Great drinks, poor quality of food.
And no girls on roller skates in my town

Having just spent the summer in Sonic country, what I miss most about the place has nothing to do with their food or the normal talked about beverages...

My favorite thing there are the "cream slush" beverages which are like a mix between their normal slush and a milk shake. Creamy like a shake but much lighter and refreshing. Someone in their R&D actually deserves their holiday bonus. Watermelon tends to be my favorite flavor but blue coconut (yes... blue coconut... never mind that holiday bonus on second thought) is also quite good.

Mike G wrote:

cito wrote:I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I sure didn't expect a grayish-"Whopperesque" burger and that was precisely what I received--accompanied by greasy undercooked tater tots.

but there's apparently nothing that gets people so worked up and excited as... a chain hamburger they haven't had before.

. . . and the lure of tater tots which, in my experience, Sonic prepares about as unpalatably as anyplace I can recall.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:the lure of tater tots which, in my experience, Sonic prepares about as unpalatably as anyplace I can recall.

=R=

But how are the portions...sorry couldn't help myself

I can let you know after driving by today, that I have seen the Sonic in the least attractive location in my experience. Out in Country Club Hills, just east of the 167th St exit off of 57, they are open and didn't seem very busy at about 4:30 today. Nestled in a small location surrounded by gas stations, a strip mall and i think a bank...it doesn't strike one as optimal, although there is a movie theater just a block or so away. I'll try to get a picture next time by, but I'm shocked a company store went in there. Couldn't stop as I was still digesting my late lunch, a combo of 2 split and grilled Nathan's skinless dogs, stuffed with Velveeta and wrapped with Oscar Meyer pre-cooked bacon. And the only appropriate condiment of course was...ketchup. I know, absolutely disgusting...but it was my 6 year-olds recipe, and as a hard core mustard/onion/celery salt/sometimes peppers guy...it was actualy, shockingly good. I'll turn in my LTH member card now...

scanz wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:the lure of tater tots which, in my experience, Sonic prepares about as unpalatably as anyplace I can recall.

=R=

But how are the portions...sorry couldn't help myself

I can let you know after driving by today, that I have seen the Sonic in the least attractive location in my experience. Out in Country Club Hills, just east of the 167th St exit off of 57, they are open and didn't seem very busy at about 4:30 today. Nestled in a small location surrounded by gas stations, a strip mall and i think a bank...it doesn't strike one as optimal, although there is a movie theater just a block or so away. I'll try to get a picture next time by, but I'm shocked a company store went in there. Couldn't stop as I was still digesting my late lunch, a combo of 2 split and grilled Nathan's skinless dogs, stuffed with Velveeta and wrapped with Oscar Meyer pre-cooked bacon. And the only appropriate condiment of course was...ketchup. I know, absolutely disgusting...but it was my 6 year-olds recipe, and as a hard core mustard/onion/celery salt/sometimes peppers guy...it was actualy, shockingly good. I'll turn in my LTH member card now...

LOL! Your LTH member card is safe . . . blood before grub, always.

I remember a couple of summers ago being so excited because the family and I took a road trip and we'd finally get to try Sonic. At home, we'd seen their tv commercials, which affected us like the call of the culinary sirens. But the reality of the food was so profoundly disappointing, I was instantly and completely cured of my Sonic inclinations. All the food had an 'assembled but not cooked' feel to it. The low-grade burger was less than the sum of its parts, if that's even possible. The tater tots were soft, cold and had an off flavor. That single experience cured me of ever wanting to return, although I did so on one other occasion -- against my will -- and the results were fairly similar. I love junk food as much as anyone but to call Sonic junk food is an insult to true junk food. It's a far lower cut than that, in my experience. In fact, I'd happily take McDonalds over Sonic.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:In fact, I'd happily take McDonalds over Sonic.

=R=

Well, at least at McD's you usually don't have to deal with diesel fumes...wow, never thought I'd ever say that about a meal! I can only imagine what summer will be like...but maybe the kids on skates will get masks or oxygen breaks.

This may be a good place to remind folks that you can get Tater Tots at Hot Doug's. There's no need to debase yourself at Sonic.

I remember a couple of summers ago being so excited because the family and I took a road trip and we'd finally get to try Sonic. At home, we'd seen their tv commercials, which affected us like the call of the culinary sirens.

The tiny midwest chain that is what Sonic promises to be... Vista.

http://www.vistadrivein.com/history.htm

Unfortunately, they seem to be down to two locations, in Manhattan, Kansas, though I've eaten at them in Wichita and Emporia, at minimum.

