Sonic Rip Off! Drinks only two-thirds full if you ask for no ice.

as a current employee of sonic resturants,i would like to say that sonic policy is to give 100% satisfaction to its customers, the policies of sri is to make every customer a loyal customer. as for the beverages whitch is a trademark for sonic not only do the cups inside have a fill line but if you are not satisfied with your beverages chances are you get that beverages free and the proper drink on top of it. sonic is commited to its customers from store to corporate thank you

I am amazed at the compassion some people have toward their soda. Do you honestly think fast food restaurants are trying to cheat you out of soda? It is rather amusing, however, reading some of the comments that have been posed in response to this issue

If your drink is 2/3 full, then *tell them about it*! Remember the old policy: the customer is always right. Ask and you shall recieve. The typical fast-food employee isn't going to dispute your claim to a few hundred milliletres of soda that costs the company less than peanuts; they're more afraid of insulting you and thus losing your custom.

For the record, I used to work for a Burger King, and always filled the cup properly - ice or no ice.

Correct Me If I'm Wrong......but I'm pretty sure Sonic offers free refills. It's a little childish to complain that they don't fully fill the cup each time when you can get all you want to drink anyway.

Hey Mark,

No problem man. I was just trying to point out that the particular McNugget thread mentioned was only a joke.

If more dissatisfied customers "voted with their feet" by going to reputable establishments like we do, then maybe these other places would get the "wake up call" they so desperately need, and start giving better service.

I spent quite a number of years running some of these places, and finally got tired of being a baby-sitter for 17 year olds with no motivation. It's even worse when the unmotivated are also members of management.

Like you, I only frequent the places that give good service.

Pat,

I threw that comment in just to show how stupid these comments can be. If I was really worried about any of the ridiculos comments I would have voiced that oppinion. Personally I do not frequent these establishments and do not worry about petty 2/3's of my drinks or my one chicken nugget. I spend my money where I know I am going to get the satisfaction I am paying for.

Hi Pat,
Good to see you too. You know, one of my thoughts I had after posting my first reponse was all those fast food places that have the drink dispensers out in the customer dining area.

These are the stores that know that 1/3 of a sodas worth of ice... or anything else just isn't worth the hassle. Let the customer have what they want to drink.

Even at most resturaunts the service person gives free refills.

Thanks,

I have only seen 2 good rebuttals to this post so far, Darren's comments just above, and Debra from Salt Lake City. Thanks Debra for the Corp number. Too bad the post was already 2 1/2 years old, maybe something could have been done.

To Mark in San Antonio, that thread about the McNugget was started by long time reader Brian in Everett, WA as a joke to see how much of a rise he could get out of people. Honestly, I don't know why the EDitor of this website has not yet commented on it.

To Robert in NC, not all FF joints have the auto drink machine yet. And they also have a machine that will automatically do the fries. Pretty soon, no human employees will be needed.

Hey Darren, maybe Aaron will come here and call everyone a liberal. Then we can have some more fun with him.

My 2 cents.

I personally try to stay away from these types of food places, when I order a beverage with ice I make sure it is from a restaurant that will refill my beverage free. I would never expect to pay for a refill.

This one subject is as bad as the McDonalds one titled I WANT MY NUGGET. This person and everyone who replied to it, need to get a real life, it was one (1) chicken nugget. Life is way to short!

If you expect to have a full refill of your beverage, go to a restaurant where you can receive as many refills as you want free. That is right I said FREE. One other thing, if you claim you are getting fat from these places STOP GOING, try going to a gym instead or better yet get out of the car and walk in, you might walk off some of that meal in your journey to and from your vehicle and the door.

I would rather go to a restaurant and pay $2.00 for a beverage and have free refills, versus going to a fast food restaurant where I am going to get fat and not receive what I am paying for.

