too, the opportunity is RIGHT THERE!!!😭

[@22quietmouse]

Don’t forget the yellow on the logo for tails 💀

[@kesha3655]

@@22quietmouse I was referring to the new logo, which doesn't have any yellow.

[@kesha3655]

@@Arnalv That makes this so much more infuriating.

[@justaspectator9762]

I honestly thought they did lmao

[@BananaPhoPhilly]

I feel like the last thing sonic needed to do was rebrand lol that seems like a non-issue

[@RyanTosh]

"Hey guys, you know how we have a strong brand image, instantly recognizable logo and colors, and effective advertisements?" "Yeah SCREW THAT!"

[@user-gs6wt5op7p]

It looks terrible lmao

[@joesmith701]

I thought the same thing, I can understand if they were modernizing the brand logo but even then I don't think the brand logo is/was the issue in their business

[@joesmith701]

@David Moore not sure if it is more modern but I thought the old logo was a good fit and wasn't outdated.

[@austindolan3142]

The new commercials are fun but I don’t like the new logo

[@rodneywilson9192]

The rebranding has just recently shown up in East Tennessee. And my wife HATES IT! She always points out how the pale blue looks so unappetizing. And I have to agree. We both grew up with sonic and still love it. (I really wish they would bring back the pie shakes) and we’ll keep eating there but it’s soooooo ugly!

[@shineymcshine5026]

I AGREE! Now its just red white & blue😭 sorta clique. I miss the black & orange and reds

[@Nikkiheartbooks]

worked at sonic for almost a year. we're painfully understaffed and constantly running in circles to keep up with customers. why must they ask if its happy hour at 11pm. no! its 2-4 not the middle of the night 🙄

[@kristophergarcia5390]

I can relate to this 100%😭😭

[@bakawolffskates]

i had 9 years sonic exp 10+ stores. one of the worst places to work long term but it’s cool for season job. wages are the worst

[@kristophergarcia5390]

@@bakawolffskates agreed

[@matthewrussell577]

I understand fully. I put almost 10 years of my life dealing with constant understaffing, ungrateful customers, and co-workers who don't want to work, into this company with no appreciation at all. They say there's always opportunity to move up in the business. HORSE CRAP! I busted my butt for that company and what did i get for my hard work? NOTHING! NOT A DAMN THING! No promotion, no raise, nothing! They don't care hard you work or how much time you put in. I finally quit sonic almost 2 months ago and I have never felt better.

[@isabelbladon2883]

@@matthewrussell577 yeah i’ve been here for a while and they promised me employee of the month because i moved up so fast. they dangled it over my head just to announce the new employees of the month that weren’t me, didn’t tell me my pay rate when i got hired and every advance i make at earning a raise or taking the fountain master test they say no … like it’s almost as if they don’t want you to move up and i’m tired of it

[@koga7349]

Sonic - literally the best restaurant for social distancing ever

[@benjaminbowman1866]

restaurant

[@coyotelong4349]

Seriously, Sonic should expand

[@samuelthompson8009]

And yet... there's barely been any surge in popularity. They could have really went for that angle though - something mentioning the 6' rule. Missed opportunity.

[@reecherdbrown8156]

I guess there's always room for a resurgence of drive-in theaters in this day and age.

[@juicedup14]

I've been there once and it's just meh. The car hops are a novelty that just complicates things

[@Leo-xy5se]

Their new logo reminds me more of a gas station than a fast food restaurant

[@luke2max]

I thought it was a gas station

[@1bleachxc]

yeah i really miss the yellow one

[@csmlyly5736]

Yes! It actually made me think it would be a great name and logo for a gas station

[@KalHimself]

@Machina I've read that somewhere. That's why most of us loved McDonald's as kids because the colors appealed to us. So weird.

[@dandeleon2764]

Summer's have been so hot lately, you kinda need the AC on in the car, wasting gas, which has also been going up. Sonic's was ok when we were high schoolers with no place to hang out, but now that we're all older, I can't see the appeal.

[@terrywoods7189]

My family is actually from Shawnee Oklahoma and I guess part of my love for Sonic comes from there. My grandfather was one of those early franchisees in the 70s and both of my parents worked there. Unfortunately the recession really hurt the business so he ended up selling and we relocated to Houston in the early 80s.

[@Syko7785]

Hey fellow Shawnee Oklahoman here, that's what's up!

[@Mande1985]

We had a sonic in the mid 90s in my town. It failed miserably, closed down. Now, many years later, we have two Sonic's in our town.

[@cassidyfowler8115]

As a marketer, I think it was dumb of them to drop their iconic brand colors

[@TheOtherBill]

As a person who has never seen a Sonic (there isn't one within 3 states of me) and knows very little about marketing I strongly agree. The new one is just blah and the old one catches your attention with its retro look.

[@skirk248]

I also think the change in advertising was a mistake. I think the guys in the car are just part of the sonic legacy

[@edlomonaco2637]

i agree, the new logo looks like something they found in a folder labeled 1950 logo designs.

