crew member

carhop

assistant manager

cook

general manager

Sonic Drive-In

Working at a Drive-Thru like Sonic at first would seem rather ordinary, and it should be your typical entry-level job. However, the moment you stop thinking of Sonic as a young-adult's entry job, this place stats looking a lot less enticing. Sonic is fairly popular and there are reasons why. Sonic's menu covers a very wide range of products ranging from burgers to chicken; or slushies to ice cream shakes or cookies. Sonic also lets customers heavily customize their orders to the point of personalization. However, all of those things I just mentioned are also Sonic's biggest problem.

The overarching problem with working at Sonic is that Sonic's menu is too large and too complicated for the current equipment and procedures that Sonic implements. Sonic encourages speed when working there, but the procedures don't match this. Customers can ask for the most ridiculous combinations, and creations, many of which are nowhere to be found on the menu. This is bad for new hires because it will take quite a while to learn how to make/punch in everything on the menu. Some items outright can't be punched in to the carhop switchboards which is the key to everything in the restaurant in many cases. Sonic also constantly introduces new items monthly, and often times does a poor job explaining them to both employees and customers. Your manager will have you do an online activity that is meant to teach you about the new product and how to prepare it. But you only do it once and it isn't hands on, which means it's rather easy to forget how to prep these special products.

I'm not sure if these issues are confined to my Sonic Franchise or not, but Sonic also has an issue with equipment. Over the course of the first 2 months of summer, my Sonic's shake machine has broken down at least twice already. Sonic starts the "Sonic Nights" special during summer, which provides customers with 1/2 off shakes after 8:00pm. This scenario is absurd, if our shake machine busts then we're left with one blender to make shakes, blasts, and cream slushes, and when the stalls, drive-thru, order-ahead app, and uber-app can be rushed with orders that all have shakes, this is a recipe for frustration and disaster. The switchboards, and various other systems we use are very outdated. They have limited functions, and often times malfunction or just don't work. The speakers for the switchboards often times are full of static, or muffled, making orders more difficult to take than they need to be. The card reading machines we use are fragile, as you can get them to freeze accidently by pressing two buttons at the same time. They also have an unnecessarily hard time reading peoples cards. We also don't have any flexibility when it comes to payment options. It's either pay with card or pay with cash, you can't do both, which has angered many customers who didn't have the means to choose one. We have to scan-off every single order with our badge/cards otherwise our times build up, but our monitors may not read your card, which can bog down our momentum. All these gripes might come off as insignificant at first but they build up to create a frustrating experience.

These gripes can be fixed though, but it would be up to the managers and franchise owners to fix these issues. My higher-ups though come off as either indignant or apathetic. First off, my general manager rarely ever takes the time to do hands-on training with new hires. They just stick new people in the drive-thru window and then somehow expect them to know how everything in the restaurant works (it doesn't). Having new people work during the evening or night is also not a good idea, because the night shift is when the dinner rush happens, and we also have to start cleaning the store in order to get things closed down by 12:00am. We don't have time to train new people and do everything else, yet our manager seems to not notice or care. With everything that is mandatory to get done by 12:00 it would come off as ridiculous to expect 3 people to get everything done and deal with customers, yet our manager often only has 3 people working past 10:00pm, which is usually when another dinner rush. The manager's excuse being that our amount of labor won't allow this. But we get our butts kicked at night when we get swamped by customers from every angle. The store supervisor also claims to want to update our equipment, but he claims he won't do it because we're not making enough profit. Apparently, our sales have gone down in the past year, which is keeping him from buying new tech, but what if the outdated equipment and lack of crew members is the problem we're having?

Sonic overall, is bloated. It is trying way too hard to do as much as possible. I respect the restaurant for trying to diversify and please as many as possible, but if it isn't combined with streamlined procedures, and proper training, then it creates an unpleasant experience. I wouldn't have as much of a problem with these issues if it felt like I was compensated properly for it, but Sonic doesn't really do this. As far as I can tell, we don't get paid vacations, (I wouldn't expect to get that here) and our hours are sub-par. From what I know, we can actually start a college plan through Sonic which is cool, but I've never met a person who works here who's done this. The only other benefit we get is an employee discount, but it isn't very useful. First off, you have to be clocked in to use said discount, and you can't use it freely, as your manager has to unlock the ability to let you use it, and you can only use it on one meal's worth of food. So the company doesn't even trust us to use the discount.