So now you have something to hope for again, Ronnie.

scanz wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:the lure of tater tots which, in my experience, Sonic prepares about as unpalatably as anyplace I can recall.

=R=

But how are the portions...sorry couldn't help myself

I can let you know after driving by today, that I have seen the Sonic in the least attractive location in my experience. Out in Country Club Hills, just east of the 167th St exit off of 57, they are open and didn't seem very busy at about 4:30 today. Nestled in a small location surrounded by gas stations, a strip mall and i think a bank...it doesn't strike one as optimal, although there is a movie theater just a block or so away. I'll try to get a picture next time by, but I'm shocked a company store went in there. Couldn't stop as I was still digesting my late lunch, a combo of 2 split and grilled Nathan's skinless dogs, stuffed with Velveeta and wrapped with Oscar Meyer pre-cooked bacon. And the only appropriate condiment of course was...ketchup. I know, absolutely disgusting...but it was my 6 year-olds recipe, and as a hard core mustard/onion/celery salt/sometimes peppers guy...it was actualy, shockingly good. I'll turn in my LTH member card now...

I stopped at that location a few weeks ago and I echo everyone's comments. I had a "Supersonic Cheeseburger" a poor imitation of a "Whopper" that fell apart from the bun halfway into it. I disagree about the location somewhat as there is a SuperWalmart right behind it that generates traffic.

The Algonquin store opened yesterday to monster crowds.

sorry food brothers and sisters, i must say that the lime strawberry slush with extra fresh limes and a side of tots... is in a word: delicious. i apologize if this offends.

MincyBits and I went to the Country Club Hills location for dinner last night.

My diabetic heart leaped for joy when I discovered that they had a diet Cherry Limeade. The burgers were delicious. The tots were fantastic. The service was amazingly fast. I couldn't complain.

I went to the Algonquin Sonic yesterday. Was at Target at lunchtime and thought I'd see how busy it was. It was 6 degrees out. At 1230 lunch time the drivethrough was busy, wrapped around the building but not out of the lot. There were a surprising number of pull-in (?) spots open, so that's what I chose, already feeling sorry for the carhop.

Had no idea what to order, so I got a hamburger, tots and a chocolate shake. The tots were good- couldv'e been cooked slightly longer, the shake was very good. The burger was awful. Thin slab of beef on a bun. Would not eat it again. I would go back for drinks and to try something else. The menu has an interesting variety of non-standard fast food. The sausage biscuits with gravy dipping sounded great. In a hideous,greasy kind of way. And 3 for $2.89- can't beat it!

I wanted to use my debit card but the card reader kept jamming it as I tried to insert it. The freezing car hop came with my food and I paid cash to save her a trip back and forth again. She didn't have gloves on and said they use a finger scan machine when pressing in the orders so it was pointless to have them on.

Will go back, at off hours, mostly for a drink of some kind... The burger was awful.

WTVO-17 in Rockford, reports this morning that Sonic plans to build a new drive-in on Perryville Rd. across from CherryVale Mall (I-90 & U.S. 20) near Menards. Family likes the drinks but the burgers are lousy.



http://mystateline.com/content/fulltext/?cid=39981

The newest addition to the Sonic chain has opened in Bartlett on Wed. Feb 11th.

I was talking to my brother the day it opened when he said " oh hey, there's a new sonic ". I went on to think nothing of it because I knew there had been one built around Aurora in the past year but I didn't really feel like driving an hour to get there (I was at home visiting family in Carol Stream). A few minutes later I decided to google it and found this! http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/addison/news/x188766099/VIDEO-New-Sonic-restaurant-officially-open-in-Bartlett

Needless to say I jumped off the couch and drove down to Sonic to try some of the late night food I occasionally enjoyed back when I lived in Phoenix. Sadly...it didn't match those good memories. First off...I never really liked the car hop service and really never understood it. I'm a big car guy and I don't like people putting stuff on my car or even being near my car so that kills that. Once the main attraction of Sonic ( other than their commercials ) was gone I moved on to iffy/poor food. I tried a few items including their dollar menu and just wasn't impressed. I know it's only fast food but compared to other joints like BK and Wendy's...Sonic lost. The $1 Sundae was something to laugh at. You literally were handed a squirt of ice cream weighing in around 2-3 oz. with a cherry on top and a sprinkle of crushed candy of choice. I much prefer the McDonalds $1 sundaes.