Mark
San Antonio, TX

Adolph and "S", you're both still great. As for the issue, every FF place I've been to uses a machine to load up the drinks for the orders. The person taking theorder pushes the buttons on the keypad at the counter/drive-thru and the drink machine automatically dispenses cups, ice, and beverages. The only thing the human element is for is to place the lid on the cup and hand it to you. The machine is set to measure out a specified amount of fluid so that when the cup has gotten it's "ice load" the drink won't spill over. If the order taker hits the "no ice" button on the keypad, the fluid dispenser still delivers that same amount of beverage, not more. It just doesn't put the ice in. Pretty neat setup. As for the people who always think it's "no big deal" when it comes to the business owner giving something away for free, I wonder why they always think it's a "big deal" for themselves to not get something for free. Personally, I don't care. I drink water. It's better for you.

Adolph and "S", you're both still great. As for the issue, every FF place I've been to uses a machine to load up the drinks for the orders. The person taking theorder pushes the buttons on the keypad at the counter/drive-thru and the drink machine automatically dispenses cups, ice, and beverages. The only thing the human element is for is to place the lid on the cup and hand it to you. The machine is set to measure out a specified amount of fluid so that when the cup has gotten it's "ice load" the drink won't spill over. If the order taker hits the "no ice" button on the keypad, the fluid dispenser still delivers that same amount of beverage, not more. It just doesn't put the ice in. Pretty neat setup. As for the people who always think it's "no big deal" when it comes to the business owner giving something away for free, I wonder why they always think it's a "big deal" for themselves to not get something for free. Personally, I don't care. I drink water. It's better for you.

Adolph and "S", you're both still great. As for the issue, every FF place I've been to uses a machine to load up the drinks for the orders. The person taking theorder pushes the buttons on the keypad at the counter/drive-thru and the drink machine automatically dispenses cups, ice, and beverages. The only thing the human element is for is to place the lid on the cup and hand it to you. The machine is set to measure out a specified amount of fluid so that when the cup has gotten it's "ice load" the drink won't spill over. If the order taker hits the "no ice" button on the keypad, the fluid dispenser still delivers that same amount of beverage, not more. It just doesn't put the ice in. Pretty neat setup. As for the people who always think it's "no big deal" when it comes to the business owner giving something away for free, I wonder why they always think it's a "big deal" for themselves to not get something for free. Personally, I don't care. I drink water. It's better for you.

Hi All,
I read the reports above. To the original reporter it is a shame that you didn't get what you paid for.

It has nothing to do with the cost of the additional soda that replaces the ice. The amount is so small and the request for this type of drink is infrequent enough, so it doesn't pay to multiply them and come up with a number.

It doesn't have to do with safety. If they won't fill it more than 2/3's without ice because of safety, then why would they do it more than 2/3's with ice?

It doesn't have to do with the pay of the employee. Most people, regardless of pay, want to do a good job. If they are properly motivated and supported. Everyone deserves a good wage, but there is so much more that happens when a person is at work that can make or break a person's attitude.

What is has to do with is a little person with a little power. Whether it is the employee or the manager. Someone there wants to be have the excuse to exercise their power and have chosen the perceived theft of product when a person orders a drink without ice as their little petty fixation.

Some people are so small and narrow minded that any courtesy or extra given to a customer is seen as somehow losing personally.

Thanks,

Kudos to S in New York. I was just reading over Amber's post and thought to reply, your rebuttle sparked my decision to do so.

The person who started this string said that they are just a teenager and works hard for their pay. I've always tried to keep professional jobs, but even as a teenager working at a pharmacy my pay rate was only $6 an hour.

My heart goes out to the person who started this string. Amber wanted to start throwing numbers out there with her 95% good customer deal. Well I have some numbers too. Seeing as the cup is only 2/3 full, that accounts for a missing 33% of the drink! But she seemed to miss that because she said that it was 3/4 full, which is still a hefty 25% missing.

In this case the origional poster might as well be throwing out about 50 cents from his $1.50 drink.

All of it is trivial to me, but I dont see why the manager would make such a fuss over a drink. No customer appreciation?

