Do you tip at Sonic?

[dex08]

Just curious if you tip the employees who bring your food out to you at Sonic Drive Ins??

DH and I are having a debate about this and I'm wondering what everyone else does.

 

[java]

Yes I tip if they bring it to the car-
If you don't want to tip do drive thru
jmho

 

[JB2K]

I've been patronizing Sonic Drive-Ins for over 30 years and I never tip, because all Sonic employees earn the same wages (most waiters/waitresses in a traditional restaurant setting only earn a couple of dollars an hour meaning they are working for tips).

For the previous poster who said they tipped because the food was brought to them, do you also do the same thing at Hardee's/Carl's Jr.?

 

[Shyvioletisme]

nope. Never tipped at Sonic and don't know anyone else who has either. All Sonic employees get paid at least minimum wage so it is not like they are getting menial restaurant salaries.

 

[lulubelle6188]

It's untrue that all workers make minimuim wage or the same pay. I've worked at Sonic for over 10 years and have always depended on tips. We did make minimuim wage up until the last wage increase this past July. At the Sonic I work at people that had been there got to keep what they were making ( I make $6.70 an hour) but all new hires make waitress pay plus a dollar (which is $3.13 here) we have about 5 carhops making that. I know carhops that were making that before the increase at other Sonics though. We also claim and pay taxes on tips. In fact Sonic just made a deal with the IRS and we had to sign paper agreeements to it. I guess I am biased and on the drive thru I understand, but not when we bring your food out. I'm not saying you should tip 20% or a bad server. Most people leave the change up to the dollar or a dollar. I think that is great. Some people leave more and that's certainly welcome I would say a little over half of people tip.
Tiffany

 

[Mickeypooh99]

It's untrue that all workers make minimuim wage or the same pay. I've worked at Sonic for over 10 years and have always depended on tips. We did make minimuim wage up until the last wage increase this past July. At the Sonic I work at people that had been there got to keep what they were making ( I make $6.70 an hour) but all new hires make waitress pay plus a dollar (which is $3.13 here) we have about 5 carhops making that. I know carhops that were making that before the increase at other Sonics though. We also claim and pay taxes on tips. In fact Sonic just made a deal with the IRS and we had to sign paper agreeements to it. I guess I am biased and on the drive thru I understand, but not when we bring your food out. I'm not saying you should tip 20% or a bad server. Most people leave the change up to the dollar or a dollar. I think that is great. Some people leave more and that's certainly welcome I would say a little over half of people tip.
Tiffany

At our Sonic we order and pay before we get our food. I'm not going to tip before I see what the service is like. They bring the food out in a bag, and we never see them again. If they brought the food on a tray, and then returned to ask how our meal was and pick up the tray I would probably leave a tip on the tray.

 

[JennyG]

It depends if we leave a tip or not at Sonic.

If we are paying with cash and have change left over... we try to gather up enough to give the server $1.00. If we are paying by debit or credit... then there is no tip. We too only tip when they come out to the car, not at the drive through.

Most of the time if I don't have cash, I wont go to Sonic... because I feel guilty to leave them high and dry.

I think we feel this way because our family has been going to Sonic since we were in grade school and feel that tipping is customary.

Although, we don't judge the customers who don't tip. It's just a matter of what you feel comfortable doing!

 

[Kay1]

It's untrue that all workers make minimuim wage or the same pay. I've worked at Sonic for over 10 years and have always depended on tips. We did make minimuim wage up until the last wage increase this past July. At the Sonic I work at people that had been there got to keep what they were making ( I make $6.70 an hour) but all new hires make waitress pay plus a dollar (which is $3.13 here) we have about 5 carhops making that. I know carhops that were making that before the increase at other Sonics though. We also claim and pay taxes on tips. In fact Sonic just made a deal with the IRS and we had to sign paper agreeements to it. I guess I am biased and on the drive thru I understand, but not when we bring your food out. I'm not saying you should tip 20% or a bad server. Most people leave the change up to the dollar or a dollar. I think that is great. Some people leave more and that's certainly welcome I would say a little over half of people tip.
Tiffany

Thank you for clearing that up,

 

[TexasTom]

I always tip at Sonic. But the way it's set up, not tipping is okay too.

 

[nashville_minnie]

I often pull in there by myself & just get a drink & usually on those trips I don't tip.

But if I am with someone else & we get food, we usually give 50 cents to one buck.

 

[WeDisney4]

I voted Yes!

 

[tar heel]

Wouldn't dream of not tipping if they bring it to my car. I usually just round up my bill if I'm alone or do a dollar if I have kids with me. I don't tip when I drive through.

 

[cats mom]

Yes I tip if they bring it to the car-
If you don't want to tip do drive thru
jmho

Except not all Sonic's have a drive thru window.

But the thing I dislike even more at the one near us is: even if you go inside, you don't have the option of walking up to a counter, ordering, and taking your food home or to your table yourself sans tip. You have to call on a phone to order, then one of the hops brings your food out to you.

I do tip at Sonic, but I admit that I do so rather begrudgingly because I dislike the heavy handed pressure to tip in a fast food setting. And I also probably go there less often than I would otherwise.

 

[maleficentmom]

I do tip usually .25-.50, i usually get 5.oo worth of drinks,no food.(no drive thru here either). Also,Sonic makes it seem like the tip is unnecessary by not giving you a place to enter one on the screen if you use a cc....so I never knew if you were really supposed to tip, but i usually do.

 

[sillysmom]

I am honestly shocked that some people don't tip at Sonic. I mean come on...they come out and deliver your order to your window, whatever the weather, and in my experience are always very helpful and friendly. We tip anyone that serves us food, the only exclusion would be a fast food restaurant. We also tip at the buffets the people that clean up our table. Gosh, I am really flabbergasted that some people mention that because they make minimum wage they don't tip. I'm quite sure that anyone who makes minimum wage, is struggling in this economy. IMO, If you can afford to go out to eat, you could afford to tip someone at least something.

 

[Goofyzgurl]

I have been tipping at Sonics, but like pp said, they just bring out your food, they don't come back to refill my drink, clear away the plates, etc like waitress do.

I'm quite sure that anyone who makes minimum wage, is struggling in this economy. IMO, If you can afford to go out to eat, you could afford to tip someone at least something.

I don't think we should base our tips on whether the person is struggling.
There are plenty of people who make min wage and struggling but I'm not going to tip every one of them. If they make min wage, then do I therefore have to tip everyone that helps me, the girl that checks me out at grocery stores, the bagger, etc...where do we draw the line? Yes I do tip waitress b/c they don't make min wage and they are dependent on the tip based on their service.

 

[mster425]

We tip anyone that serves us food, the only exclusion would be a fast food restaurant.

but isn't that exactly what Sonic is?

I've only been through the drive through, and only one time at that, but it seemed like fast food to me. I don't know that it would occur to me to tip there to be honest, for that reason, and I tip everyone!

And if those kids on skates aren't making minimum wage, that's a shame! They should be making hazard pay flying around on those things!

 

[HunnyPots]

Nope. Never have, never will. It's fast food, plain and simple. My son works every bit as hard at McDonalds (and yes, he often delivers food to cars during busy times) and does not receive or expect tips.

 

[Praise2Him]

I tip if I order food, but just for a drink, no. I save all my change (for Disney ), so I tip at least $1. And I hate it when the server says, "Do you need your change?" because, yes, I do; but they're basically asking for a tip. I used to feel guilty and say "no, you can keep it" but now I don't.

 

[Praying Colonel]

If they bring it to my car, I tip. That includes Sonic and any other restaurant that does curbside pickup.