Sonic Drive-In is introducing the Fried Ice Cream Blast, a new version of the company’s popular frozen dairy treat. Soft serve ice cream, cinnamon crisps, caramel and whipped cream topping are combined to create the new sweet summer special. It’s scheduled to be available on August 1st, however you might find some locations already serving it. When I first heard the name, I thought it was actually a type of fried ice cream. I was ready to be shocked and amazed. As it turns out, “fried” is simply a reference to the cinnamon crisps, which are in fact deep-fried.

Apparently I’m not the only one confused by the title, as they’ve added the following disclaimer to their advertising and website — “Product consists of soft serve, rather than fried ice cream”. — Frankly I find this type of labeling to be silly and misleading, but they don’t consult me on these things. Visit SonicDriveIn.com to learn more.

When you offer something called “Toaster Sandwiches” using extra thick sliced bread (aka: Texas Toast) it’s important you get the toasted part down. Otherwise you end up with big thick soggy bread, and it’s a turn-off. Over a period of 2 weeks, I’ve tried these breakfast sandwiches at four different Sonic locations, and all but one had the same disappointing result. Look folks, it’s not that good a sandwich to begin with, so when you can’t even toast the bread properly, it makes a big negative impact.

Anyway… moving on. The sausage patties are OK, about on average with many of the fast food breakfast competition. The egg is good, but it’s not asking much to get a decent egg for breakfast. Then again, I thought the same thing about toast. The slice of American cheese sits between the egg and sausage, melting between them and creating a nice cheesy flavor with each bite. It also bonds them together.

The inside of this sandwich would greatly benefit from a properly toasted outside. As it stands, the bread is too soft, and feels like something that I just took out of a plastic supermarket package. Of course I would never use such thick bread in the first place unless it was toasted, and I really don’t think Sonic intends to either. It seems that some employees are just not paying attention, or they don’t know any better.

Imagine biting into a crisp, golden brown toasty bread. Perhaps like this picture of the sandwiches on Sonic’s website. That would be great. That’s how it should be.

After all, this is not a case of exaggerated food photography where the burgers look bigger, vegetables look fresher, and so on. It’s just toast. Come on!

Apparently, they do place the bread over (or thru) some type of heat before serving, so technically speaking it’s toasted, but I would like to refer Sonic and their employees to this page at Wikipedia which explains what toast is, and includes pictures of un-toasted VS toasted bread. Hopefully between that page, and the picture on Sonic’s own website, they can figure it out. Big, thick, plain un-toasted white bread is NOT very appetizing, and it overwhelms the flavors of the other ingredients. My “toast” would have been better with a Bic lighter held underneath it for a few seconds.

The Breakfast Toaster Sandwich from Sonic is not bad, however it suffers from the bread issue, and it’s overall taste is nothing above average. Most fast food places have a version of sausage, egg and cheese. Some use biscuits. Some use buns. Others wrap it up in a tortilla. I was excited about a Texas Toast version, and felt it had a chance to stand out. Unfortunately there was only 1 sandwich delivered to me with the bread toasted beyond the slightest little bit. As expected, it was better that way, and I’m sure it’s the way Sonic intends for the sandwich to be served. I think somebody at corporate needs to create a “Toast 101″ class and get it started ASAP.

Price: $2.19 / Website: SonicDriveIn.com

Fast Food Critic Score: C-

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Nutrition Facts - Sonic Breakfast Toaster, Sausage, Egg and Cheese.

Calories - 630
Calories from Fat - 350
Total Fat - 39 grams
Carbs - 46 grams
Saturated Fat - 13 grams
Trans Fat - 1.5 grams
Cholesterol - 340 milligrams
Sodium - 1380 milligrams
Protein - 23 grams

Messy — Greasy — but Good.

I like Sonic’s Tater Tots. I’m not crazy about the chili and cheese used on their foot long coney, but something really nice happens when you bring them together. This is a case of the ‘whole’ being greater than the sum of it’s individual parts.

Little loaves of warm potato, crispy and brown on the outside, soft, white and tender on the inside, covered with greasy chili and cheese. It’s salty, beefy and cheesy. You know it’s wrong, but it feels so right. This is the kind of stuff that’s perfect for a case of late night munchies after a long evening of partying with friends.

Unlike with the chili cheese dog, I usually end up scraping the sides of the paper container to get the last bits of chili and cheese once the tots are gone. There’s also nice little chunks of potato left clinging to the walls and mixed in, making the effort worth it. The strong potato flavor of the tots works in harmony with the chili and cheese, and brings a pleasant balance that was missing with that extra long dog.

