“My problem is the quality of food. The new smash burger on the menu — have the creators ever had a smash burger? There was nothing smashing about it other than it looked like someone sat on it.”
That review, posted to a customer review site by a Sonic regular, cuts to the heart of a complaint that’s been growing for years. Sonic still has a devoted following – particularly for its drinks and seasonal treats – but a vocal contingent of longtime customers say the food side of the menu has drifted well below the standard they remember.
Sonic occupies a unique position in American fast food. The drive-in format, the carhops, the half-price happy hour drinks – it’s a nostalgia machine that no other chain can quite replicate. For many customers, that experience is still the draw. But the food itself is increasingly a sore spot.
The meat is the problem
The burger patties have taken the most heat. On Reddit and review boards alike, customers describe a product that has changed – smaller, less flavorful, less consistent than it was. “The last three times that I’ve had it, once in Tennessee and twice in Indiana, it has been absolutely horrible,” one Reddit user wrote. “The cheese didn’t melt and the fries were soggy.” On a Facebook thread about fast food chains that have fallen off, another customer put it plainly: “The quality of the meat at Sonic has changed. They just don’t taste the same.”
To be fair, Sonic still earns genuine praise for its drink menu and carhop service, and plenty of customers remain happy with what they’re getting. But the food complaints are consistent enough – and specific enough – to suggest something has shifted.
Service and reliability
Beyond the food, service inconsistency has become a recurring theme. Customers describe long waits, broken stall ordering systems, missing items, and difficulty getting issues resolved. One customer recounted paying for an order through the app, waiting 15 minutes without receiving it, and then being handed cold food after pressing the call button to follow up. Another described ordering an unsweetened tea three times at one location and receiving a sweet tea each time, only to be told by the carhop that she didn’t have time for the problem.
These aren’t universal experiences — good Sonic visits still happen, and the chain’s fans are quick to say so. But when a drive-in’s appeal rests heavily on the ease and pleasantness of the experience, service problems hit differently than they would at a standard fast food counter.
What do you think? Is Sonic smashing it out of the park? (Pardon the pun.) Or do you think it’s declined lately? Share your best (and worst) Sonic experiences in the comments!
Leave a Comment