1/11/2011

PRESS TO ORDER

what's my point with this 'blog?

that's easy ... i habitually go to SONIC already and with the wonders of modern technology it's just not that hard to record it all ... i figure, why not and see what happens*?

please note that all of SONIC's images, trademarks, copyrights and propaganda contained on this 'blog are being used solely for critique, example, demonstration and/or look-good purposes.  america's brand drive-in properties are in no way responsible for, nor have they approved, what i post here.  i am not an employee of SONIC; i'm an unattached private individual who also happens to be a (sometimes critical, but always honest) fan.

if you want even more detail, that goes something like this:

IT ALL STARTED INNOCENTLY ENOUGH ...


when i was a kid sometimes we were only allowed to drink soda (it was "pop," in CO, where i grew up) on holidays ... but sometimes we'd get to go to dairy queen as a special treat.

at DQ i became infatuated with fresh squeezed limeade.  i liked it for three reasons:
  • limes were super-exotic because they were fruit (if you can imagine that) from a place i'd never been.
  • i liked that the service people had to do work to make a drink for me.  this wasn't a case of putting a cup to a fountain, this was the hardcore work of mashing, that's right, an exotic piece of fruit.
  • they tasted marvelous.
i'd always got my drink in "misty" form.  i loved the chill of the slush in the dry CO summer.

but here's the weird thing ... i don't remember how i started making that exact order.  i assume it was a menu item at some DQ, but maybe it wasn't.  i may have just put two and two together and asked them if they could make me a misty with fresh squeezed limes.  if you go into any dairy queen today you won't find the soft-porn sounding "fresh lime misty" on the menu.  that is, if you can find a DQ that still squeezes fresh limes.

on the rare occasion that i still get one, i'll ask for it by name and sometimes have to go as far as explain what i want ("make a fresh squeezed limeade, but use misty instead of soda").  to this day my brother thinks it's both outrageous and hilarious that i order "off menu" at DQ.

i've essentially given up on that company.  DQ is too variable and the mere fact that you can't get a fresh lime misty at every store shows there's a deeper underlying problem.

... AND THEN IT HAPPENED ...


somewhere along my travels of the world -probably on a stint to las vegas (and quite possibly with the curator)- i ran across SONIC ...

... and what DQ lost, SONIC clearly "gets."

here's why SONIC rules (while all other fast food places drool)
  • fresh fruit (lemon & lime) and real strawberry (compote) slushes
  • real ice cream
  • 1/2 priced drinks at happy hour (2:00PM to 5:00PM in vegas, 2:00PM to 4:00PM elsewhere) every day
  • some 24-hour locations (with full menu always available)
  • extremely good service people
  • responsive management
  • good corporate attitude
  • good drive-thru set ups
  • (many times) car hops on skates!
  • SONIC radio
  • TXT promotions!
when i first discovered SONIC, i was still living in the silicon valley.  the closest one to my house was in gilroy.  only once did i make the 80 mile round trip exclusively to serve my craving (and even then it was for some promo that i don't remember) ... otherwise i'd hit the gilroy location on those rare occasions that i went to my brother's place.

... WHICH BRINGS ME TO NOW.


last summer i moved to vegas, and in doing so, relocated myself within eight miles of five SONICs.  you can only imagine how i feel about that ...

... and if you can't, you can read this 'blog.  this may well be the most pointless thing i've ever written (which says something, considering the competition); but it's not the least passionate, and not the least fun.

i haven't figured out exactly what to do here, yet ... i'll treat it like my first girlfriend ... i'll just feel as i go along.

you'll find that i focus primarily on the drinks ... with the exception of their oh-so-creamy ice cream -and their tater tots (but only if the cooking oil is fresh)- i've never been that impressed by SONIC's food.  all the SONICs in NV and CA are near either tommy's, in-n-out, or both ... so it's beyond me why you'd choose a SONIC burger over either of them. 

this 'blog isn't the beginning of my SONIC obsession -- it's just the latest outlet for my "problem."

enjoy your stay.  if not, please pull away from the space so someone else can use the stall.

{this 'blog is dedicated to special K and the grumbler ... together they make up 50% of my most hardcore readership and their support has made this, uh, THING, a reality ... thanks, boyz ... you do know that the next slush is on me.}




* on 3/18/11 the first thing happened: one of SONIC's PR firms offered to send me a gift card.

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