Sonic Comes to Chicagoland

Sonic opens the first of four new stores in Chicago tomorrow, August 19th. Sonic store number #3456 brings a first taste of Sonic to many in and around Chicago. The first store will be in west suburban Aurora at Krik Road and Butterfield. There plan as indicated in this Chicago Tribune attachment is for 40 locations in Chicago in the next six years.

Cherry limeades for everyone...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/chi-sonic-maniaaug18,0,5715865.story

CTD-
I knew you have been looking forward to this for a while. They haven't been in Pittsburgh for very long, either. They opened one ten minutes from my house about a month ago and I have been there at least twice a week for lunch. I really enjoy the Frito pies and cherry limeades. The rest of the food is just ok.

Their is a Sonic a few miles from my house that overlooks a park. One of my dogs loves to people watch so I take him along with me. I order a Cherry Slush and a plain Jr. Burger.

I enjoy the Cherry Slush and my dog enjoys people watching and eating his Jr. Burger.

I like their drinks but the food is nothing to get too excited about.

The Sonic that will open tomorrow in Aurora Illinois is about 10 minutes from my house. Considering what a zoo it was with their private opening yesterday, I think I will stay away for about a year or so. Never been to one, don't see a need to now.

BB - Right on...we stopped at one between Indy and Louisville on our recent rip but the food was poor. It seemed to be a case of young kids in charge late at night with there friends hanging out all over. Our previous visit over Christmas in Atlanta was much better.

NebGuy - Cherry Limeade, light ice for me.

Kland01s - I've heard about the crowds through the grapevine! While it's not a must visit place, I do like another option although the new location is a little far for a quick snack. While the first 4 locations are set, rumors abound regarding the remaining 36.

CTD, that is awesome!!! I expect a full review.

CTD, do not make the same mistake as I did upon my first visit. After sitting there for about 10 minutes watching the servers whiz by my car on their roller skates I gave up and left. Only after posting the experience on RF did I learn you have to push the button under the menu board to order.

Yeah,you have to push the button to alert them you are there and place your oder.None of the Sonics here have the carhops wearing rollerskates.Heck,they didn't even when they first opend.
Wow Store #3456,didn't know they had that many.

Reaching that call button from my Ford Supercrew with it's large mirrors is a tricky exercise! We usually use the regular drive-thru and pull over after getting our food. Most of the time that is a Hiway 44 Cherry-Limeade (xtra Lime), Sometimes a Slush...and sometimes some onion rings to nibble on. We seldom order the sandwiches. Janet has decided the ice-cream treats like a blizzard are pretty good too. I haven't tried them yet.

We were going to go yesterday and a friend called and said it was a mob scene...we'll wait for a few more dyas/weeks/months...

Wait until January when there's a foot of snow on the ground.

Sonic has recently opened 2 stores in Winchester, Va. I like them on an occasional basis.

MikeS.

Sticken - I am up for the challenge...as soon as the parking lot is accessible!

On the 'other' Sonic thread a couple of folks have really put down the Sonic Quality.
I have posted--several times-- that I am not a big fan of their sandwiches, but the size, quality and pricing of their beverages simply can't be equaled in any other FF chain that I know of. The combination of a Sonic located right next to a Popeye's chicken stand (Jeffersonville, IN) is about as good a combination as I have seen in the FF realm!

I believe the Mayor is a fan of their drinks. He is correct and they are good particulary during their happy hour.

Goes good with some spicey fried chicken.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

So we're thinking about going out to the new Sonic last night around 7pm. It's been open 5 days now. My cell phone rings and it's a good friend of mine that loves Sonic. He's actually out there and says he's never seen anything like it. There were, and this may be exaggerated, 100 cars waiting to get into the lot. He said pollice were rerouting the traffic and directing the waiting cars through a Walmart parking lot as they needed more space. He said folks were parking and trying to walk up but all avaiable space was gone and the rumor was 60-90 minute wait from the back of the line to get in the lot with your car. He kept saying - I've never seen anything like this!

Stircken - may be a while before the first photos are available from my camera!

kland01s - Hope that's not you holding up the line up front!

Cherry limeades remain a dream...

Nah, not me! My friend's husband went during the week and waited 2 hours, he grew up on Sonic.

quote:

Originally posted by ChiTownDiner

Stircken - may be a while before the first photos are available from my camera!

No rush, I know it will be worth it when you finally get to go!

It is somewhat amazing to read of the crowds at the new Sonics. One opened about a mile from my house back in the 1990s, but it ended up closing due to a lack of business.

I never did get around to going there.

I see from their web site that the closest one is in Boynton Beach. That would be about a 130 mile round trip.

I read the article CTD linked to on his post.

...Laura Demchuk pulled up in a minivan.

"It's not that we're crazy for Sonic," she said as her son craned his neck to see if there was movement from the restaurant. "We're not nuts. There's just nothing around here. This Wal-Mart was a big deal. The Sonic is nice. It's great that it's here, and I can't wait, either. But now it would be nice to have a real restaurant in this part of Aurora. We need an Olive Garden."