When I first started at this job, management was okay and I was able to do the job properly. I got a quick training and they told me the basics of what to do. However, it was not as easy as I thought. I was not properly educated on their changer system and most of the new people always came up short on their tills meaning they were missing money. At certain times, I would have to take money out of my own pocket because my changer was short. If I counted all the money I put in, it would probably be a lot of money. As far as the employees, most of them succumb to stress and start not doing their jobs properly. People chill outside in the middle of the shift or even go as far as to go smoke while we need them on the inside. If you start working here, you most likely have to do more than what the job requires you to do. The equipment that they have ALWAYS messes up and is extremely outdated. They are certain days where the credit card readers aren't working, the screens start freezing in the middle of taking an order, and bits and pieces of an order are not coming through so you have to yell out what each person had. The headsets are terrible and you have to fish for the ones that won't static in your ear. I feel so bad because, at certain times, I genuinely cannot hear the customers and what they want. For example, in my last days, I came into work and the orders were not coming through on the bagging screen. So I had to print out every receipt in the drive-thru and tape them up so they could yell the orders out. I then had to go back and reopen the order and get their payment. God forbid something was wrong with their order and we would have to cancel the whole ticket. Possibly one of the most stressful days working at Sonic. Moving forward, the place is really nasty and there is often food and trash all over the floors. Most of the employees pull down their masks to their chins and only pull them up when they can be seen by customers. As for the gloves, I was very persistent in wearing gloves but most of the employees neglected to do so. The cooks almost always handle the customers' food with no gloves and I rarely ever see them go to the sink and wash their hands. None of the cooks (besides them being men) wear hairnets and the one who does is a manager. In relation to the work environment, it was so unprofessional and really drama-filled. In my time working here, there was always some drama going on. From being cursed out by a customer to having literal fights between the employees to the managers yelling in people's faces, it became an unpleasant working environment. One particular manager who is the GM constantly yells in people's faces and most of the employees are teenagers 16-20. A grown man should not be cursing and verbally abusing other people's children who work for the company of only which he is a general manager. From talking to the other employees, he has made fun of someone's weight, yelled in almost everyone's faces, and even resulted in impulsively firing people for no reason other than a simple mistake. When it came to scheduling and time off, he was very hasty and often gave me an attitude when I was trying to let him know that I needed a day off. I then became afraid to even talk to him because I am not an argumentative or angry person and I shy away from anything coming close to hostility or an argument. I believe managers should be emotionally supportive and take the employee's needs into consideration. However, no one cares about you or the job and it affects everyone. Lastly, there are some predatory employees that hit on the teenagers that work here. I have experienced this as I was a 17 year old and the other person was 27. He was constantly coming around me and say that he was waiting until I was 18 which made me extremely uncomfortable. That person has already left but it just comes to show that working here is not the right way to go. If you are a teenager and you are adamant about working at fast food, please work somewhere else where you will not get paid $5.50 and go through much-unneeded drama. I would go towards McDonald's or Wendy's if it is willingly possible. The only thing that could help this place is replacing the current GM with a more suitable, professional, and positive person who is willing to make it a positive work environment. Someone who cares about the health of others and the employees so they would enforce stricter mask and glove-wearing policies. Someone who does not conform to the health policies only when the audit or health inspection is coming. They need to give new people better training and knowledge of the job: how the changers work so they never come up short, where everything is on the order screens etc. They just about hire anyone who applies and it shows because a lot of people do not have the drive or the ambition to do what the job entails and only care about the paycheck that they receive. It is pretty apparent that this place needs a lot of work and if not, they are going to lose every good person that ever worked here.

It’s a good first job for a high school student because your next job can’t possibly get worse. Think of it as setting your standards to the lowest possible degree; it would be almost to be not content with your future place of employment because it is bound to be a better experience than what you experienced here. Sonic is like the misfortune of the food industry. There’s always something down or broken. At my particular sonic, our order system was severely outdated and was way more complicated to learn than it should have been. Our system would go down at least once a month and halt all means of service. Which in turn, would get customers upset at us even though we had no control over the situation. Our headsets even burnt out once, forcing us to take orders by hand and manually keep track of what was being served. A lot of other fast food places have a system in place where you enter the total amount of money a customer has given you and it automatically calculates it for you—not us. At least we have calculators on hand though.