[@scalylayde8751]

I agree, I think the old logo has more of that classic space age retro vibe, which in my mind, is a big part of their brand identity and therefore their appeal. It's part of what makes them stand out. Especially with the popularity of 50s and 60s nostalgia right now a-la the Fallout franchise, Wandavision, etc, it seems stupid to make that change

[@cmiller9800]

@@skirk248 The new "family" commercials is probably a PR front to be more inclusive. They show people of different demographics just to boost sales. I totally agree with you though, the two guys talking about the new promotion is far more convincing than a random "family" chatting in a car.

[@theluigifan1]

I’m still sad that SEGA didn’t use this restaurant to ever promote any of their Sonic games or even the Sonic movie but for their latest mainline 3D Sonic game, they used... Hooters. To this day, this is still a baffling decision in my eyes.

[@ReReCoil]

Sonic partners with Sonic's

[@TheJadenVideos]

I think Sega actually did Collab with sonic's to promote the sonic boom cartoon

[@hunterdavis3003]

Lol there’s a long laundry list of sega’s missed opportunities!

[@PeterGriffin11]

There were a few unfunny jokes about Olive Garden in the live action film would've been better if it was Sonic instead.

[@LiamP-597]

Cause when you're there...

[@Carnage88]

My Grandma would always point to a spot just south of Federal on the east side of Harrison in Shawnee, she said that's where Sonic started wayyyyy back when. It's amazing to see how far they have spread.

[@PaulDozierZZoMBiE13]

I used to spend a lot of time at a Sonic near here. I'd spend my lunch hour there almost every day. A chicken sandwich, some tots or fries, and a huge soda. Just what every growing 20 year old needs! But mostly I'd go there because I could read in peace while enjoying my lunch hour. Later though, they cut us down to a 30 minute lunch standard and that kind put a monkey wrench in my routine. THey often took too long for a comfortable lunch 30, considering travel time from my work. All the local Sonics kinda suck now for whatever reason. Burnt items in your order, ballooning prices for mediocre quality, etc. I haven't been to one for food in forever.

[@nicholasgawler-collins5754]

I really can't look at the drive-in without thinking about Sonic the Hedgehog.

[@nerymuniz6427]

Same And even the Blue blur himself went through a rise and fall

[@funkymunky6647]

*GOTTA GO FAST*

[@paperluigi6132]

I mean nowadays, when someone says Sonic, the first thing in most people's minds is a blue hedgehog.

[@emmanuelajala6965]

The funny thing is I’m only now starting to realize why the super speedy hedgehog’s name is Sonic lmao

[@AYouTubeChannelwithNoName]

That was me when I was a kid in the backseat of mom’s minivan.

[@MickeyFan1928]

I unironically miss the old commercials with the two guys. They weren't drop dead hilarious, but they were certainly more wholesome than the current commercials.

[@genwallpaper]

i low key love that i can order any type of food, at any time. as a cook from sonic, i know it’s a bitch and a half to cook a burger right after you open or to make a breakfast burrito ten minutes before close, but at least it’s an option. i hate breakfast foods so i usually go to sonic in the morning for food rather than mcdonalds (even tho mcdonalds is way cheaper)

[@uniqueaesthetics1403]

I was a carhop here in high school for 3yrs. So many fun memories. We used to make our own concoctions of chili cheese fries, slushies, and milkshakes. Don’t forget to tip your car hop people. They only make like 2 bucks an hr. And skating with a heavy tray and booty shorts ain’t easy.

[@J.Gainez]

it amazes me what this country gets away with…. that means you would make 24 dollars from a 12 hour shift before taxes, what the shit??

[@aaronflores21af]

Sounds like you worked for a good one lol I worked as a cook for 3 years and girls in booty shorts were the best 😂 orders out in 3 min or less am I right??

[@uniqueaesthetics1403]

@@J.Gainez a paycheck would be that amount, but you could leave with like 200 bucks from tips in a shift.

[@CarlMGregory]

I disagree - do not tip! The company should pay you with the sales from their product I pay for.

[@uniqueaesthetics1403]

@@CarlMGregory okay well eat at home if you don't know how to tip ppl who bring your food out on roller skates.

[@evanlamartiniere1838]

I don't like their new commercials, bring back the comedy

[@crimsonhermit9383]

agreed

[@thegillmanedits]

Worst comedy ever.

[@F40PH-2CAT]

They make the same commercial, they just change the demographic (black, Latin, white southern).

[@jjcoola998]

OH HI DIDNT SEE YOU THERE As a mother of a pan sexual otherkin, who identifies as a wolf I really love how good sonic is!

[@Godly-Beard]

Comedy??! They were never funny!

[@floppyporpoise5260]

As someone from Oklahoma where you can’t go 15 minutes without hitting a sonic.... shit smacks

[@TheKkeith55]

Some of them in OKC used to take forever and one in Tulsa lol.

[@noskpain2792]

Same thing here in Dallas.

[@bearcat9696]

They closed the dine in at Bricktown 😔

[@TheKkeith55]

@@bearcat9696 Noooo, I remember going there so much, why would they close it when it's right by the HQ?

[@bearcat9696]

@@TheKkeith55 I'm not sure last time I went I wanted some and it was empty with no signs on the outside or anything

[@donwilbanks2226]

Sonic is comfort food for me, a taste of home. I grew up a short bicycle ride from the original Shawnee store and my dad knew Mr. Smith.

