Sonic Drive-In — Restaurant in Athens

SECOND UPDATE - 3/20/2019

The last time we came to this Sonic was two years ago. After the terrible experience we had (below) we never went back. We drove by a lot the last two years and noticed changes and updates, but could never bring ourselves to come back.

Tonight we decided to give Sonic another go. We pulled up and noticed the newer order screens immediately. The ordering process was quick and easy. Seeing what we ordered come up on the screen was awesome. We were also responded to less that 15 seconds after we pressed the red button.

About 7 minutes after ordering and paying, our order came out. It was 100% correct and our carhop was friendly and accommodating. Our food was cooked perfectly, delicious, and again, every single aspect of our order was correct. I can not stress how reassuring this was. (We ordered chili cheese coneys, ched'r'peppers, pretzel twists, and the bigger brunch burger. All super yum.)

We will be returning. I did not think we would but apparently a lot has changed since we were here last and there were clearly good changes.

UPDATE: FOOD POISONING!!! Myself, my husband, and our daughter have heaved all night!!!!! IT IS ALMOST 2 AM AND WE ALL HAVE ONLY NOW STOPPED VOMITING!! DO NOT EAT HERE!! THE INCOMPETANT EMPLOYEES IS BAD ENOUGH, BUT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE FOOD!!!

Original review: Two young guys working inside tonight were in a hurry to close (even though it was only 7:45 pm when we placed our order). They mixed up 3 different orders (ours included) as told by the woman who brought our food out. We waited over an hour to receive our new order and had we not already paid we'd have left. Once our order did finally arrive, my husband's #4 combo had onions instead of an onion ring AND his burger was cold.

Honestly, this isn't the first bad experience we've had at this Sonic. We've been coming to this Sonic for 4 years. We avoided it for over 8 months a while back because of the service. We thought maybe it had improved so came back tonight. Big nope. Employees are in dire need of training or retraining or something. What a mess. We won't be coming back. It's just...

I pulled in at 10pm on Saturday evening to get 4 milkshakes for my kids. There was 6 cars in the other stalls and the drive through was backed up almost to the road. So I went to a stall. I set there with the button pushed for at least 10 minutes. No answer so I moved over to another stall pushed the button and waited and waited and I was just about to pull out and get in the drive through and the lady came over and said I’m sorry but we’re drive through only. Ummmm why Is that? I wish they told me 20 minutes before. If the stalls are closed put up a sign saying so. Then I won’t waist my time setting there. Also if your only doing drive through why is it moving so slow? Sonics slogan is "Service With the Speed of Sound." Lol yea right not the one in Athens. I have always had very slow poor service out of this one. So I said screw setting in the drive through that is all the way to the road now. I went to one in Madison about 15 minutes out of my way pulled right in to a stall they took my order in about a minute after pushing the button and I had my milkshakes in my hand about 3-4 minutes later. I gave the lady a $20 tip. How can this sonic have the stalls open and run so smooth and fast? Compared to the sonic in Athens that is drive through only can’t even let you know that with a sign. With there drive through backed up to the road? You can’t even get in to order unless you’re going to set in the right lane of Hwy72. I will never go back to the sonic in Athens until I see a sign that says under new management. I stop at the sonic in Madison all the time for lunch or on my way home for work but when I’m in Athens I avoid sonic like someone with COVID-19. Then I’ll slip up about once a year and stop in and every time I have the worst experience ever. I think this is the 3rd bad review I have left them in the last 3 years. Please reply with a way for me to talk to the owner of the sonic in Athens. Please so I can tell you how poor of a job your employees are...

I came with a group of 4 including myself, there were no available stalls and 2 were being used by people standing and ordering. We decided to order at the patio, they only have one stall on the patio. One went up and pressed the button and ordered, she then ended saying it’ll be 4 separate checks (annoying, i know) however it’s still something we wanted to do. The worker on the speaker then said “we can’t do 4 separate to one order. Only 1 or 2” so we said that’d be all for that order and she said the total and cut off the speaker. I then went and pressed the button again for my order and she answered asking for my order. I started telling her and she proceeded to then yell out of the speaker “ WE CANT DO 4 SEPARATE ORDERS” and a few other things I can’t even remember I was so taken aback. There was no need AT ALL to yell or speak to me like that and also, she said HERSELF she can do 2 separate checks. That was the second order she said we could do?? I asked her how we were supposed to order then?? since she’s just yelled at me through the speaker. She didn’t respond and we didn’t hear anything from the speaker. A different worker came out and told us to use the separate stalls so it would be easier and told my friend it’s something with the card they use. I used to work at Sonic and I know it’s doable. If they changed that then okay! you could try explaining that to me before yelling at me for something you said was possible. We did in fact still order and the food was all correct and okay. The service needs to be changed though. If you do not want more than 1 separate check, try installing more stalls on the patio or coming up with a better solution. Also, try practicing patience and kindness maybe? I hope you have a better night since you obviously were not having a good one! It really could’ve been explained and talked about beforehand but you decided to...