I just had to respond to Amber's rebuttal: how can you expect us to believe you are not "uneducated people who make 5.15 an hour" when your posting is so full of grammar and spelling mistakes? These seem pretty uneducated to me:

"wine" is an alcoholic drink. I think you meant to say 'high turnover rates come from people who constantly whine about stupid thing like these

"I am a manager of a restrant" - do you mean a restaurant?

"Customer are getting more rude picky and just plain ridiculas." What is 'ridiculas'? Is it like "ridiculous"? And have you ever heard of a comma?

"Every restraunt is different." Restaurant mispelled again, but differently.

"My job in the restaunt industry has proven to be quite lucrative for me." Has proven to be? Did they teach you "has proven" at school?

"I'm am very grateful for the buisness that we get, thats what got me two nice vehicales and i'm buying first house but I treat people the way that they treat me." I hope your VEHICLE is nice. And I'm glad you're grateful to the BUSINESS. But did you mean "THAT'S what got me" or "MY first home?"

At least this website gave you education about buying a car. Why don't you go look at a spelling and grammar website next?

I am a Owner/Opererator of a Sonic Drive In. I want you to know this is not the way most of us handle our business. It should be reported to our corpoate hotline and it will be dealt with.

The number is 1-800-569-6656. It's a shame that a few of us out there give a bad name to the rest of us. If you had been at my location, there would not have been even a second thought to it.

As a customer I pay for what I see. I see a cup that is either 4 inches tall, 6 inches tall or 8 inches tall. That is how they are advertised. There is no advertising stating that you only get 3/4 of a cup if you don't want ice.

I am paying for the soda. The ice is an amenity. If it is available then the business knows that it is usually requested so they automatically add it to the drink unless a request is made to have it provided differently.

For a business to assume that they can steal from a customer by partially filling a container which they advertise then they are violating the law. Plain and simple.

As to the owners who state they are protecting themselves by not filling the soda all the way up (I keep seeing coffee references for some reason when we are talking about soda go figure) then why is it you get a full cup if ice is added but only 3/4 cup without the ice? Does the ice make the drink somehow dangerous if the cup is full? Should we sue the company for putting us in danger for putting ice into the cup?

The arguments here by the owners are plain stupid and a couple of you guys need to learn how to spell or at least use a spellchecker and copy and paste your comments, that is if you have the technical knowledge to copy and paste.

For me I am sick and tired of receiving soda's that are 90% ice and 10% soda. I paid for a soda not ice. Stop filling the cups with ice. 1/4 full will due. That allows the soda to remain chilled and won't cause the cup to overflow if the ice melts on a hot day and you don't get the chance to drink it right away, which happens if you get into traffic.

Also please design a better lid for those cups, I hate to tell you how many times the lid has come off just because I have grabbed the cup and due to its pathetic durability it bends and the lid comes off spilling soda all over the inside of my vehicle.

Maybe next time I'll send you the cleaning bill for my uniform and for cleaning up the inside of my vehicle.

Thanks for the eloquent response Maria. For all the consumers out there who feel that their sodas are not full enough, you are more than welcome to take your business elsewhere.

I worked at a different fast-food restaurant than Sonic and can say that at the time, our policy was to fill cups only 2/3 full. This was due to the McDonald's/hot coffee spilled in the lap lawsuit. Granted the lawsuit mainly dealt the temperature of the coffeee but a small part of it, that I was told while I worked in the fast-food business, was also how full the cup was. With many of the public citizens being so sue happy, a business has to protect itself against stupid consumer lawsuits. God forbid the consumer ever takes responsibility for themselves...

When handing out cups of coffee in the drive-thru window, I had to tell the customer "Please be careful, this coffee is hot."

Now we have people trying to sue fast-food restaurants because they are fat from eating the stuff! Try getting off your butt once in awhile. And you can always request the nutritional chart from any fast-food restaurant so you don't make the mistake of thinking a double cheeseburger is healthy.

...But what about addition and subtraction?