[@Rckstrroma5]

I love that whole rally’s sonic sit down outside idea And now I’m interested in sonic

[@lagitrap4431]

I miss those two guys cracking jokes, seeing them all the time just got me used to them, and now I miss them ;-;

[@thegillmanedits]

And this is why the world needs to burn.

[@littleredpony6868]

They were a bit cheesy. I found them more relatable than the more “relatable” family commercials they’re airing now.

[@narwaler2898]

@@littleredpony6868 they were bad but in the same way a dad joke is bad

[@jjcoola998]

And then you realize it was your strongest friendship with another man

[@jellyskys893]

@@littleredpony6868 fr they were cheesey but dad joke kinda cheesy.

[@JL-sm6cg]

Before I start watching this, I didn't know Sonic ever "fell".

[@spooderman6312]

I mean most companies dont mentione they fell unless bankruptcy

[@JL-sm6cg]

@@spooderman6312 of course, but as I touched upon on another post, this all happened before I ever knew they existed.

[@PapaBadDadcumsuckgod]

I haven't heard anyone actually talk about going to sonic in a very long time

[@JL-sm6cg]

@@PapaBadDadcumsuckgod i went two days in a row for lunch after watching this.

[@BrodyxBrown]

every Sonic in the DFW area completely fell off a cliff around 2012... and hasn't comeback since

[@aniconnexx]

Literally started working at sonic a week ago. Have never ever searched for sonic in yt yet this video is in my feed

[@pikminlord343]

Another great video!

[@Moonbeam143]

I'm surprised Sonic and Sega hasn't done any tie in thing together.

[@stompchunkman4248]

Or Street Fighter. SONIC BOOM!

[@williamhenry7937]

Don’t worry SEGA did a brand deal with hooters

[@tinle9]

@@williamhenry7937 e *FACKING* xcuse me?

[@SpiderMan-du1jf]

@@williamhenry7937 like for reals?

[@CommodoreFan64]

@@SpiderMan-du1jf Yep it happened with Hooters of Japan back in 2017. here have a look at this. comicbook.com/gaming/news/sega-hooters-sonic-forces-sonic-the-hedgehog-team-up/

[@lyly1913]

As someone who used to work at sonic, I will say that they had a great and unique design concept: having servers bring you food from your car, but with that comes slower service. I never go to sonic if I am in a rush, bc although it’s fast food it takes a while for each order to be taken out since there are normally only 3 carhops per shift, so if someone calls in, your under staffed, you have a lazy coworker, or stuff just simply gets busy, it takes a while longer than it would at other places. At my particular sonic, we had 18 stalls and sometimes I would be the only carhop due to being understaffed. Sonic is made for you to order and sit in the stall for a while to eat and enjoy so maybe take the time and be patient with your carhops bc they are doing there best!

[@basedostrich]

Yo what? Man, the sonic i work at is 21 stalls amd two carhops max

[@danielamundsen4981]

@@basedostrich The one I'm at has 31 stalls and 1-2 carhops, it gets insane real fast.

[@Xpro03]

@@danielamundsen4981 Mine has 32 stalls and 0 carhops. We hire a new one but then they quit. Its terrible being a cook there and also having to do the stuff up front. And we had 5 Managers but 3 of them are quitting soo.. I think we might shut down.

[@danielamundsen4981]

@@Xpro03 Damn, I'm a manager at mine, but also the main cook and/or carhop depending on the day.

[@danielamundsen4981]

@@Xpro03 Same to you

[@MattCoutu]

Okay so I live in the middle of nowhere and the Sonic near me thrives. I've also lived in Boston and Atlanta where they're not so hot. I'm convinced Sonic does well in towns with few other options. Way more popular in the Midwest than other parts of the country.

[@coleisaacson2839]

I miss the two dudes sitting in the car. They were amazing and super funny. Now I won’t even go to Sonic

[@Espinozaize]

They should have made a deal with SEGA & have a certain blue hedgehog be their mascot...

[@CommodoreFan64]

Yep, and instead SEGA of Japan went with Hooters of Japan in 2017 to promote Sonic Forces, and SEGA of America did nothing with anyone from what I remember. 🤷‍♂️

[@noahmiller347]

@@CommodoreFan64 they went with Hardy's/Carle's Jr. of all places as far as I remember

[@Ziegfried82]

I mean...chili dogs.

[@chouts1]

“Sonic 2000, I know it sounds like a video game” Be glad it ain’t sonic 06

[@songohan3321]

Sonic 06 never existed.

[@Lightspeeds]

@@songohan3321 Unless you're playing the sonic2006 project that fixes everything.

[@N0rlight]

I actually like Sonic 06

[@tyshco2969]

Sonic Shuffle was released then................ :/

[@N0rlight]

@@tyshco2969 Sonic Shuffle wasn't bad. All that was of problems is the npc knowing your cards.

[@kurticeberg4566]

Another banger, thanks Eeyore!

[@TheOctoberpvp]

My hometown! And I still live here! We are proud of this chain.

[@sunsinger970]

The old ads were fun. Its a mistake to change them and the old logo was the retro one.

