No free flavor flav?

I drove to the Sonic at Park Lane and Greenville this week because I was craving a Route 44 Diet Vanilla Coke. I love the endless drink combinations at Sonic, and the drive-up menus encourage you to try an add-in. But when I looked at my receipt, I saw that the restaurant had charged me an extra 10 cents for vanilla. So I looked at the menu, and maybe I missed it, but nowhere near the drink selection was any mention of an extra charge for add ins.

Now, I realize that this is a petty complaint (which is why I drove away without saying anything to my carhop), but you have to understand that I'm from Oklahoma, the birthplace of Sonic, and grew up ordering slushes with flavors like Pina Colada and Tiger's Blood before the entire company was streamlined, plus cherry-vanilla-anything-I-wanted — for no extra charge. All I'm saying is don't jack up the drink prices when add-ins are your advertising campaign and, essentially, your trademark — especially if the prices aren't on your menu. (And yes, I'll probably say something the next time I order. I know, I'm cheap.)

By the way, anybody have any favorite Sonic drink combos they want to share? I love vanilla root beer, peach and orange cream slushes (reminiscent of Creamsicles) and chocolate-covered strawberry shakes. That last one's not on the menu, but they'll usually make it for you if you request it.

Comments

[Rick Wamre]

I used to request the vanilla flavor in a couple of different drinks, but then someone wise and trusted (my wife) told me that the flavor shots were filled with extra calories, putting a damper on my mixing fun. I haven't noticed anything on Sonic's website about the calorie count (nor have I spent much time trying to figure that question out, either), but if you happen to know whether I'm penalizing myself unnecessarily by avoiding the mix-ins or whether it's OK to continue to follow Keri's pattern and guzzle away, please let me know.

[Keri Mitchell]

Those add-ins are chock full of sugar and calories, but I don't really like to think about that. I justify it by ordering a vanilla DIET coke. According to the Sonic website, a route 44 regular coke has 370 calories, but a route 44 diet coke with a shot of vanilla has 80 calories. That's not too bad, especially considering that I generally finish about half of the drink. (And that my other favorite drink, an orange cream slush, is a whopping 430 calories.)

[Paula]

I'm originally from Oklahoma, too, and I hold my Sonics to some standards, dang it! They made me really mad when they discontinued the chocolate/vanilla soft ice cream Twists a decade ago. I still ask for one every time I go just to drive the point home! They changed ice creams and the one they changed to isn't very tasty, so I never buy shakes there anymore. But when you're on a diet and it's hot out, it's hard to beat a Route 66 Diet Cherry Limeaid!