Today I joined the friendly folks from Mass Motoring Club for a trip to the newly opened Sonic “fast food restaurant” in Danvers – glad for the great company, because the food … not so much!
We all met up at Jordan’s Furniture in Reading – which is a great place to hang out even if you don’t need to buy furniture of TVs! Pete came in his fancy new-to-him BMW Z4, a pretty sweet ride 🙂
Eventually it was time to drive up to Sonic, a short drive but to join a LONG queue! Somehow, the MINIs snuck their way in to some parking spaces alongside the Sonic, while I “hid” my Q5 behind the nearby hotel …
And we all joined the “people queue” – you wait in line to order at one of the two order panels under the canopy, where there is also some seating. No such thing as going inside the building to a counter. Not sure this will work very well in the winter time – but I suppose you can instead stay in your car and join one of two VERY long and slow queues to order that way (either ordering and then picking up and leaving, or eventually making it to a parking spot where you order and food is brought to you)
When we joined this queue, we didn’t realize three things … it would be TWO HOURS before we got food (partly due to the order system failing for half an hour), the food wasn’t worth a two hour wait, and some people just can’t understand what queues are all about, and feel that they should just be able to go straight to the front! But, we did queue – luckily having lots to chat about.
Even when you get to the front, to the order display and the “press button and wait for friendly voice” order system, you’re not done with waiting. Poor Brian stood there maybe 15 minutes pondering what to order and waiting, before finally he cracked and headed off to Essex Seafood instead (in truth, a far better choice!)
But in the end, I also got to the order display, and was able to see what all the fuss was about … and I have to say, it’s just madness!
I ordered the Bacon Cheeseburger Toaster, Chili Cheese Tater Tots, a Peanut Butter Sundae, and a drink – the Chili Cheese Tots were OK, and the Toast of the Cheeseburger Toaster was quite refreshing – but the burger meat itself was no better than McDonalds, and the Sundae and drink basically identical to the McDonalds equivalents.
So in the end, you’re queuing for two hours so that your food is brought to you on wheels instead of handed to you over the counter. Sorry, not good enough!
I’m sure that some time, the queues will go down. And doubtless, parked at a spot and ordering out the window, then having the food brought to you, would be cool (though I don’t eat inside any car I own!), but I have no need to do it again any time soon.
However, it was a great day out with MINI friends 🙂
M&I / GBMINI 
Great pics Ian, I’m so glad you came along ! We really enjoyed your company. Hope we’ll see you again soon, maybe better food next time though ! LOL !
“while I “hid” my Q5 behind the nearby hotel” and you should have…;-)… the GP must still be under the cover?
One of my 2 fav things to do growing up here in SoCal was… Drive in movies, drive in eateries. Bob’s Big Boy then and now… In and Out Burgers, starting back in 1962. And I do eat in my car, still.
When my mom was alive I loved the fact that we could sit in the back of our 1955 Buick Special and eat out. The car hops were cute, the night air was sweet and cool in the summer. My step dad got to have the steering wheel tray, something I got when I was in high school, my mom the outside window tray, we, sis and I, got inside window trays, which didn’t really work that well in the ’55. My sis and I would tickle and jab at each other until we heard… “Don’t make me come back there!”
Good memories for me and now missed, especially the drive in movies. Gangs have invaded them and they no longer are a place I’d go, if you can find one. But… I still have a speaker that I forgot was attached to my 1956 Ford wagon one night in back high school daze, Ahem…
Sonics, never been but my oldest daughter lived in the south for 10 years and loved them. She tried a new one in the San Diego area and found it not as good. I doubt an “In and Out” will ever make it out to your state but if they did… good eats there, well for fast food anyway.
1. never go to a new place on the 1st few weeks.
2. just have some fun, man, just have some fun.
3. what are they thinking (Sonics) with no inside area?!
I was pretty surprised to see you still at the board with a “WTF?” look on your face when I finally pulled past on my way to meet Sarah and her folks at Essex. I didn’t exactly make a hasty getaway from the rest of the gang! Sorry I missed little miss sassy-pants, tho…
Wow, I just read the story:
http://massmotoringclub.com/index.php?topic=2256.msg52113#msg52113
“sassy-pants” is COMPLETELY off-base, and I’m not even sure “The Sonic B***h” is strong enough. That ho shoulda been carted off to the slammer.
Just read the story… WOW! Not sure what the caption on the pic means though? “I can has sonic” “Ronald McDonald FTW!”………….?
Don’t ask me, Robert, what the caption means … I think it has more meaning for young folks 😉
Yes, Brian … couldn’t believe how long it took to place an order; I guess Sonic are expecting the burst to calm down soon, so are not bothering to hire more staff.
Some real wack jobs out there these days guys, real glad to hear all she was packin was the palm of her hand…..
So this is a SONIC’s ? hmmmm…. Never heard of them before this week, it’s quite a lively place.