[@Cadychan]

I was born in the US and grew up in Canada. I remember seeing commercials for Sonic on US cartoons we had taped, and since I loved Sonic the Hedgehog, I made it a "goal" to eat there one day. When I first came to Texas I was SO EXCITED to see one and eat from there.

[@nitanlaurence3605]

And he left us on a cliff hanger

[@sly-fi6502]

​@@nitanlaurence3605 because it was a let down 😂

[@supremetime1754]

Did you like it tho

[@Drakkona123]

Tfw we'll never know if Cadistra liked the foot long hot dog or not

[@SonicHedgehog1991]

It's been 1 year, just tell us how did it go?

[@ivane5110]

Only been to one of these once, but really enjoyed it; good food, good amount, decent prices, friendly server and best of all like being in a Happy Days episode. But, I like the sound of Log Cabin; something about unique themed diners always drew me. I miss those.

[@TheApdancer]

As a child sonic was my favorite fast food restaurant because of the colors and the unique educational toys in the wacky packs. I loved how customizable everything was. The wackiness was what I loved

[@MR_Nosy_Otter1]

the commercials with the two guys in the car were always golden. The ones they have now are in my opinion beyond cringy AF

[@SpinelFan64]

Could you do the decline of Radio Disney? It was a HUGE part of my childhood, yet no one seems to remember it.

[@ZeboTV]

Very good one. I second this

[@curtiseisenbeis2484]

@@ZeboTV Oh yah, I remember that, me and my sister really liked it for awhile. I would enjoy watching a video on that.

[@MikeFarnhamGalaxysEdgeGroup]

I worked at Disney (MGM) when there was no Radio Disney and then they took over the Monster Sound Show studio

[@zienwolf]

It was hot garbage. The end.

[@cherrelle9964]

I remember listening to Aaron Carter.

[@CoasterMan13Official]

I love Sonic. You can't go wrong with their slushies. Wish there were more drive ins.

[@Mylesledragon]

I'm glad Sonic is still around, their chilli dogs are SO GOOD

[@01lmac67]

YESSSSSSSSSS

[@mckenzieharris-su8os]

coming from an employee, the chili is disgusting it’s made from old meat patty’s that weren’t used

[@Outwardpd]

@@mckenzieharris-su8os I mean, there are no fast food restaurants that do good chili. All chili is made from subpar ground beef too. Like I agree Sonic's chili is nothing to write home about but they don't do it any worse than expected, plus they are talking about chili dogs where the quality of the chili means very little.

[@jeffreyali1456]

@@Outwardpd Have you tried Wendy’s chili?

[@bugzpudding]

Agreed

[@StargazerSkyscraper]

Sonic is awesome. Their ice is also strangely awesome, like hypnotically so. I don't like the new logo, but my local Sonic still has the blue and yellow one with red text, which makes my inner child very happy.

[@neongreen1404]

As a previous sonic worker, I can assure you, our ice just comes out of this big box like machine with the same mechanics your fridges that make ice do. I think what makes it more appealing is the shape.

[@StargazerSkyscraper]

@@neongreen1404 Good to know! It definitely has to be something, though. It's more brittle than I'm used to, which makes it great for eating once the actual beverage is gone. I guess the size and shape of the ice pieces is what does that?

[@neongreen1404]

@@StargazerSkyscraper it could be, I also noticed it is drier, (idk why) but I think maybe because it is a more dry ice. I know allot of people come in buying the bags of ice or cups of ice. I personally don't like ice, so i never ate it.

[@StargazerSkyscraper]

@@neongreen1404 My aunt is actually one of those people who will go out and buy specifically Sonic ice, LOL. I was shocked that was a thing people could actually do. I think a factor there could be that, considering the way Sonic ice is made, it might affect the temperature of water in a specific way, and temperature effects the flavor of water (not even kidding about that). It also becomes brittle faster in comparison to other ice cubes, so that's another factor, making it easier to break in your teeth and less likely to violently smack you in the face when you lift your cup a little too high, lol. (Not that it can't solidify into one solid iceberg sometimes, but even then, it hurts a lot less when that happens compared to gas station ice, lol.)

[@neongreen1404]

@@StargazerSkyscraper hey I'm not even kidding though, our water (without ice) SLAPS. I would drink it all the time. And use one of those boba straws with the water(me and coworkers would do that, trust me it makes it better somehow)

[@spooderman6312]

RUNNING AROUND AT THE SPEED-- oh wrong sonic

[@wetblanket3714]

Lol

[@williamhicks7807]

Welp, there's the first commentor to reference the other Sonic in order of Top results

[@notthesameman]

Image sonic going to eat at sonics

[@Itsbully06]

got places to go

[@wetblanket3714]

@@notthesameman Yea. I imagine him eating all those chili dogs at Sonics

[@andrefoster624]

They most definitely need a rebrand thank you for making been wanting to know this

[@andrefoster624]

I think better food quality would help alot

[@alexgnoffofilms]

I love sonic so much. It’s me and my friends’ go to spot whenever we’re going out to eat. Before we could drive we would ride our bikes there and sit and eat on the curb

[@iampedro101]

Sonic honestly has gotten better and im glad its rising again.

[@adrianbrown1285]

Except for the one in Ada, Ok it’s just tanked recently

[@1ittt]

nah sonic is gross bro they got a cool drive thru but their food is mid

[@danielpruitt8550]

God bless Eric.