I don't get it, when you order a soda with ice, you get about 2/3 of soda, 1/3 of ice. The two parts together make one cup. Following? Okay. So take away 1/3 (ice) and that leaves you with 2/3. Not a full cup. Mad about the fact that the price doesn't change? Do you also complain about paying full value meal prices when you tell the cashier to hold the mayo, pickles, or onions? I'll bet that manager used to fill the cups but had to stop because some idiot couldn't hold the cup properly and said idiot went and complained.

And, in response to the comment about "saving the customers from themselves", someone needs to. If you haven't worked in fast food, you'll never understand and shouldn't comment. But I, in drive-thru, saw people spill, burn, and drip all over themselves. They talk on their cellphones while driving, holding a burger in their hand, head cocked to the side, like idiots.

Think about it. If the top pops off the cup and the drink spills because it was too full, clothes get ruined, along with car interior, and possibly the driver looks away from the road. Sonic can't be blamed for most of that, but maybe they don't want the situation to begin with.

And if all this thinking is hurting you, just do yourself a favor and eat at home. It's fast food, not Cancer research.

Hey Tina:

To quote your post:"As an ex-employee in the fast food business, we were always told to fill drinks 2/3 full. The reason - people spill the drinks on themselves and either sue (in the case of hot liquids) or complain that the drink was too full. It falls along the lines of safety for the consumer and covering the restaurant's rear."

Beautiful logic! If 2/3 is safer than full, that would make 1/3 safer yet. Why just imagine the comforting safety of an empty cup!

Thanks for saving us, the customers, from ourselves! Such compassion!

Enhanced profit for the restaurant?
Nawww..couldn't be that, could it?

Hello,

Just wanted to apoligize for attacking a consumer comment! I do understand that "most" fast food employees are under paid. Every restraunt is different. My job in the restaunt industry has proven to be quite lucrative for me.
I go to work everyday and treat people with the respect that they diserve. I'm am very grateful for the buisness that we get, thats what got me two nice vehicales and i'm buying first house but I treat people the way that they treat me. If I believe that someone is treating me like I am lesser than them I WILL let them know.
On the brighter note 95% of our customers are great people and I make sure that they are served the way that they should be no matter what it takes, the other 5% I will let them no that they are out of line,thats just me.

I love this website it is awesome!
It saved me from buying a car from some scums. Thinks everybody for all the imput.

Hello

Just wanted to let you know that poor service comes from high turnover rates ,high turnover rates come from people who constantly wine about stupid thing like these. I am a manager of a restrant and it is not true that all restrants are told to fill the cup only 3/4 full and the only thing that my store fills completely with ice is the tea, the tea is really nasty if it dosn't have alot of ice, because it comes in a syrup.

Customer are getting more rude picky and just plain ridiculas. Give us a break and start treating us like people and mayby you will get more respect! We are all not uneducated people who make 5.15 an hour!

As an ex-employee in the fast food business, we were always told to fill drinks 2/3 full. The reason - people spill the drinks on themselves and either sue (in the case of hot liquids) or complain that the drink was too full. It falls along the lines of safety for the consumer and covering the restaurant's rear.

I too prefer to order soda pop with no ice, or request very little ice. If you don't, it seems the cup is all ice and no soda. I'm not paying 1.50 $ for a cup of ice.

Yet, never had I received a cup that was not full when requesting no ice. I'm not saying it can't happen, but it hasn't happened to me yet.

My suggestion to you is to bring this to the attention of your friends and family. Being a teenager and most likely still in school, bring it to the attention of your classmates.

Call or contact the parent company and inquire if that is their policy. If they blow you off, or give you less than a satisfactory answer, or do nothing to solve the problem in your favour, then there is only one thing left to do.

ORGANIZE A BOYKOTT. And let the business know that because of their policy, they have lost YOUR business and the business of your friends and family and classmates. Don't let them bully you. You don't have to buy their products if you don't feel comfortable with their business practices.

Hurt them in their profits. Spend your money and have your friends and your family spend their money at their competitors establishment.

Either they change their ways or go bankrupt. The choice will be theirs.