On top of everything....there was bad service. There's music playing through the speaker which you're trying to talk into which confuses not only the customer but the employee and the cashier was nothing short of rude. I don't like to complain and rarely care about service unless it awful but the entire experience left me deflated. Good memories washed away by a lame night out.

With all that being said...it was the first day and I can get over it all, but I wish that experience would've been good and brought me back wanting more.


Sonic
1121 Stearns Road
Bartlett, IL
Open 6am-Midnight

Sonic? In Chicago?

I'll stick with Superdog and Hot Doug's. There's many places in the city I can get a better burger like Kuma's Corner, which I have yet to visit.

First the north end of Aurora on Kirk, now the south end.

Sonic will be opening in Montgomery, slated sometime this summer.

Rt 34 and Hill/Old Rt 30, right in front of the newish MegaMenards.

The Walgreens went up in about 2 months, and the Sonic building is nearly complete from the looks of it.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beac ... 05.article

Much easier access to Naperville and East Aurora than the north location.

Willkat98 wrote:First the north end of Aurora on Kirk, now the south end.

Sonic will be opening in Montgomery, slated sometime this summer.

Rt 34 and Hill/Old Rt 30, right in front of the newish MegaMenards.

The Walgreens went up in about 2 months, and the Sonic building is nearly complete from the looks of it.

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beac ... 05.article

Much easier access to Naperville and East Aurora than the north location.

Whenever I drive by the Sonic location on Kirk and Butterfield, I never see but one or two cars anymore. We've still not tried it. No loss.

I don't understand the appeal of this place. I visited this chain in Missouri last month and was very underwhelmed. The burgers were not good.

A couple of weeks ago we stopped at the ...

Sonic Drive-In‎
4023 167th St, Country Club Hills
(708) 798-4204‎

... and for some reason almost everything we ordered had chili on it.

A couple of ex-long Chili Cheese Coney Dogs
Chili Cheese Tater Tots
Some chicken fingers

Due to the anticipated mess inherent with the chili we opted to eat outside at the tables (no inside seating). Even though there were carhops we were forced to order using one of the car ordering kiosks located in front of the store placed for people using the tables. The speaker system wasn't that good and neither was the person at the other end of the mike and there was a mistake made in our order. It was nice to be able to pay using a credit card right at the kiosk.

The food was served promptly and it was a battle keeping the items on the table as the winds had picked up. The tots could of been cooked a little more to give them a bit of a crunch.

Most of the items were rather bland but the Cherry Limeades were pretty good and included a maraschino cherry and a wedge of lime. I thought the limeade would be somewhat of a shush drink but it was just liquid with crushed ice.

Maybe the burger or onion rings are good?

Definitely not a destination dining spot but if you are thirsty and in the area...

They're putting one in up in Lake Zurich, too. On Rand/Rt. 12, just north of Rt. 22. I work down the street, so it will be nice to have another lunch option, but I'm not expecting brilliance.

How do they compare to Culver's, which is nearby?

As someone that was first introduced to Sonic down south and, at least I think, gets it. I want to say two things.

1. CREAM SLUSH - If you don't get this, or something of its ilk, you might as well go into Spring World, skip the Yunan Dry Ribs and the Gōng Bǎo Chicken and grumble about how bad crab Rangoon is.

2. You need to pick you menu items very carefully. Despite the desire to connect Sonic with a good drive in burger, it isn't what they do best at. Anything with fried chicken will be better. Any breakfast item will be better. When ordering anything consisting in tubers dunked in hot oil, ask for it "crispy" or "well done". Overall never mind what the ads say and what you mind tends to think about the place stay away from the Sonic burgers and you should do much better there.

Panther in the Den wrote:Most of the items were rather bland but the Cherry Limeades were pretty good and included a maraschino cherry and a wedge of lime. I thought the limeade would be somewhat of a shush drink but it was just liquid with crushed ice.

Sonic has two cherry lime beverages. One is a cherry lime slush complete with lime and cherry and the other is the Cherry Limeade which is made with Sprite or some such thing and the fruit and flavorings. In my opinion, the slush is much better than the limeade. In the spirit of full disclosures, I'm not a fan of carbonated beverages.

Veloute wrote:

Panther in the Den wrote:Most of the items were rather bland but the Cherry Limeades were pretty good and included a maraschino cherry and a wedge of lime. I thought the limeade would be somewhat of a shush drink but it was just liquid with crushed ice.

Sonic has two cherry lime beverages. One is a cherry lime slush complete with lime and cherry and the other is the Cherry Limeade which is made with Sprite or some such thing and the fruit and flavorings. In my opinion, the slush is much better than the limeade. In the spirit of full disclosures, I'm not a fan of carbonated beverages.