[@verbalassault87]

What sonic you go to the 1 we have that’s close to the other 5 all within 10 miles of each other are trash

[@lolom8772]

Cool place, but depending on the place the foods quality can change by miles

[@vizthex]

"Hi, I'm Troy Smith. You may recognize me from Cottage Café or Sonic, but I also made Troy's Panful of Chicken"

[@knellwal]

I LOVE Sonic! I go every day.

[@Hollowdude15]

I like how sonic rise fall then rise again and cool video man :]

[@chanii7294]

I recently moved less than 5 minutes away from Sonic and I'm so happy. I have always loved their drinks, and their ice! You totally forgot to mention that they have the BEST ICE in the world, they freeze it special so it keeps the carbonation of the drink longer and it doesn't hurt your teeth to crunch on it. They even sell it by the bag.

[@UBvtuber]

Hate to be that guy, but they shouldn't be enabling ice eaters, it can fuck up your teeth

[@hangry3102]

@@UBvtuber Enabling Ice eaters? My guy the ice is tiny pebbles and soft as fuck have you not tried it? Its literally made to be edible.

[@MaryJane-tp3qd]

It’s not made special at all 😅 not same as almost every place that sells ice though. It’s just “pregnancy” “hospital” or “eating” ice.

[@keeganmckristlly3234]

its not made specially, i work for an ice company that sells sonic ice when their machine is down. i have been in the kitchen, seen the ordinary pellet ice machine, and sold them our ice which was exactly the same. nobody could tell the difference.

[@basedostrich]

@@UBvtuber tf bro? No it can't. And Sonic ice is beyond delicate. Mfers that work there know that it's part of the sonic culture to just snack on the ice all day as employees

[@TheVideomaker2341]

It’s surprising they’re not really located in big cities and are in more sparse locations, well at least for me. But I get Sonic commercials a lot of the time.

[@cadillacdeville5828]

I'm in the MVA are and there are a few.

[@cs45933]

Which is ironic because even in big cities in texas they all over the place in Texas.

[@hotwax9376]

I live in a somewhat rural area and we didn't get a Sonic until 2009.

[@melonademan5639]

I Wish there were more of them up north in the east

[@juliuscaesart]

@@SubxZero94 In OH they’re only 10 or so now, use to be only like 2 or 3

[@user-vc1gd4jg1f]

I rarely go to sonic, but as a kid my dentist was next to one, so after every trip to the dentist I would go to sonic and get mozzarella sticks which are absolutely amazing.

[@Dr-Random]

Let’s hope that the dentist didn’t hate your decision to do that lol.

[@miranda2665]

Love sonic! I’m from Shawnee so it’s been a staple my whole life!

[@jamesmarkham7489]

The 2 guys commercials were the most interesting part of the brand

[@wonderboy4993]

They were gay

[@dipdip7250]

@@wonderboy4993 lol, gays, amirite?

[@Y2KPlatinum]

@@wonderboy4993 Nah, they were just guys being dudes

[@KingCookie_III]

@@Y2KPlatinum true

[@MichaelSuperbacker]

10:04 why the fuck would you get rid of those 2 guys!!!! What idiots!!!

[@ghostcoffee1099]

Never been to Sonic’s, but with a name like that, I admire it a lot

[@JakeLovesSteak]

*Sonic

[@DubBeats]

It serve good ice cream

[@sexychris]

Its McDonald's with crackheads

[@HunterWillard]

it doesn’t live up to it’s meaning 🤣 all of the sonics i’ve been to (im from okc for reference) are extremely slow. main reason i don’t go there.

[@seanboyize]

They have some good mozzarella sticks ngl. They are soooooo greasy though

[@JoeJr]

I agree with you on the new logo. It grew on me. They need to be more consistent from location to location I’ve great experiences at a few and horrible at others.

[@fatlu1378]

forget all these fancy drinks, we want Root beer in milk cartons, and frosty mugs, rock n roll music, and greasy burgers, a good chili dog, basket of fries, Case Closed!

[@mugglescakesniffer3943]

Once when I was on break at work years ago and I found two guys talking very enthusiastically about a day trip they were about to embark on as if they were going to find the Holy Grail. I asked them why they are taking a trip from near Chicago to the southern tip of Illinois. The said "We are going to SONIC! We have seen the ads on cable for years and now one of them has opened in southern Illinois." They were willing to drive a long way to taste the legendary food they had been hearing about for years. They went there and they were very happy when they got back. I guess they found their holy Grail of shakes and other delectable items they only used to dream about tasting on TV.

[@Sulfen]

I felt very similarly to in n out. I always ate there when I went to California. When they expanded to Utah that was amazing.

[@christopherwilliams7845]

Damn, that's so weird to read about since I live in Texas and they're practically everywhere. Then again, when an In N Out opened near me there was legions of cars at that one location for weeks.

[@musickid43]

I know of at least two Sonics just outside of Chicago. Don't know why you need to go that far then. Depends on how long ago it was.

[@mugglescakesniffer3943]

@@musickid43 At that time in the Past there was no sonic except that new one that had opened. Yeah now where are Sonics up here.