Along with the technological issues, the nature of our chain forces us to be constantly understaffed. The allotted plot of land that a Sonic is built on is primarily taken up by parking spaces for stalls that customers can pull into. This forces the store itself to be built incredibly small, which means you can only cram so many employees into it. That number is usually never enough to keep up with the amount of business Sonic receives on a daily basis. So if you like your personal space, this may not be the job to apply for. You’ll get real close with your coworkers as a result of the close quarters.

Management is even more fun of a story. A lot don’t know what they’re doing, but It’s not like Sonic has an effective training course in place. On your first day, you’re literally going to be taught by a computer on how to do things and then it’s sink or swim from there on out. You never know with shift managers. During peak hours, they’ll either be the saving grace of the store or disappear into the back and leave the minimum wage workers to fend for themselves. Our system really doesn’t help the situation in any way either. It’s such a fast paced environment that orders are bound to get messed up or lost and it’s up to you to find a manager during a rush so you don’t have to deal with an angry customer personally. The environment is stressful and unorganized. Service at the speed of sound? Yeah right. Try not to stress though, minimum wage isn’t worth the wrinkles. 

It doesn’t look good so far, but there’s a reason I gave Sonic a 3 instead of a 1. While management will not work with you when the screens are piling up with late orders, they will work with you when it comes to scheduling. Hours are incredibly flexible and there is no demerit system if you’re ever to call off at a time that would be considered to be last minute in a more professional environment. That’s mostly because this isn’t a professional environment, which is a pro because dealing with HR is not fun. If you want a job with hours, you’ll get hours without a doubt considering our turnover rate. 

It’s also a really easy job. Go figure, they literally teach you how to do everything in a couple 5 minute computer courses. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be finishing orders in no time. The only issue is going to be getting overwhelmed when the orders start building faster than you can do. Sonic is actually a great place to perfect the skill of multitasking. And with the environment being so unrestrictive, you are granted more freedom than a lot of other places. You can cross train in other areas after about a month of working there, which makes you less likely to get terminated because it will make you more valuable of an employee. It’s actually really hard to get terminated unless you mess up big time. Great if you’re in serious need of a job. But the best thing about Sonic is going to be the people. They’re really the only reason I stayed for 10 months. The advantages to working at a place where only employees are allowed in the building are huge. It’s so much fun. Other than that, the only benefits you’ll get from working here is going to be 50% off food while on shift and free drinks.

Final thing, carhops are not obligated to split their tips with the store. I’ve always found this to be an unfair policy considering kitchen and fountain are the people who actually make the orders that they take out, but it’s whatever. So last word of advice, if you can’t tolerate people; apply for kitchen because you only have to interact with your coworkers. If you can tolerate people; apply for carhop because you will make tips and can keep them for yourself. Applying for crew member/front of the house is a losing wager; you still have to deal with people over headset, make ice cream and drinks, and you don’t make any extra money on the side. 

