Sonic Drive-In — Restaurant in Denver

I'm pasting what I just submitted in an official Sonic survey from 4-9-24: I've been to literally over a hundred Sonics in my lifetime, from Atlanta, to New Mexico, to Colorado, and many states in between. I worked at one in North Louisiana when I was 16, over 20 years ago. Now, after many travels, I live in Colorado Springs. I frequent the local Sonics here also. However, within the last year I've discovered this Sonic on Tamarac in the Denver area. I have appointments in the mornings nearby, and one morning I decided to stop at this Sonic for a burger (I prefer lunch over breakfast). I ordered a #1 Sonic Burger and a drink and when I got it, I was amazed. It looked like something you'd see out of the commercial. Everything looked FRESH, and not thrown and jumbled together like most burgers, but like the lettuce and onions and all of the toppings were hand picked and placed perfectly. The meat was perfectly cooked, hot, and juicy, and best of all the bun, was plump, not smashed or anything. It was probably the most delicious Sonic Burger I've had in memory and I definitely made a mental note. I noticed that the guy that handed it to me was doing a lot of work there not just drive thru window, and was very friendly. I didn't know his name. I've been 5 times since to this location, spread about a month apart. The second time I went, I did not expect such great results a second time, surely it must have been a fluke. This time, I got the guys name. Alex. He looked like he is the manager based on how friendly he was and how much he was involved. One visit, the morning after a heavy snow, Sonic was open and it looked like it was just him , POSSIBLY one other employee working. But I noticed EACH visit he was there, and EACH time the food was prepared top notch, like we weren't just customers getting food, but that each item was prepared with purpose to keep the customer coming back. This last time, on 4-9-24, I realized I forgot my wallet. Alex was there and stated they didn't have tap to pay, but I could order in the app. So I did so. I had been meaning to write a Google review by now for this location but the survey requested by the email I received hopefully will be seen by the right people. I'm not sure what's behind the quality of food and quality of service at this location but I'm sure good management comes to play and I know every time I've been to this location, Alex was working. The length and high praise of this survey I hope speaks to the seriousness of when I say that I've been to hundreds of Sonics, averaging once every 2 weeks for over 3 decades, this survey should speak volumes. Thanks...

This place is bad in more than one way. The worst is that the employees seem to have a habit of short-changing customers who pay in cash. It has happened to me twice here & I don't even go that often. Once it was only $1 but the 2nd time it was $4. The manager gave me the $4 back but I really think the employees here all have a culture of short-changing the customers & if they get caught they just say it was a mistake. I can't imagine I'm the only person this is happening to. The other really horrible thing is their drive-thru customer service. They routinely spout out a greeting that is so fast it's all but incomprehensible. Based on the appearance of most of the employees, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the rapid speech is due to illegal substances being used, e.g. meth. I don't mean to be cruel but it seems to add up to that and if I'm wrong maybe they should take it as a sign that they need to clean up their act in general.

Update: After not visiting this location for several months I stopped by last week just to buy a drink. I went through the drive thru and the young man working there was very friendly but he took a long time getting my order and giving me my change. When he finally did give me my change, it was short $5!!!!!!!!!! That's 3 times I've been short-changed here!! I really think this is part of the employee's tactic. They are very friendly to put customers off guard and then take longer than needed so customers become impatient and just want to drive away without checking their change well. I actually didn't notice it until I had driven a few feet away from the window. I got out of my car and told him that he short-changed me. He didn't seem surprised at all. Just asked to see my receipt and then gave me the $5. He did apologize but at this point I can't believe that this...

I've always loved sonic. Shoot I even worked at this one at one point. What happened to this store? There are people who can't even speak proper English running the boards. Managers aren't kind, no one skates talk about a turn for the worst.

Worst part of my experience here, the car hop expected the rest of my change as a tip. That used to be so unacceptable! You could get into some serious trouble for that. The little latina lady running my food didn't even run out with a change despincer.

I also went to a stall to get an order and say there for 5 mins with no one answering. So I walked to the front to get my order on the patio. Everyone was huddled up on there phone doing nothing. What a joke this place has become.

Not just that they get a two item order wrong. When called in massively mad about being over charged for a number two and a get a skimpy single burger, the manager doesn't ask what they can do instead they demand for me to come back so he can fix it. I'm already going down I 25 buddy that's not going to work. I'm beyond pissed, so I say f u take my name down so you can fix this. Instead he just yells back at me. Won't give me a number to call instead just says look at the receipt. Big surprised, your car hop doesn't give one out. So now I'm stuck getting robbed from this place and apparently 86'd because he can't do his job properly.

If you want terrible service. Someone who will point a finger back at you instead of make things right and get overcharged by all means check thus sonic out...