[@mekon1971]

I used to live in Maryland and would drive 40 minutes to go to Sonic!

[@mikethemaniac1]

The problem with Sonic's "more everyday" advertising scheme is that it's less "everyday" than literally two discernibly similar dudes cracking jokes in their spare time. It's like someone presented this new campaign in a meeting and no one asked "Are you sure this will help us sell more product?" And even if they were to ask, the response would've probably been "We're not advertising network television?"

[@CommodoreFan64]

Maybe it's just me, but seem like they are trying to hit very specific racial demographics, and it just comes off as plastic, and phony.

[@mikethemaniac1]

Commodorefan64 Yeah, that's advertising these days.

[@mikethemaniac1]

Egg Egg egg egg And it's usually malicious.

[@thehussiteking]

Your comment reminded me of the stonetoss "Burgers?" comic lmfao

[@zwebackshyper9307]

@@CommodoreFan64 so just because they put some black guy and a white lady together in a commercial now the whole rebranding is going for "specific racial demographics" lmao you can't be serious y'all make anything about race nowadays it's some corny commercial that's no where near as good as the original ones but that's it

[@obushlynne]

Living in WA(rainy/cold 75% of the year), my husband and I are sad there aren’t more sonics around but at least now I know why!

[@ThatsCrazyBro3752]

We had a sonic open up in our town and it died within 3 years. We have mom and pop drive ins still and they are way better than any chain.

[@cocotaveras8975]

You should definitely update your GameStop video when all of this GameStop stock frenzy ends.

[@vinylsketch]

Not much to update on, given that fiasco was just a pump and dump operation

[@quickshot4050]

@@vinylsketch at first it wasn’t, it was a short squeeze then most people who shorted the stock bought it back and some people stayed with it and encouraged it, saying “send it to the moon” same with dogecoin and both became pump and dumps

[@hairharbor5080]

My problem with Sonic is that the service has almost always sucked. The food has been of mediocre quality compared to other similar fast food places. The pricing isn't that competitive either. The Retro drive-in and eat concept is cool but other than that and some of their drinks there's just too many other places I'd rather go. They need to learn from Chick-fil-A's customer service and improve the quality and/or pricing competitiveness of their food.

[@tikifreaky5204]

The food is very mediocre, especially compared to ChicfilA & In-&-Out

[@laurenjones3610]

As someone that worked on fountain for six months,Sonic doesn't care about their employees half as much as Chick-fil-A. We barely received any training and I mostly figured out things on my own. You get the min 7.25 an hour about 2 bucks less than Chick-fil-A so why should you try harder at your work. Then there is the fact that when you are on headset you are required to answer no matter where you are, I've taken order when I was taking out the trash and getting strawberrys from the outside freezer. So yeah when workers are in such toxic conditions you're not gonna get A grade service.

[@nahor88]

Good food at sonic: Popcorn chicken Drinks Sonic burger Tots That's about it. Their chicken sandwiches are ASS. Service is horrendously inconsistent. I once ordered a slush and was literally waiting 30 minutes in my car. Luckily I have a long "watch later" list on youtube. I finally pushed the button again to ask WTF was going on, and they had forgotten my order. I have NEVER had bad service or long wait times at Chik-fil-a. I agree with @Lauren Jones; these companies need to invest more in their EMPLOYEES.

[@mykiethomas]

Eh, I’m sorry you feel that way.

[@brentgindelberger8851]

@@laurenjones3610 So, if always wondered about the headsets...How do you key in an order when you're not close to the terminal?

[@Asalent]

For the first 25 years of my life I saw Sonic commercials on TV but never knew of any of them in my area (or even within 100 miles of me) until recently they opened one near by after all this time 🤣.

[@sm8001]

I think the rebrand looks nice!

[@evitative462]

I hope this doesn't come across as hyperbole: that rebranding is an assault to the eyes; a crime perpetrated by people who have no business doing anything related to visual aesthetics.

[@joshuaewalker]

It looks like branding for an old ice cream truck

[@jessicabecause3717]

It looks like a water park.

[@SeranEI]

Looks like Colgate or a toothpaste more than a restaurant.

[@ashkitt7719]

It looks retro apparently but I personally think their old logo looks more like it tbh. Has sort of that mid-century modern Jimmy Neutron vibe. Also it looks kind of like two jets passing over each other so that fits as well. (I dunno, does anyone else see the two triangles look like some kind of Concord or Fighter jet?)

[@BeingShari]

It looks as bad as the new RiteAide logo

[@chrish7983]

I used to do a lot of work with Sonic's marketing back in the day. Their TV commercials with the two guys were insanely effective. They would even run their commercials in markets they weren't in yet just to drive interest. There was a short time where they stopped using the two guys and their sales plummeted so they re hired them. Eventually they've had to find their next big campaign and Inspire is much more cost conscious (plus TV advertising doesn't work the same way it used to). Sonic is extremely popular in certain parts of the country but the cold reality is that they haven't reinvented their menu in a long time and need to make some major changes in the way McDonald's has over the past couple of years. Otherwise we're going to see a "what happened?" Video about them sooner than later.

[@CD3WD-Project]

Chris are you my co worker at Inspire? I know a Chris H something there.