no longer work there was let go. training was horrible. i was put on drive thru by myself the second day i was there with no help at all. then was put in front of the computer to do training on it and was constantly interrupted because the computer they use for training is the same computer they use to run the store (i.e. cashing employees  out, sending requests for delivery to restock the products they were running low on such as slush mix, cups of different sizes, candy and whipped cream that needs to be restocked and that is used in making sundae's,shakes and drinks as well as other dessert foods
management was nice at first but then after a couple days i saw the way the manger really was. she would leave the restaurant and go outside and smoke or talk to friends which is not aloud. she swore all the time.the worst thing i think a manager could do and what she did do was call me at home and didn't ask me to come in to talk to her or anything she just said she was letting me go because i wasn't fast enough and she is sorry and to have a good day and wished me luck in the future. I guess for me if I was a manger I wouldn't let someone go over the phone I would do it respectfully in person and one on one and take their feelings into consideration and  not emberacce them in front of there coworkers who may also be there friend as well. they absolutely give you  no breaks at all. you could be working over eight hours on a shift and no breaks. they give you a discount on food that if you do order some you have to literally scarf it down and get back to work. they give you discounts on drinks as well but here is the kicker your discounts are only good if you get food or a drink while on the clock. so if your off the clock they wont give you your discount.
those are the hardest things about the job as well as how i feel about management as well. the worst thing is the way they train people. i dont know if it has changed or not but i hope it has. training for me was like this ( i need you to make me turtle fudge brownie sundae and a banana split sundae. then i said to them i don't know how to make those yet i was never shown how to make them. I was then told to go read the instructions on how to make them and might I add these instructions were completely blocked and by the blending machine and cannot be seen unless you move stuff around but you can't do that because then you would get into trouble because your not supposed to move anything unless your cleaning and you need to clean underneath or behind the appliance. oh and they tried to train me as a car hop and what happened then was the night they were "training me that had me shadow one of the nicer coworkers that was there and after a half hour i was told ok now you stay inside and take orders and help complete them as well. i was like okay because i'm the type of employee that does what my boss tells me to do. so I went and did what she asked. the next night i was told that i was the carhop for the night and given the change machine that clips to the aprons but for some reason my change machine wasn't clipping like it should witch was causeing problems for me so i asked the team lead if she would please help me out to fix the problem and the response i got was just clip it to your apron. mind you this same team leader after i fell and hit my head which she didn't see proceeded to tell me to not just stand around and to do something to which i replied to her by letting her know i had just fallen and hit my head on the ice machine. she then said she was sorry and if i felt ok i said no that my head really hurt she then proceeded to say ok you go ahead and go home and rest. to which i said shouldn't there be an accident report for me to fill out and she said no that it was fine then she proceeded to go to the check out box and punch in my code and clocked me out and said to go home. there is so much more that i would like to say but you can only type so much in the review box.

I love this job!  It's located close to where I live, the schedule is flexible, and the managers and co-workers (for the most part) are your average, quircky, down-to-earth people.

Things can get heated sometimes, but we're a growing team, and at the end of the day: We're usually having fun, playing some music in the background to keep us motivated, and tossing some funny jokes left-and-right to ensure we're pumped up throughout the rest of our day.

I came here for some part-time work and quick easy-cash, but stayed mostly for that family atmosphere and the delight of working with some "interesting" personalities - they know who they are.  Sonic is fun!  Sonic is fast-paced, skater-friendly, and competive - (insert: Dr. Pepper Sonic Games; look it up).

Don't know if you should work here?  Consider this, then.  Name one fast-food franchise in the area that does even 1 of the following: Multiple checkbacks to all customers served; a personal carhop/server equipped with a "smiley" tray at your beck and call; a drive-in; motivational and promotional events like holiday, dressup, sales events, and annual competitions between different stores; possible vacation trips (we went to Dollywood last year); SKATES; actually recognizing good performance in job roles, showing you are valued - even in a fast-food environment; SKATES; employee discounts; cool uniforms that change seasonally; chances to win awards if you test well during annual or promotional training; and ... did I mention SKATES, pretty sure I did?

Anyway, If you're a carhop: Your typical day revolves around the customer.  As soon as that food hits the tray, stop what your doing and get that food out.  Make sure to smile and try to get to know the customers (they have names, too).  Serve them, defend them, and be a surpising delight whenever your around them.

Positions include back-of-the-house and front-of-the-house - not an expert in the back (sorry cooks), but I'll shed a little light on the front.  You'll start off as a Fountain Associate making drinks, slushies, shakes, blasts, sundaes, et cetera; afterwords, you'll move on to the switchboard.  Switchboard Operators: Now's your chance to showcase your skills in customer service.  Learn to communicate effectively, implement proper conflict resolution (we used to employ B.L.A.S.T., but that disasterous strategy was replaced with Stop, Drop, and Roll), and thorough order and payment processing.

Once you've mastered the fountain and switchboard, only then will you have a chance to be a carhop and show people what *true* customer service is really all about here at Sonic.

I've learned a lot (too much to detail here), but most of what I've learned is just a refresher from past experiences which served to reinforce some core skills that I already have.  You're going to deal with pleasant customers, and ... not so pleasant customers.  Don't let it ruin your day (I see people get easily agitated over the most trivial things, but professionals will soar past them.).

What's the hardest part of the job, you ask?  Can't think of any!  I used to work in the military and factory jobs, so take it from me: It's not that difficult.

All-in-all, at least in Greeneville, I think you'll like it down here at Sonic, and who knows: You might even see me there from time-to-time (I'm Mike, by the way).  Management is very reasonable and is willing to work with you, provided that you are a responsible and reasonable human being yourself.