I'm not a fan of their fruit drinks and slush things. I'm just not interested in that sort of thing. I stick with the iced tea (and if you don't get their sweet tea be sure to ask for sugar to add yourself) and the coffee. I have enjoyed their coneys, and my grandson loved their jalapeno burgers (although the last time I was at a Sonic I didn't see that burger on the menu).

CTD-
There was a similar scene when the one near me opened recently. Now that they have been open a month or so, it is much quieter. Still, the other restaurants in the area are complaining about them putting a dent into their business.

I do enjoy Sonic, but there is no way I am waiting an hour plus to eat at one.

quote:

Originally posted by NebGuy

But now it would be nice to have a real restaurant in this part of Aurora. We need an Olive Garden."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

OMG

Even Baker, CA has a sit-down restaurant or 2 or 3...and it is so close to the edge of the Earth that people have fallen over the edge walking to their car's from those restaurants! The Mad Greek and Bun Boy come to mind.

Imagine having to hope for an Olive Garden ??

Let's not tell 'em about Lynne's Paradise Cafe!

Just for some background information, that part of Aurora really is underserved so getting the Super Wal-Mart that Sonic sits on the edge of, was a huge deal. An Olive Garden? I don't think so, but the area hasn't been able to support much over the years. All anyone has to do is drive a few miles east towards Route 59 and every chain imaginable is there plus several dozen or more independants so there is plenty of good eating just a few minutes away.

An update: A friend and her family have tried to go to Sonic for 4 nights now. They have been queing up cars in the Super Wal-Mart parking lot and giving out numbers. The first night was a 2 hour wait, the 2nd an hour and the other two they just drove by, saw the line and went somewhere else. Please, it can't be that good, there are so many many more options close by.

I am amazed at the reaction you are finding regarding the new Sonic up there. It's ok..But I won't burn the gas needed to get thru a 6 car drive-thru line at any FF place. There are just too many options to target one place like that. Actually that goes for most restaurants as well. "Two hour wait you say, Well we'll try you another day!"

This is the stuff folk songs are written about...I'll have to get my chaps, horse and guitar and start strumming!

Hmmm, Chaps and Strumming ? Sort of a Counter-Culture approach to Roadfood (via Sonic) ?

Could be Cherry Limeade withdrawals...

I found the perfect time for you to go to Sonic! We just drove by (8am) and there were only 5 cars and no apparent lines. Didn't stop though, we just finished breakfast at our favorite mom & pop.

kland01s - thanks for the updates...as I'm not a Sonic expert, is the full menu served all day or is it compartmentalized into time of day?

They advertise the 24 hour menu available on TV a lot. I have done more than one Cherry-Lime aide at 7 am while on the road.

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen


They advertise the 24 hour menu available on TV a lot. I have done more than one Cherry-Lime aide at 7 am while on the road.

No doubt that Al likes their drinks.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Finally made the western treck...about 30 minutes, to the new Sonic. Arriving at 1:05pm, we were surprised to still see a line outside the Sonic proper. The que begins in the Wal Mart parking lot and lasted 28 minutes.

After having our parking lot pass checked, we were allowed into the inner sanctuary. I was dissapointed to find about 6 open spots when our turn finally came.

Ordering was complicated by the fact that we had conversational English challanges. I do not understand the management thinking in having someone man the microphone that has poor English skills. It required numerous corrections and alot of repetition.

We had a couple of SuperSonic burgers, a foot long chili cheese coney, fries, chili cheese tator tots, a sausage breakfast burrito, a cheesey sausage breakfast burrito (which came with no cheese!), cherry limeade, vanilla watermelon slushie and a Bannana Pudding Shake (a special).

Food came out hot, packaged well and except for the no cheese on a cheesy burrito, pretty good.

Not sure we'll make the run for a while but there are others under construction.

CTD, I was at that Wal-Mart on Saturday and then at the Starbucks right next to Sonic on Sunday, each time about 9:30 am. Each day there were maybe 2 cars parked and 2 in the drive up so I guess they don't have much of a breakfast appeal.

As for English skills or lack there of, it seems to be a common problem in this area at all the fast food drive ups.

4 pieces of Popeyes Spicy Chicken (2 wings and 2 legs) and a SONIC Hiway 44 size Cherry Limeade with extra Cherry in it made a great late afternoon lunch for me today.

And I'll bet you didn't have to wait in line for an all access pass!

Nope..I did the traditional Drive-thru window pickup ! Our newer Sonics have a regular Drive-up window. The older stores use the speaker box and menu, but have you wait beside the store for a server to bring you packaged food and drink out to you.

Now this morning (8:15am) I tried the Breakfast Burrito (not worth a second try) and a Cherry Limeade (extra Cherry). I bother to tell you about the drink because I asked the mystery speaker box for 'Extra Cherry' and when I checked the drink a few minutes later instead of a second shot of the Cherry Syrup, I found 11 Marashino Cherries in my drink !!!( AND Three Lime Halves).

Between the ice and all the fruit you couldn't have had much DRINK!

Susan,
If they hadn't been Hiway 44 (44 oz) the drink would not have been measureable!! But with the Big One there was enough to keep me going for awhile. At times I will pad them with a can of Vernor's kept in the car for that purpose...I use that for "Extended Dry Spells !!"