[@chrish7983]

@@CD3WD-Project no. I never worked at Inspire and haven't worked with Sonic in quite a while

[@CD3WD-Project]

@@chrish7983 oh. I work at Inspire and know someone on the sonic side named Chris with a last name of H. Who has been there for a long time.

[@chrish7983]

@@CD3WD-Project there are a lot of us out there

[@zombae_art]

I remember the sonic by me closed in the mid 2000s but in 2016 they reopened it and honestly I love Sonic. It's my second favorite fast food restaurant after Checkers. I always get their footlong chili dogs with mozzarella sticks and a delicious blast. Their menu is so delicious with combinations that just fit and brings back the retro American vibe.

[@crazzyblueeyes1983]

I love sonic, I love that my dog gets a treat when we bring her.

[@elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770]

Sonic For Hire: The Rise, Fall, Rise Again, Fall... and Rise Again.

[@robbiestrong-morse730]

Looking like GME.

[@theluigifan1]

Man, I used to love that Machinima series back in high school.

[@xXLegendXx-ng1xp]

I worked there so I wished It would just stay dead.

[@elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770]

@@xXLegendXx-ng1xp you worked in GameStop, or on Sonic For Hire?

[@justinbremer2281]

The old logo's two-arrows, come-and-go vibe has been replaced with... a bow-tie of vaguely amorphous confusion? And a color scheme that makes me think they're trying to ride Sega's coattails.

[@andmicbro1]

Yeah, I think the old logo was brilliant. Maybe it could have used a small refresh. You see other companies do it all the time, but they usually don't change it so drastically. I think they should go back to the old one, just give it a little sprucing up.

[@mollietenpenny4093]

My mom told me that she and my dad would sometimes ride their bikes to Sonic for some of their dates back in college. I've always had fond childhood memories of going to Sonic with my friends and family. 😊

[@Sonicspeedx38]

I Like It!

[@marioreyes1374]

"Service at the Speed of Sound" my ass. Another reason for their fall is that they take forever to give you your order. One time when I was a kid me and my family ordered food from Sonic and they took so damn long we left without our food.

[@theenzoferrari458]

Lmao. As long as you got the receipt you can still go back.

[@laurenjones3610]

Yeah fast service really is false advertising. It's not like a drive thru where it's 1st come 1st serviced. Especially when the parking lot is packed I used to have 10 red tickets on my screen (they only have 1 person working fountain). Plus food can sit for a while before the 2-3 carhops finds time to take it out. Though at least some worker got free supper from your order :) (we only get a 10% discount just free soda).

[@marioreyes1374]

@@theenzoferrari458 My parents probably don't have it anymore, because that was years ago I think I was 9 or 10.

[@djbelc01]

They might be the slowest fast food place period. My wife and I stopped once just to get a cherry limeade. There was only one other car there. It still took twenty minutes to get our drinks. That's inexcusable. We called the store later to talk to the manager about it, and he just said "eh, sorry" and didn't seem interested. We haven't been back since.

[@grzyruth9205]

then do the drive-thru if you have places to be, the drive-in is for in the evenings when you dont have places to be. drive-thru orders are prioritized as people are literally waiting in line there, I think they need to ditch the drive-thru but I understand there is a lot of revenue that comes in from that. I have never waited more than 10 minutes for any size of order from Sonic

[@michaelv3340]

I'm reminded of a Sonic where the owner cut their wage from minimum wage to the tipped minimum wage of $2.45 an hour. Everyone quit, leaving the place entirely closed. Nobody tips at a Sonic.

[@thereeds7659]

I keep a stash of dollars in my ash tray, 99% of which end up in pockets of Sonic carhops. 😃

[@alfedosucksatgames5008]

I got all this knowledge from first applying at sonic 8 years back. Ive worked here since

[@jliller]

My mind was blown when I stopped outside a Sonic in Columbia, SC and found a Sonic that had an inside dining area. I've since encountered two more locations like that. Sonic is one of the better fast-food restaurants in terms of food quality. I'd probably eat there more often if all locations had an inside dining option. At least when traveling; currently the nearest Sonic is 15 minutes away in an area I rarely go.

[@mousepaws]

I remember going to a Sonic in 1989 that had almost a totally different menu. They had deep fried burritos, BBQ beef sandwiches, deep fried okra, a coffee malt, and they had a whopper on their menu but it was a fish sandwich, not BK's. I think they also had a fried apricot pie with a scoop of ice cream. I kind of liked that wacky weird menu. It must have been before the time of their menu's unification. Does anyone else remember any of these wacky weird / different items?

[@skai5020]

a coffee malt sounds amazing-

[@mousepaws]

@@skai5020 Oh, it was. Think Arby's Jamocha shake, but WAY better in every way.

[@skai5020]

@@mousepaws 🤤

[@vanessav1997]

@@mousepaws I miss the Java chiller! It was ice cream blended espresso with Carmel, Mocha or vanilla. So fricken good 😩

[@AlanRob666]

Burrito Deluxe came with lettuce and tomato!

[@TBustah]

I’d be interested to see how they did last year with all of those traditional dining rooms shut down. I wouldn’t be surprised if they did better than some of their competition. I know I went to Sonic a lot more than I went anywhere else.