So, there's my 2 cents.  Apply if you want, get hired, and make yourself a Cherry Limeade in celebration - RT44 if it's your first day.  Good luck!

Carhop extraordinaire, signing off...

A typical shift at Sonic is a bit of a mix for me. Most days, were good, fun and then there were those couple days out of the work week where it felt dreadful, i'd be forced into a bad mood by one of the managers/shift leaders. It was as if that is what this person looked forward to anytime they knew i'd be working on their shift, you could just feel the hatred radiating off of this person. Hatred not only for me, but everyone including themselves.You just knew this person hated themselves so much, that the only thing that would make them feel better about themselves is yelling at carhops or cooks about anything they could, no matter how small, for the sole purpose of making them feel like garbage. And this person would do this every single shift they worked. I thought about walking out at least 3 times a night every time i had to work on their shifts. The tips there were trash.. During the week id make no more than $20, which was somehow considered good or decent. and on the weekends i never made more than $30.. The majority of the time I'd would leave with $8-$10 during the week and on weekends almost always $20-$25. There were even a few times i left with literal change. There are 3 managers/shift leaders that actually do their jobs correctly and for the most part treat everyone with fairness. The other managers/shift leaders are insanely rude, love to play favorites, and they will often pick on newly hired employees and are just terribly backwards and just unprofessional. If they don't like you for whatever reason, they will watch you like a hawk, and wait until you do something wrong, no matter how small, just so they can yell at you. It's borderline harassment. They yell and cuss at you to do one thing, then turn around and continue to yell at you some more, complaining that you were supposed to do the opposite of what they just asked of you. They expect you to already know how to do your job and don't attempt to train you, so expect to ask your new coworkers a lot of questions if you want to learn anything. There are no "3 days of training".  They give you a run down really quick and throw you out there. I doubt other Sonics are like this one, or at least i would hope not. The only way ive been able to bear it this long is bc: #1. I have to pay bills and feed myself and #2. My coworkers and those couple of managers mentioned earlier have grown on me. The hardest part of this job is literally having to train yourself on everything, accept that youre going to be treated obviously unfair, especially if you're not "liked". And it doesnt take much for them to not like you and start nitpicking everything you do. Its almost like they're just waiting for the tiniest excuse. Youre allowed 15mins break after 2 hrs of being there and best believe you better be back inside in exactly 15mins. If not, expect to be yelled at. Unless you're dating one of the managers or are just on their good side, or related to one of them; if any of those apply then your 15 min break magically turns into 30-45mins along with a free meal. Lets see, what else is there..Oh yea, they all talk about each other as soon as that person is gone. And these are supposed to be managers and shift leaders.. And they wonder why their turnover rate is so bad, they're always short and are always hiring. This is a serious review, not intentionally trying to be hateful, i know it may sound like it. Like i said, if you do decide to work there, i guarantee that you're gonna have maybe one or 2 managers that you'll get along with, and you will immediately witness and go through everything mentioned in this review.

Working at Sonic Drive-In offers a unique and dynamic experience that can be both rewarding and challenging. Here’s a detailed review based on various aspects of the job:

Work Environment
The atmosphere at Sonic is generally fast-paced and vibrant, reflecting its status as a popular drive-in restaurant. Employees often enjoy a lively work environment with a focus on teamwork and customer service. The restaurant's drive-in model means staff interact directly with customers, often bringing food to their cars on roller skates, which adds a fun and energetic element to the job.

Job Roles and Responsibilities
Employees at Sonic can take on various roles, from carhops and cooks to cashiers and shift leaders. Each position has its own set of responsibilities, but all require a strong emphasis on customer service and efficiency. Carhops, in particular, need to have good coordination and balance if they're on skates, and all employees must be prepared for busy periods, especially during meal times and promotions.

Training and Development
Sonic provides comprehensive training for new hires, ensuring they understand their specific duties and the overall operation of the restaurant. This includes learning about food preparation, order accuracy, and customer interaction. Opportunities for advancement are available, with employees who demonstrate strong performance and leadership skills often moving up to management positions.

Work-Life Balance
The work schedule at Sonic can be flexible, which is great for students or those looking for part-time work. However, the nature of the restaurant industry means that employees might need to work late hours, weekends, and holidays. This can make balancing work with personal life challenging, especially during peak times.

