America's Drive In

If you tip at Sonic you are an idiot.

My two biggest beefs?

1.       If you expect tips, work in a restaurant.

2.       Don’t name a restaurant after a fast speed, if you can almost guarantee slow service.

Tipping at Sonic is dumb, don’t do it. Everyone does it because they assume you should but let’s think about this logically. Sonic is a glorified drive through, the difference being they come out to your car, which is slightly invasive but whatever. Some people are so enthralled by the novelty of some one rollerskating to their car they happily fork over some of their money to pay someone who is making BY LAW, at least minimum wage, not server minimum wage… REGULAR MINIMUM WAGE *.

A long time ago, I worked at McDonald’s and did a (relatively) good job while there, and if I would have ever accepted a tip, I would have been summarily fired. Sonic employees are so used to people tipping, they have forgotten why the concept of tipping exists. Tipping is for good to exceptional service, that means full drinks, timely ordering, and a friendly server. You don’t have time to get any of those things at a sonic so why are you giving them your money?  Notice when you pay with a card, you aren’t even given the option to tip, and your food comes out a little bit slower, it is the servers complacency with tipping and the assumption one is not to be made, that keeps your food from coming.

I do have a  few things that will make me drop a buck or two or at least let them keep the coins and they are as follows.

1.       If you go out of your way to ensure I get everything I ordered and all the necessary condiments without having to go back, you win.

2.       If you “forget” to take my coupon, I might “forget” to ask for my change.

Now I am sure we have all worked a sh*t job for minimum wage, the goal is to get out of those jobs and into careers, fast food jobs are a means to an end, sure you can save up lots of money and buy cool stuff, but in the end no one wants to work at sonic for the rest of their life, so do all of the employees a favor and stop perpetuating this bullshit tipping system. They will thank you when they have a salary and don’t have to rely on keeping my 18 cents.

*Some stores pay their employees server wage through some weird loophole, I am too lazy to investigate which stores do and which stores don't. This is a flaw on my part.