Sonic Closed

All of the Sonics in my area closed. I heard the franchises were owned by the same person.

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Wow. I'm guessing it is a local owner. If you had signed up for a few, I guess you would still get the $3? I hope it's temporary. Possibly someone tested positive, but you wouldn't think all of them. I thought carhop service was doing great in the covid environment.

I am in CA and our Sonics are still open and mystery shopping is still being offered.

Three I used to shop are closed -- but the bells tolled for them long before COVID.

Sonic was one of the firms that was allowed to qualify as a small business to get a huge amoung of Small Business forgivable loans under the CARES Act. Some think that was actually not allowed under the act. Wonder if their franchisees actually got any of those loans.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

One of the Sonics I shop is a franchise owned by one company or owner. I shopped them back in the spring, but haven't seen any shops recently.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

There are two in my area that are open for drive-thru and drive-in.

I refuse to shop them. I pulled up in a big SUV a couple of years back. I saw the kitchen through the drive thru window. No more. It's gross. There's only one near me. There's a new (2 years?) Popeye's in the parking lot. That's much busier. So many better, cleaner and healthier places to eat around here anyway.

@SoCalMama wrote:

I refuse to shop them. I pulled up in a big SUV a couple of years back. I saw the kitchen through the drive thru window. No more. It's gross. There's only one near me. There's a new (2 years?) Popeye's in the parking lot. That's much busier. So many better, cleaner and healthier places to eat around here anyway.

Have you seen the kitchens of the other restaurants that you say are cleaner?

I just did a Sonic shop an hour ago.

Sonic is my favorite place to grab a quick lunch on a workday when I'm by myself.

@1forum1 wrote:

There are two in my area that are open for drive-thru and drive-in.

Same here. I have one scheduled in early January.

@SoCalMama wrote:

I refuse to shop them. I pulled up in a big SUV a couple of years back. I saw the kitchen through the drive thru window. No more. It's gross. There's only one near me. There's a new (2 years?) Popeye's in the parking lot. That's much busier. So many better, cleaner and healthier places to eat around here anyway.

Just out of curiosity, is Popeye's shopped? They've been expanding their presence in my area and I've never been to one.

They are shopped, but as a revealed soda shop.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

They not closed. I am seen them each month with the same co. I am not taking them because regardless of scenario I am considering that person deliver my order in very close proximity less than 6 feet. Plus I have problem with left arm.

Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009

@HonnyBrown wrote:

They are shopped, but as a revealed soda shop.

I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with the term "revealed soda shop." What does that mean? You tell them you're a shopper and order a soda?

I believe you order and see if they upsell you by asking if you want a soda. I can't remember if they have to ask if you want a specific brand name or not, but I think so.

Then you reveal yourself and ask for a manager and have them sign a sheet telling if it was successful you have them list the employees on duty to get rewarded by gift cards.

No, you order an item and see if they offer you a soda. Then you do the reveal and give the manager a pack of gift cards for the staff if they offered the drink. If they didn’t you give them an “oops” card. These shops are really fun if the location passes and really awkward if they don’t. Add in the hassle of getting and returning the gift cards and these shops are not for everyone, but in my area they’re for someone as they get scheduled at paltry fees.

@MisterBill wrote:

@SoCalMama wrote:

I refuse to shop them. I pulled up in a big SUV a couple of years back. I saw the kitchen through the drive thru window. No more. It's gross. There's only one near me. There's a new (2 years?) Popeye's in the parking lot. That's much busier. So many better, cleaner and healthier places to eat around here anyway.
Have you seen the kitchens of the other restaurants that you say are cleaner?

When the staff is standing in some sort of standing liquid and touching everything with no gloves, touching their faces and handling money then never getting near a sink to wash hands, I'm gonna say, "Every other kitchen is cleaner."

Sorry that I listed 2 companies that have been out of business for a decade.
Typical

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/2020 07:37PM by SoCalMama.

Moderator Note:

Post removed for violation of Posting Guidelines. "Do not reveal the clients of mystery shopping companies". Feel free to re-post without the violation. Thank you.

@NinS wrote:

No, you order an item and see if they offer you a soda. Then you do the reveal and give the manager a pack of gift cards for the staff if they offered the drink. If they didn’t you give them an “oops” card. These shops are really fun if the location passes and really awkward if they don’t. Add in the hassle of getting and returning the gift cards and these shops are not for everyone, but in my area they’re for someone as they get scheduled at paltry fees.

Ah thanks. I did one of those, hated it. Never again.

As I wrote, all of the Sonics in MY area are closed. The assignments are off the board. They are franchises, so they can be open in other areas. Sadly, a lot of businesses have closed in my area. They can't survive with all the restrictions and closures, especially with the lack of government help.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/21/2020 02:04PM by marg704.

Hmm.. there is a Popeye's about to open near me. I gotta find out who shops them! I've done the soda shops but those are just periodic, and I have not seen one in some time.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/2020 04:44PM by MisterBill.

Moderator Note:

Quoted portion removed for violation of Posting Guidelines.

That may be why the MSC doesn't ask if the kitchen is clean.

@SoCalMama wrote:

I refuse to shop them. I pulled up in a big SUV a couple of years back. I saw the kitchen through the drive thru window. No more. It's gross. There's only one near me. There's a new (2 years?) Popeye's in the parking lot. That's much busier. So many better, cleaner and healthier places to eat around here anyway.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

@marg704 wrote:

As I wrote, all of the Sonics in MY area are closed. The assignments are off the board. They are franchises, so they can be open in other areas. Sadly, a lot of businesses have closed in my area. They can't survive with all the restrictions and closures, especially with the lack of government help.

I would think that Sonic, where people eat in their cars or outdoors instead of in the restaurant, would be better suited towards surviving the restrictions. The restaurant closest to me (but still 30+ minutes away) closed a couple of years ago. I found it odd given that they were on a major road.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/2020 12:31AM by MisterBill.

I like Sonic. However they put way to much ice in their drinks and they do not have the bacon club Toaster in my area.. I have been to other Sonic's and they have the Bacon Club Toaster.

I wish we can get drinks with little or no ice in our drinks.. This does not effect any timings.

As I stated a few comments above, Sonic is open for business in California. There are shop offers all the time. Any restaurant chain who is still having their places of business mystery shopped in this current environment must be pretty financially stable.

The Sonics in my area are open and doing well in terms of business volume from what I can see. During the warmer months, they were always busy, sometimes with all the stalls full and the drive thrus backed up multiple cars. Now that it is colder, they aren't AS busy but business still seems good. I do think they are faring much better in this covid-environment due to their setup (i.e. eat in your own car).

I agree with @Isaiah4031a that they put WAY too much ice in their drinks. Even if you ask for easy ice (not during a shop), they still end up filling it up with ice.

@marg704 wrote:

All of the Sonics in my area closed. I heard the franchises were owned by the same person.

Are you in Pennnsylvania? I know a whole bunch of closed over there when the franchisee went bankrupt.

In my area between 2 and 4 they have happy hour and you can get CUPS OF ICE for half price. I never go to Sonic unless it is for an shop. Unless I am picking up an drink for my wife..

The next time I do an Sonic shop I should ask Why do you put lots of ice in your drinks.. May be I could ask for ice on the side.. While they are cooking my burger they can fill my drink w/out ice.. This will not effect timings.

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