Compensation and Benefits
Pay at Sonic is typically in line with the fast-food industry, with hourly wages for entry-level positions. Tips can significantly supplement income for carhops, which is a nice perk. Benefits such as health insurance and paid time off are usually available for full-time employees, although they may vary depending on the franchise owner.

Management and Leadership
The quality of management at Sonic can vary widely between different locations. Good managers are known to foster a positive work environment, provide support and feedback, and handle customer issues efficiently. However, some locations may suffer from less effective management, which can affect overall job satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Culture and Values
Sonic places a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction and community involvement. Employees often participate in local events and fundraisers, which can be rewarding and help build a sense of camaraderie among staff. The company culture tends to be inclusive and supportive, though, like any workplace, experiences can vary.

Pros and Cons
Pros:

Fun, energetic work environment
Opportunities for tips (carhops)
Flexible scheduling
Potential for advancement
Cons:

Physically demanding (especially for carhops)
Can be stressful during busy periods
Variable management quality
Often requires working evenings, weekends, and holidays
Conclusion
Working at Sonic can be a great job for those who thrive in a fast-paced, customer-facing role and enjoy a bit of physical activity on the job. While there are challenges, particularly related to work-life balance and management variability, the opportunities for tips, flexible scheduling, and career advancement make it an appealing option for many.

When I first started working at Sonic, the management was very friendly and i enjoyed the company of my co-workers. Since I had fast food experience, I caught on very quick and was moved to full-time after the first week. I was made the primary grill cook during peak sales hours, as I was the fastest of the grill crew in the store. The assistant and store managers were very nice and easy to work with at the time. After I had been working for about 3 months, they offered me a manager position, on the condition that I remain at Sonic for at least a year. I accepted their offer and began training as a manager. A few months passed and I had learned everything a manager needed to do, and performed manager tasks regularly, but still received minimum wage. Just before I could ask for a raise and official promotion, our store manager announced she had found a new job and we would be under new management. Once the new store manager stepped in, I showed off my work ethic and speed in the grill, only to have my hard work go unnoticed. The assistant manager, however, still liked me very much and always gave me praises for my hard work. Since I was still unofficially a manager, I was not allowed to take breaks, so the assistant manager always allowed me to ring up a meal at the end of the day. On Super Bowl Sunday, I worked with only the new store manager. She ordered pizza from Papa John's and told me I could take one home with me, so I put it in the walk-in refrigerator. At the end of my shift, I put my coat on, went to get my pizza and two milks, I was going to ring up, out of the walk in. I grabbed the pizza, put the milk in my pocket, and started to walk up front, so I could ring in my milks before I left. just as I got out of the walk-in, the new store manager saw me and asked me to show her what was in my pockets. I pulled out the two milks and told her I was on my way to ring them up so that our system would account for them. She told me I had to put them back because, "I was trying to steal them." I tried to plea my case, but ultimately I put the milks back, because she was my boss and I had to do what she said. After I put them back, she asked what I thought she should do about the situation, as if I had been caught stealing multiple times. I told her, "it won't happen again," and asked why she could eat all she wanted, whenever she wanted, and give out hundreds of dollars worth of free food to her friends and family. Feeling threatened, she replied, "because I ring it in the system," even though this was not entirely true, at all. She then told me she was going to talk to the store's owners about this, and if they saw it fit, they would, "get rid of me." I said okay and went home with my pizza. The next day, I was scheduled to work, and showed up on time. The new manager was waiting for me up front with a write up. It read, "yesterday you were 30 minutes late...and tried to steal 2 milks, for these reasons, we have to let you go." I asked if this was serious and she told me it was, so I signed the piece of paper and left, because I never wanted to work for her again, and it felt too late to fight to get my job back. I am very pleased and happy, now that I no longer work there, and wouldn't recommend this specific Drive-Inn, because, even as one of the store's hardest working and most reliable individuals, I was still treated unfairly, from what I partially feel was because of the color of my skin and my upbeat attitude.