That is what I was looking for. I will give it a try next time thru.

Thanks!

you can also do a strawberry lime slush with real strawberrys/limes. you can request extra of both (strawberry and lime) and i think you can make the limeade diet if need be.

that's not Chicago I want one in CHICAGO.

The new Sonic in Belvidere (N. State St. - Business US 20 and Van Epps) opened yesterday. Took the family there after 7 p.m. where one of the Sonic's kids told us it would be an hour & half wait, but free melting mini sundaes were waiting for us at the end of the line stretching for about five blocks. Not wanting to disappoint the kids and wife, I thanked the Sonic kid and said we'll just go to the Algonquin location get served and be back in Rockford in the time we would have to wait in Belvidere. In Algonquin, those Diet Cherry-Limeades, Blue Coconut Creme Slushes were tasting mighty fine. I think the way they make the Super Sonic Cheeseburgers have changed for the better in some way, since in previous visits I have not cared for their burgers. This time it seemed the patties were thicker and the whole sandwich had a greater depth to its flavor. I hope this continues. The deep fried sides were just as blah as past visits. I think all four of us just go for the drinks and tolerate the meals. I figure if I can keep the family happy with these visits it is easier for me to make requests of them that are more adventurous.

abe_froeman wrote:They're putting one in up in Lake Zurich, too. On Rand/Rt. 12, just north of Rt. 22. I work down the street, so it will be nice to have another lunch option, but I'm not expecting brilliance.

How do they compare to Culver's, which is nearby?

Okay, before we get to Culver's, let me begin by telling all of you expressing your displeasure with Sonic that you're crazy. Sonic is wonderful fast food. Now, there are several caveats to its wonderfulness. One, you can't go to one in the suburbs. Also, if the Sonic is in a town with a population greater than 100,000, it's not really a Sonic. In fact, I'd be willing to hypothesize that the deliciousness of a particular Sonic is negatively correlated to the population of the town it's located in. The larger your town is, the less scrumptious those tater tots are gonna be. Second, as others have mentioned, you have to become a connoisseur of your drive-in menu. Burgers are very good, but only your standard cheeseburger; stay away from specialty burgers. Those new slushie things they have are ridiculous, what are they called again, I had a coconut one the other day, it's like a milkshake, I forget, but they're damn good. Also, if you're severely hungover and happen to be driving past a Sonic, I heartily recommend one of their bacon, egg, and cheese bistro sandwiches. It will kill the lingering queasiness in your gut, and besides, they're kind of yummy. The criticism of the tater tots is well-earned. The only time I've ever enjoyed them is in the aforementioned alcohol rehabilitation example. Also, as mentioned, the chicken stuff is pretty good, though I have a Zaxby's nearby, so if I need chicken, well, I'll go to the experts. If it's summer, just about anything weird off the Sonic drink menu is going to be an excellent pick. Nothing wrong with their fries. I don't know how they're doing it at the "Chicago" locations, but everywhere down here, they still bring your food on rollerskates; that's not a food related issue, but the inherent danger of dying a ludicrous death that they inherit each time they punch in for a shift makes it an easy decision to throw them a little tip for bringing me my cheeseburger and tots.
Now, Abe, with that off my chest, let me relate to you the advice that while Sonic does have its time and its place, it pales in comparison to a Culver's. I've lived in a town that had both, and while we went to each of them a comparable amount of times, we were in agreement that Culver's was in a different class. Go to Culver's.
Cheers.

EDIT: Something worth mentioning, especially to you Chicago people: Sonic wasn't meant for you. There's no reason for you to go there. You have a burger/gyros/chicken joint every other block, no matter what your zip code is. If I had the inclination and the recall prowess, I'd list off a hundred names of local destinations I used to go to at all hours that were better than Sonic. Sonic is for people who live in small towns that don't have a lot of options. Like me, now.

Thank you Expat. Finally, a voice of reason.
My wife is from a small town in Kansas and I
always look forward to going and visiting. The
in-laws are nice but the Sonic is
wonderfully delicious.
Certainly better than that nuclear waste dump, Five Guys.

I want Sonic for a couple things, and that's limeades, toaster sandwiches, and cheddar nuggets. I can't get those in my zip code, and that's why I want a Sonic close...

I'm from Peoria, IL. There are now 2-3 within easy driving distance, there. But only after I moved here

Also, Five Guys is meh. Fries are great, burgers are average. It's not a "nuclear waste dump" though. I'd eat there again, if someone else was buying.