[@cruciaL931]

Record breaking year last year. I'm a current operator.

[@lucascruikshank260]

Yeah boi, don't know about your store(s) but we have made like an extra 20-30k at ours.

[@cruciaL931]

@@lucascruikshank260 my store was up 200k last year. One of our stores did 600k more, it was insane last year. Still holding strong for winter too!

[@lucascruikshank260]

@@cruciaL931 i was just talking this last month but yeah we made way more last year I dont know the exact number

[@zachstewart2946]

Our store had a great year, we’re the best operationally around, went from 2.3 mil to 3.1

[@penismightier9278]

A few years ago they put a Sonic in about 2-3 miles from where I live. They consistently have the best tasting drinks in the area and their customer service is amazing. The free drink if you do the survey has actually gotten me to fill out a TON of them. They are possibly the only place where the survey is worth the time to fill out.

[@guntherultraboltnovacrunch5248]

I like the new branding.

[@weaslelysherbeard6485]

My town literally just opened a new sonic, the food is ok but DEAR GOD I SWEAR THOSE LIMADES ARE MY COCAINE!!

[@joshuaewalker]

Mine too! Brand new built from scratch in Plainfield, Indiana.

[@johngianno6409]

What are limades?

[@joshuaewalker]

@@johngianno6409 If you know what a lemonade is then you know what a limeade is.

[@NeonKnight83]

Cocaine is my cocaine

[@dianaburn2474]

Ocean water is pretty good, too. I like the limades, but they hurt my stomach (can't handle much acid in my food/drink unfortunately)

[@Pellbort]

Those commercials with the two guys in the car were a massive asset. Killing that run is a huge mistake.

[@conniebauer4128]

I love to go with Sonic in the summertime. Drive up, roll down my window, order my favorite cheesy pretzel dog with tots and a shake. The music playing over the speakers is usually good too.

[@runezunn6655]

I remember when we had a Sonic. It was awesome! Too bad it's no longer there but the thing is that I did enjoy the time that it was around.

[@chronicandironic8701]

Their new commercial are hot garbage, I miss the two guys just talking was way better

[@h0rsegurrrl]

OMG me too. The people in the new ads are so annoying. The two guys were at least funny.

[@danmarshall5895]

Those 2 guys are an Improv comedy team. Look them up, plenty of material to watch if you really like them.

[@chronicandironic8701]

@@danmarshall5895 thank you so much

[@chronicandironic8701]

@@h0rsegurrrl new shit just reeks of “look how relatable we are”

[@akoiya6300]

Americans number one favorite gay couple

[@LolaGeek]

They're closing ALL the Sonics within at least 50 miles of me 😭

[@MBarberfan4life]

That stinks. Growing up, I had like 5 sonics within 10 minutes from my house.

[@calvinnapier9977]

I ate at one recently in Lafayette IN and if there all as bad as that one, do us a favor and close them all!

[@garymckee8857]

No loss.

[@scarcuts]

i absolutely hated working at sonic due to the new meals we had to learn making and how time consuming it is to make them half the time. then the customers are always rude to the employees who are trying do their best and honestly never working fast food again. amc is prolly the best job ever if a teen wants a good experience job that’s easy and pasted well.

[@giancarlofelicianocastaned9316]

The Sonic near me in Lancaster PA closed. People were so pissed about it's closure that the mayor bought that location and sold it to a new franchisee. It's now reopening and I couldn't be any happier.

[@pianoish]

Never been there. But I liked the commercials of the two dudes just yucking it up in the car. Pretty quirky commercial idea.

[@Overitall23]

What Sonic can do is take a page from In n Out. The two in my town closed 2019 and no one was sad to see them go. The food was always mediocre, slow terrible service, high employee turnover , menu boards always damaged etc. Restaurants don’t have to be complicated. Just do a few things very well consistently and I think that goes further than doing a lot of things poorly.

[@hailervin]

Okay Karen boomer

[@evanwilliams9588]

I have great memories of Sonic from when I was in high school (early 2000’s). There was one very close to the school and after my friends and I had our drivers licenses we would always ditch lunch periods to go there. Took quite a few girls there in that “getting to know you” phase of high school romance as well. There was always a small crowd of teens and young adults there. Their food was also way better quality back then. Hope they can turn things around.

[@MrBnsftrain]

Sonic was one of my favorite restaurants as a kid! I wanted to go to as many locations as possible in my area because you could have it in the car, drive home and have it, have it at their picnic benches, and there were even two locations that had dining rooms. There were even times where I got to ride in my parents' friend's blue Jeep to Sonic, which made them extra special. Jeeps are the last 'drive for fun' cars of the years prior to the 1970s oil crisis, as opposed to commuting and doing errands cars. I also liked that the kid's meals relied on their own branding and cast of characters for many years as opposed to more popular TV shows, movies, and other franchises. I find it ironic they made super Mario kids meal toys before Sonic the Hedgehog ones When I first heard other fast-food chains started closing their dining rooms during the pandemic, I immediately thought this would be a great time for Sonic and Drive-Ins in general to rebound. Especially since many fast-food chains (most notably Chick-Fil-A) are still having troubles keeping their dining rooms open and sticking to carryout and drive-thru only.