When I first started here everything was great this was my first job ever and for a short time I enjoyed it. However as time went on it got worse and worse. Employees were rude to one another and when management was informed you were told to stop and that was it. However if you were in a situation with someone who was considered a favorite of the managers then you basically got away with whatever you wanted and never and I literally mean never got in trouble. Then came my oh so favorite employee meeting where every carhop was informed that we literally had to start running, yes I mean legit run like a dog is chasing you. This was news to me and when I questioned when this came into effect they said it always had been. Wait hold on "always in effect". Upon my hiring I was not informed of this nor was I informed of this during my training. So of course I brought up the issue of safety. Cars tend to leak oil at times and no matter what shoes you have on you will slip and fall which could then lead to bigger issues so when I brought this up I was told simply you just won't carhop if you don't run. Now there are carhops who are physically unable to run due to knee, ankle, or leg problems. Some carhops were pregnant at this time and others would just be getting out of high school sports and then have to come to work and run or get in trouble or fired was highly aggitating since I was not informed of this when I was trained or hired. Now I was informed of always moving with a sense of urgency which I did but I was not okay with putting my safety at risk. There was also the issue of rain. Now light rain okay there was no problem but when it was a steady rain or worse pouring rain and customers parked across the lot we still had to go out into it. During the winter months you might as well forget about staying dry and warm there were times when I literally had ice in my shoes from walking in the rain and cold to cars across the lot. When I informed my general manager of this and asked if we could simply ask the customer to move closer to the building or go through the drive thru for safety concerns he said no it's not lightening outside so you have to do it. During the summer it wasn't so bad until you got back inside wet and well it might as well be winter again. Back to the matter of employees. There were several occasions where an employee would be smoking weed in their car during their break and would come in high. I won't even begin to address the smell that came with that. When I informed a manager once again nothing was done. Now I understand every Sonic is different and operates differently. But being paid $3.13 an hour did not make up for the rest I had to endure. There was also the issue of tips. We were required to make $4 an hour in tips. Well with being in a small town and sometimes working with two other carhops I hardly ever made my tip rate. It wasn't because I was terrible and made the customer feel unwanted some people just don't have cash on them or don't understand we rely on tips. And when the tip rate wasn't made we got in trouble unless of course you were a favorite. After less then a year of working here I am ready to leave. It was poorly managed and coworkers were terrible.

A typical work day would consist arriving at least 10 minutes before shift being in uniform having skates on name tag and visor on as well. Depending on the time you came in really determined what u would do when first clocking in morning crew focused more on prep and taking care of the school rush when school was in session. 9 am-11am were slower which allowed me to stock up front back up and prepare everything for the lunch rush, also cleaning any mess that had been made during morning rush and finishing the upfront prep so throughout the day we wouldn't run out. Lunch rush would hit usually 11:30am-1:00pm during this time business picked up and you were to work fast get the orders out quickly and keep customer happy, years ago when I first started this job it ran smooth everybody worked as a team and everything was done effectively. past few years under went a lot of management changes and during all that the crew we was fell apart, new management didn't really have any management abilities only a title which allowed a power trip. the store would be busy but most employees would be huddled together laughing talking on their plans for the upcoming weekend everything expect work and regardless how busy with customers we were they didn't try to help those of us that were trying to keep customers happy and not wanting them to wait long on their orders, those fellow employees had more important matters and once their conversations ended then they would decide to help somewhat. Their would be employees and managers on their phones instead of making orders or helping with clean up, standing around watching you do everything but they did nothing but run up the clock and get paid. everyday someone of authority was going to yell and tell you to work harder faster or you do this go do that I'm going to write you up threats of write ups and being terminated if we didn't do our jobs and handle what needed to be done, but then they would sit at the desk or disappear outside for hours leaving only a few of us inside trying to take orders make orders make drinks bag food serve customers and same thing over and over and once they felt like working again they would come back upfront as though their actions were fine but us that had been busting hard to take care of anything often got told we didn't deserve a 5 minute smoke break regardless if they had been out for 2-3 hrs. happy hour 2pm-4pm also school rush when weather was good our business would be too and often from 2:30-4:30 there was no slow down it was none stop go go go this time too managers would find a way to fall back and talk or go sit in vehicles outside when we could use their help, once again those they actually did work got in trouble if times and shift wasn't good enough... end of afternoon when slowed down enough sweep lot take out trash stalk up the upfront clean up prepare everything for night shift count money down drop in the vault clock out and leave irritated frustrated tired and displeased with how the day went.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Crew member 1562 salaries reported	$12.03 per hour
Carhop 1034 salaries reported	$11.47 per hour
Assistant manager 1660 salaries reported	$15.18 per hour
Cook 1217 salaries reported	$12.34 per hour
General manager 583 salaries reported	$61,328 per year

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