Do you tip at Sonic?

[C.Read]

I pay with my card 99.9% of the time because I don't keep cash on me that often so I don't tip. The other .1% when I pay with cash it depends on the carhop.

[lglidewell]

I always tip.

[Team me]

Im confused on how Sonice makes less money than McDonalds or Whataburger. The food is about the same price. They manage to pay minimum wage and carry my food to me also. I dont tip there. They even come around and ask if you want a refill at some locations, I have never been asked if I want a refill at Sonic. They always screw me on the drink by filling it with crushed ice which displaces the amount of drink you get anyway. Please help me understand. Simple economics say Sonic is making more profit.

[Phi Phi Hunter]

some say yes...I say no. I tried it once by letting them just "keep the change" but when they gave me the look of "cheap" I just stopped it all together. Now we use our debit card most times anyway!

[Chew]

And I lost count of how many aggravated robberies I investigated in Harris County at Sonics where employees and mgmt were involved.

[robbyreneeward]

It happened to me several years ago. Twice. I was shocked at the attitude of the store and regional management. As far as drivethru and carhops keeping your change without asking, happens all the time

Fair enough. I could easily see how before the outside PAYS system was implemented that this could happen this is why Sonic went this route with these models the way they work. You have to enter in a receipt number in order to bring up a total it is not by dollar amounts. You cannot enter a dollar amount for anything. Which is how I know it is impossible now for carhops to add tips to credit card receipts. It is based on the receipt number when you enter that it brings the total up from that particular receipt, and you cannot alter the total in any way shape form or fashion.

[cehorn]

My point was comparing sonic to sonic from five years ago until now. Yes we pay our carhops less than minimum wage but you have to remember that everyone was making 515 an hour five years ago. My management was making somewhere between seven and eight dollars an hour so now the minimum wage has gone up I have to pay my cooks over two dollars an hour more than they used to make for the same job and my managers about the same jump. I'm not saying that they don't deserve this jump in pay because they do but the cost is not offset anywhere that is just extra money taken from the bottom line. People were tipping at sonic before anyone decided to pay carhops less than minimum wage. We just started paying them five dollars an hour because we felt we had to make up money from labor cost somewhere. Like it or not that is business and this extra money we spend on labor comes directly out of my pocket. Anyway, I digress. Bottom line is if you get good service from your carhops it would be appreciated if you tip but only if you get good service and they move the sense of urgency.

I haven't eaten at sonic in years. I moved and there are closer options I like better. When I did go, I never tipped and I won't if I go back. Hearing tips are built into Sonic's business model now pretty much seals the deal on me never going back.

Anyway, so are you saying Sonic's prices haven't gone up in the past 5 years? I honestly don't know but every other fast food place I go to has raised their prices so I would assume Sonic has also (there have been numerous posts in this thread that have stated the cost is the same as Whataburger, etc). If the prices have gone up then I'm not sure what you are saying as that should cover your increased costs without lowering your carhops wages. If they have stayed the same, why have the prices not gone up (like everywhere else) to make money instead of cheating your workforce to make money? I think the bottom line question that I haven't seen answered is how can Sonic charge the same price for food that every other fast food restaurant does AND expect the customer to pick up the carhop's wages when NO other fast food place does this? I would have to think Sonic's overhead would be at or way below any other sit down fast food restaurants (refills, supplyig bathrooms with upkeep, larger building to sit people (heating & cooling, lights, larger site to buy, etc), increased/wasted condiment use) also. Maybe I'm slow but something just doesn't add up here. I'm not trying to call you our or say you are wrong, I'm looking for an honest explanation as it doesn't make sense to me.

[robbyreneeward]

Im confused on how Sonice makes less money than McDonalds or Whataburger. The food is about the same price. They manage to pay minimum wage and carry my food to me also. I dont tip there. They even come around and ask if you want a refill at some locations, I have never been asked if I want a refill at Sonic. They always screw me on the drink by filling it with crushed ice which displaces the amount of drink you get anyway. Please help me understand. Simple economics say Sonic is making more profit.

The principle is simple: on average, we pay more for our product than the chains you mentioned. Whataburger is more comparable to sonic than McDonald's because whataburger also uses 100% pure beef patties as well. Regarding refills, yes it is easier for us to maintain decent profit margins because we do not allow refills. And drinks are almost pure profit as it is.

[CADDOKILLER]

Usually no but if they have a smile on their face and look like they want to be there I will. But thats very rare at the sonic if frequent

[DXT_07]

The sonic I frequent has a drive thru lane so I use that and don't feel bad about not tipping.

x2

[TexasRed]

If you can't afford an extra buck, go somewhere else. It's been their business model for 50 years. Tip the car hops you cheap bastages

J.P.

^^^^This^^^^

[Meatetarian]

Yes

[Deb]

I've been a waitress before. I tip.

[bearkat2004]

I don't tip, if the car-hops wanted more money they should get a better job, they hired on there knowing exactly what was expected of them. I don't tip the people at Chick-Fil-A that take my order then bring it to my table, and even ask if I want a refill. . . It's part of their job.

Same as me, I don't expect a tip when I place a purchase order with a supplier, nor do I expect a tip from our production floor when I get them parts on time. .

[Loneaggie]

Not a huge fan of theirs, but sometimes I get a craving for a really greesy chili dog. I tip when paying in cash, but I never have cash on me anymore and pay for everything at sonic with a debit card. If I have an appropriate small bill in my console they get it, but otherwise I haven't been. I didn't realize they made below minimum wage. I'm going to have to make sure I adjust for the future.