Is this normal for Sonic? (Garland, Spring: wages, live, restaurants)

[nsumner]

Originally Posted by JS1

Why does anyone tip at Sonic? Are they doing you a favor bringing your order to your car instead of making you walk in to the kitchen and get it yourself? That's their job, and they do make standard minimum wage.

Unfortunately that's a BIG misconception. Carhops make on average $3.50 an hour. There is one in Garland that pays $2.50. They depend on tips to make their living. The carhops are the ones that take the orders, prepare the drinks, clean the outside, the trays, the floors, windows, refill the dispensers etc. They don't just sit around and get handed a bag to take outside, some of them are even trained to help out cook when there is a rush. They are on their feet for hours and they don't get paid when they go on their mandatory break.

However, I still agree that they should not assume that they have to keep the change. I would too, speak to the manager if it happened. It has never happened to me. I always tip them.

Naima

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by loves2read

I would like to know where Sonic has a drive through window--
what town/location--
we have been to many sonics in our Mid-Cities area in Tarrant County and there are none like that...

Greenville Ave in Dallas.

[pappy97]

Originally Posted by nsumner

Unfortunately that's a BIG misconception. Carhops make on average $3.50 an hour. There is one in Garland that pays $2.50. They depend on tips to make their living. The carhops are the ones that take the orders, prepare the drinks, clean the outside, the trays, the floors, windows, refill the dispensers etc. They don't just sit around and get handed a bag to take outside, some of them are even trained to help out cook when there is a rush. They are on their feet for hours and they don't get paid when they go on their mandatory break.

However, I still agree that they should not assume that they have to keep the change. I would too, speak to the manager if it happened. It has never happened to me. I always tip them.

Naima

Actually, you are perpetuating the misconception, since as I'm sure you know (or maybe you don't), that in those cases the employer is required to make sure those employees make the minimum wage, i.e., let's say a carhop in Garland works 80 hours in two weeks, and does not get one single tip. Everyone knows their paycheck for those 2 weeks is not simply $200 pre-tax ($2.50 * 80).

Now in restaurants I can buy the counter to this that servers don't take those jobs to earn the minimum wage, but Sonic is fast food and a bit different and I think everyone sees a difference between a Sonic "Server" and a server at the Olive Garden, for example.

[Mister Nifty]

Originally Posted by pappy97

Actually, you are perpetuating the misconception, since as I'm sure you know (or maybe you don't), that in those cases the employer is required to make sure those employees make the minimum wage, i.e., let's say a carhop in Garland works 80 hours in two weeks, and does not get one single tip. Everyone knows their paycheck for those 2 weeks is not simply $200 pre-tax ($2.50 * 80).

Now in restaurants I can buy the counter to this that servers don't take those jobs to earn the minimum wage, but Sonic is fast food and a bit different and I think everyone sees a difference between a Sonic "Server" and a server at the Olive Garden, for example.

We have our priorities all backasswards. We shouldn't be here to celebrate life with the owning managers, but with the subserviant workers. The sake of business is not the reason we allow contractors to proprietize our behinds for us. No! We do this so we can free up some time for ourselves to be happy.

[reinna28]

I work at Sonic and I am a carhop. At our sonic we usually don't get tipped in drive thru. Technically we are your waitress so I don't see why we shouldn't receive tips but in drive thru its different. I can't help wonder if you can "thank you" and they took it different. When I give someone their food and/or drinks and they give me money and say thank you, I thank them back and walk away cause it means they don't want their change. I would notify the manager because we are not allowed to ask for tips. If they are doing it to you then they are probably doing it to others.

[pappy97]

Originally Posted by reinna28

I work at Sonic and I am a carhop. At our sonic we usually don't get tipped in drive thru. Technically we are your waitress so I don't see why we shouldn't receive tips but in drive thru its different. I can't help wonder if you can "thank you" and they took it different. When I give someone their food and/or drinks and they give me money and say thank you, I thank them back and walk away cause it means they don't want their change. I would notify the manager because we are not allowed to ask for tips. If they are doing it to you then they are probably doing it to others.

Thanks for the explanation. Could be the OP didn't understand this and may have unintentionally signaled to the carhops that he/she didn't want their change. OP said he/she is not familiar with Sonic.

As to tipping though in general, if I have cash and pay cash, I do tip. But I like the convenience of paying with a credit/debit card [when I don't have cash] by sliding the card into the menu holder, and when I do that I never get a receipt with a tip line to sign OR I don't get the option on that screen to enter in a tip amount even beforehand.

So when I pay with credit/debit, I don't tip because I don't have any cash on me and Sonic doesn't give me the opportunity to tip other than simply giving cash to the carhop.

[Mr.Bungle]

Originally Posted by pappy97

Thanks for the explanation. Could be the OP didn't understand this and may have unintentionally signaled to the carhops that he/she didn't want their change. OP said he/she is not familiar with Sonic.

As to tipping though in general, if I have cash and pay cash, I do tip. But I like the convenience of paying with a credit/debit card [when I don't have cash] by sliding the card into the menu holder, and when I do that I never get a receipt with a tip line to sign OR I don't get the option on that screen to enter in a tip amount even beforehand.

So when I pay with credit/debit, I don't tip because I don't have any cash on me and Sonic doesn't give me the opportunity to tip other than simply giving cash to the carhop.

<-------He

The few times we had been to Sonic before, we paid with CC and also noticed no tip line. Last week was the first time we paid cash there.

I don't think "thank you" signals "keep the change". It is the duty of the car hop to ask "do you need any change" as any self respecting waiter/waitress would ask that for a cash paying customer. It covers their ass. I've never been to a place where thanking someone for something equates to an "unspoken" agreement of a tip. Maybe it has become Sonic custom or something.

I almost think Sonic should clarify their tipping etiquette somewhere for their newbie customers.

[Sandstorm214]

Originally Posted by Mr.Bungle

<-------He

The few times we had been to Sonic before, we paid with CC and also noticed no tip line. Last week was the first time we paid cash there.

I don't think "thank you" signals "keep the change". It is the duty of the car hop to ask "do you need any change" as any self respecting waiter/waitress would ask that for a cash paying customer. It covers their ass. I've never been to a place where thanking someone for something equates to an "unspoken" agreement of a tip. Maybe it has become Sonic custom or something.

I almost think Sonic should clarify their tipping etiquette somewhere for their newbie customers.

Actually, that's not good etiquette for servers at all. It's very irritating when you have a $10 check and put down a $20 and the server asks if you need change. Servers should just assume change is needed and bring it. At least that's how I was taught when I worked in that industry.

With that said, I agree that Sonic can be confusing when it comes to tips and I know I'm not alone there. I've never had a server not give me change, though, and I've been going to Sonic for years.

[loves2read]

It's very irritating when you have a $10 check and put down a $20 and the server asks if you need change. Servers should just assume change is needed and bring it.
so totally true--who in his/her right mind would think a $10 check deserved a 100% tip--

and we have had wait staff see us leave cash for a bill and then not return very promptly--hoping (in our minds) that we will get frustrated and leave w/o getting whatever change (if any) we planned on taking...
we NEVER do that--and probably other people in similar situations are not going to either--
in fact--in some situations like that inpast--my husband just takes up the cash and leaves a credit card--and BINGO--the wait person comes quickly...

[stan4]

I have never heard of that happening. We do tip these guys, though. But they've never run away with our cash. Weird.