Sonic Drive-In — Restaurant in Athens

This Sonic is a good location. This is an update to an earlier review and I am not changing the score, because I want this store's score to stay up, because they deserve it as an individual location, but I will not be going here anymore most likely.

Sonic Drive-In is owned by a private equity group known as Roark Capital Group, and as much as I want to support this location, money for their food will not go to the employees. If whomsoever reads this doesn't know, they can look up Roark Capital Group on multiple search engines to adjust for manipulation. I will not write a thesis here. This is long for a review, but this is not academic.

I can not, in good faith, go here anymore or any other Sonic while Roark still owns Sonic at large. Now, there's a chance that this is a location independent of Roark, but I'd rather not take a chance to eat here or any other location that might be owned by Roark if I'm not supporting the employees but some private equity group. I would love to go here again, and I'm sure there will be a reason to come here for friends and family, but I'm going to resist that pull as much as possible. I will order nothing even if they offer to pay for it. Even it's not my money, I can't support Roark and I especially can't with my money I have due to companies like Roark that underpay their employees (for clarification, I don't believe I've worked for a Roark company or Sonic so I don't think there's a conflict of interest, but the mentality is common) that have exploited this economy and have only increased their exploitation and seem intent to do so.

If I'm wrong regarding this location's independence from Roark, I believe that the owner of the location can clarify here as a response to the review. Or they can not respond, which I will assume that they are part of Roark in lieu of a response.

(I will note that in my experience at a different job, sometimes whoever responds is not even the store manager but someone with no connection to the location, so bear in mind that whoever may respond may not work here.)

I don't need Sonic even when I want it, but I don't want it so much that I am unable to choose other options while I still can and while I have food in my refrigerator while I still have a refrigerator until the refrigerator company somehow owns the fridge instead of us, because with the stroke of a pen, they might find a way.

Even when I tip, I'm supplementing what an employee could be paid, which is not my duty but theirs. I would rather pay more elsewhere if the employees are being paid a fair wage, or better, ideally. These employees will still get paid. I don't cry on the days I don't go to Sonic because someone's being stiffed at most $2 for one order. To the extent that I feel sadness is that they are being stiffed $2 by the corporations every time they deliver an order. I personally feel like I'm doing the company's labor for them by tipping and I myself learned to not mind receiving tips in past service jobs even if I did a good job. I wouldn't turn it down if I did receive a tip, and it hurts a bit to not receive a tip, but unless they were rude, the sting didn't last, because I'd rather them keep their own money than the customer to help my employee to underpay me.

Tips are complimentary after all, and not supplementary. I'm not the employer. I don't supplement.

This might be a futile protest, but nothing is more futile than silence, so I'd rather speak out and inform. If this and every Sonic closes, the employees can find a job somewhere else, and hopefully, they may not be exploited as much as they would not necessarily by management here, which is not my issue of which I can speak of, but by Roark, which is something that I'm not willing to trust.

May everyone who works here and reading this find, build, make, and share peace. I love the employees of this location very dearly, as a customer, because I don't know any of them that personally. I'm writing this to remove this thought out of my system, so I can move on and maybe help...

This morning like every morning I went to Sonic to get my RT 44 drink of choice. On the weekends I usually get to see one of my favorite kids who at 16 has the best work ethic of anyone.. This morning Zach wasn't there and I was so disappointed not seeing his happy, spirit even though it is on a Sunday morning.. I have always told Zach since I met him over a year ago that he is going to be something some day because of his go get it attitude.. His parents really should be proud of him by the way he presents himself at work and with customers. I love mostly everyone at the Sonic in Athens but everyone knows how much I have always admired Zach . I hope one day when your a doctor, lawyer, scientist or dentist you don't forget about your favorite customer.. Thank you Zach for always blessing me when your at work.. Remember people are always going to be jealous of you but what do I always tell you to do"SHAKE IT OFF". Thank you...

When I crave a one of a kind footlong chili cheese hot dog. This is where I go. I had pulled through one night. I ordered, got to the window. And while I was talking to her on the phone. I had just paided for our order. And she fell. I reacted and drkve off. After I had got home. I found her in the floor. She was okay, and I helped her up. She asked where were the foot longs. It dawned on me. I paid, and drove off without them. I called, they were closing. I told them I was 5-10 minutes down the road. They told me, the lights would be out. But, just come through the drive through and pick up the order. When I arrived, the young man at the window. He asked, is your wife alright? I told him yes. He said, I heard you talking on the phone when she fell. I knew you would be back. I kept them on the warmer. This Sonic gives service above and beyond their job. Thank you Sonic of...