My Occupational Hazard

Oh, Sonic Drive-in. The home of the Cherry Lime-aid, delicious toaster sandwiches, tater-tots, and the worst customer service in America. I will admit I am a hard person to please due to the fact that I have worked in Customer Service for so many years, but I wouldn't be shocked to find out that Sonic pumps marijuana smoke into the air there, because everyone seems to be working on only half a brain.

My Sonic journey began about seven years ago when they built their first restaurant here in Salt Lake City. My boyfriend (now husband) worked there. While he was working there I fell in love with their amazing menu....but not necessarily the staff that worked along side him. First off, the manager of Sonic actually smoked inside the store. Pretty sure that violates several acts, and policies. Not to mention that there was not a kind, or professional bone in her body.

After he stopped working there, I tried many times to eat there. However, I was always greeted with abnormally long wait times, rude teenagers, wrong food, and was charged incorrectly. Since there was a Sonic down the street from my house I went there often even though I always left feeling unhappy with my experience. This was at both locations near me (there was one right down the street, and another one suburb over). I had basically come to terms with the fact that if I wanted to eat their food, I would have to put up with these rather large blemishes on their service record and that it would take me about 45 minutes to get my food, get it fixed, and then get my charge fixed.

One particular occasion will always stand out in my mind as the absolute worst customer experience I had ever had. I ordered what I always got. The breakfast toaster sandwich Combo. The price has increased greatly since then, but at the time it was actually 2.99. I also got it Sonic Sized with a large drink and tots (NOT a Route 44 drink...which is what they always tried to give me). To upsize it I believe the cost was somewhere in the ballpark of 69 cents or so. When I got my food, they told me that I owed them 4.89. Basic math skills will tell you that even with prepared food tax, this is incorrect. I told the car hop that I think it is incorrect and I would like to see my receipt. He said he would go get it. About two minutes later, a teenage girl walks out to my car, introduces herself as the supervisor in a rather rude tone, cocks her hip to the side in a childish fashion and says "what's your problem?"

"I ordered the breakfast toaster sandwich combo for 2.99, sonic sized it, but my total is wrong. I would like to see my receipt." I said, probably a little irritated.

"There is nothing on the menu for that price." She said, and then laughed at me a little. So, I reached out my window, pointed to the menu board where the price is clearly listed and said, "What's that?"

At this point she threw her hands out, stomped her feet as if she were a toddler, and started screaming at me. I don't remember everything she said, but it was along the lines of me always coming in there and ripping off her store (which I never did, I would ask them to fix my food if it was wrong, and I hadn't been there in months at this point), and then proceeded to tell me that I couldn't come there anymore. I started screaming back at her that I wanted my receipt, they charged my card and I wanted my receipt....she refused to let me have my receipt.

During her tantrum, I was understandably upset. I pulled my car out of the stall and left, and while I was leaving the car hops came out and yelled at my car as I drove away. Another shining moment in Sonic Drive-In history. I really, and truthfully didn't eat there for about two years.

After a lengthy hiatus of my Sonic infatuation I decided it was time to give it another shot but was disappointed to run into the same problems. There was one evening where I ordered a Bacon Cheddar Burger Toaster (which I believe is called something different now). The reason I like this sandwich so much is because it comes with the most amazing Hickory BBQ sauce on it, and some mayo. When I get my sandwich I find that instead of my amazing sauce, I have ketchup. We asked that they come out and get my sandwich and make it correctly. After about two minutes they ring out to our menu board and say, "That sandwich doesn't come with BBQ sauce, it comes with ketchup." I had to argue with them to get them to make my sandwich with the Hickory BBQ sauce as advertised. When I finally got it back, it did have the BBQ sauce but was still also drenched in ketchup. I just ate it anyway.

I have since moved out to Sandy, which is about twenty minutes from where I used to live. Funny thing is that the closest fast food restaurant to me is.....Sonic Drive-in. I haven't been to this location before, so we decided to give it a shot. It had just opened and we took our family down to have breakfast. This was probably about a year or so ago. They had a special breakfast sandwich at the time that had sausage, and bacon on it...it looked amazing so this is what we ordered. When we got the sandwiches, there was no sausage. We pressed the red call button and let them know, they assured us it would be no problem and they would have that right out to us. So we waited, and waited, and waited. Mind you, I have a three month old baby in my car getting more aggravated by the moment.

Finally, after about 10 minutes we pressed the red button again and let them know that we were waiting for our sandwiches to be re made. We were greeted ed with a "What? What did you order?" I probably should not have been shocked at their incompetence, but I was. We told them what we were waiting for, and after about five minutes, the manager brought us out our sandwiches with apologies. We took these and went home because by this point we had been there over an hour.

We were opening our food, took one bite of the sandwich and what was missing? The sausage. Again. So my husband threw all the food in the bag, took it back and demanded a refund for the sandwiches. The manager tried telling him there was no way that our sandwiches did not include sausage, but my husband pulled them open and showed him. So, we did get our refund. One small victory against a restaurant that has stolen countless hours of my life.

I have been back there probably twice in the last year or so. Both times, they have made one small error or another, but they were dismissible able to a point. However, my husband stopped there the other night to get dinner, and they forgot our fries, and charged us incorrectly for two of our combo's.

I have called their 800 number more than once to complain....each time I am greeted with a cold voice on the other end of the line that promises me nothing. They don't even try to make me feel better. Basically, Sonic Drive-In....you do not care about your customers. You don't care about their experience. You don't care that your name is attached to corrupt franchises that make you look bad as long as the all mighty dollar is flowing your way. I do appreciate you making my dinner decision easier, knowing that there is one less choice on my roster. Thanks for that.