Technically, honestly, the chili and cheese are typical fast food generic variety, and the tater tots, while good, are no better than the frozen kind you find at the supermarket. That doesn’t matter because their union creates a winner that won’t be denied.

The Chili Cheese Tots from Sonic are quite good. I cannot bring myself to call them delicious, but they’re tasty, filling, and guaranteed to satisfy most any fast food craving. A regular order is the perfect side to a Sonic Burger, and the large order is a meal itself. If you haven’t eaten Tots in a while, Sonic is worth a trip whether you enjoy them plain, or choose the more adventurous route with chili and cheese.

Price: $2.09 — Website: SonicDriveIn.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B

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Nutrition Facts - Sonic Chili Cheese Tots, Regular Size.

Calories - 310
Calories from Fat - 190
Total Fat - 21 grams
Carbs - 26 grams
Saturated Fat - 7 grams
Trans Fat - 3 grams
Cholesterol - 25 milligrams
Sodium - 860 milligrams
Protein - 8 grams

False Alarm — There is No Fire — Still a good burger though.

The humorous Sonic TV commercials had me excited about the new item, but after eating multiple “Island Fire” burgers recently myself, and then sharing a couple with some friends, everyone involved was left disappointed with un-heated taste buds. Despite an otherwise solid burger — there is No Fire in the Fire Burger.

First, the only thing that makes this burger “Limited Time” is having two kinds of cheese, and the so-called “Exotic Fiery Habanero” sauce. Besides that, it’s a double meat sonic burger (”SuperSonic” on the menu) with bacon. That’s not a bad thing, because Sonic makes a fine burger, but with the sauce being such a disappointment, this seems unworthy of the special tag, promotion and hype. So let’s make this a review of Sonic burgers in general, since all share the same basic set of components. The photos are the new Island Fire version, with bacon and two cheeses.

Sonic Burger — A single 100% beef patty. Mustard (or Mayo), dill pickles, onions, lettuce and tomato. Served on a plain white toasted bun.
Sonic Cheeseburger — Add slice of American cheese.
SuperSonic Cheeseburger — 2 beef patties, 2 slices American cheese.
Sonic Island Fire Burger — 2 beef patties, bacon strips, slice of smoky cheddar, slice of pepper jack, lettuce, tomato and “Exotic Fiery Habanero” sauce.

*NOTE: Chili and Bacon are available to add-on any burger, at extra cost.

Somebody recently asked me what other fast food burger Sonic compares to, and I think they resemble Whataburger, on a slightly lesser scale. The 100% beef patties are thin, but large in diameter. The meat’s taste and texture is similar, the seasoning is close, and if you built a burger from each chain, with the exact same combination of toppings, they could be cousins. That’s a big compliment.

I order my Sonic Burgers without any changes from the standard menu, except for holding the tomatoes. Beef, Mustard, Pickles, Onions, Lettuce. Sound familiar? The same combination as Whataburger. I mentioned in that review, it was one of the few burgers I eat without ketchup. Here’s another. Sonic does not use ketchup on their burgers either, unless requested. Mustard (or Mayo) is the default.

And once again, there is a harmony between beef, mustard, pickle and fresh lettuce, that makes my southern soul sing with delight. It might seem odd to some who’d never think of eating burgers without ketchup, but Sonic and Whataburger have both been serving burgers this way forever. Texans love it, even as a kid I remember burgers with only mustard and black pepper served in school cafeterias.

The bacon is usually cooked well done and crispy at Sonic, as it was in the burger from today’s photos. I love thin crispy bacon. I can’t stand thick soggy slices.

Sonic’s veggies are OK, but Whataburger beats them in my opinion, with consistently fresher tasting and more flavorful toppings. Sonic also cranks out a barely-warm burger on occasion, which leads me to believe they are pre-cooking patties and leaving them on the side waiting for orders. It’s a common practice with many fast food restaurants. Not at Whataburger, and they win this category too. I’d have to search my mind long and hard to find an example of anything less than a piping hot freshly cooked burger from them. Granted, sometimes you wait a few extra minutes.

Sonic’s American cheese tastes decent, but the Smoky Cheddar and Pepper Jack on the Island Fire Burger are definitely an upgrade, and provide a nice amount of extra flavor. Both of them have a pleasant taste and hearty portion of real cheesy goodness. This is the only advantage it has over the regular burgers from Sonic.

Now we reach the defining ingredient for the limited time Island Fire version of Sonic’s Burger, the Exotic Fiery Habanero sauce. The problem here is a simple one.

It’s not exotic - it’s not spicy - and the habaneros have left the building.

This is not a case of having some spicy heat, and wanting more. It’s a case of missing spice and heat altogether. I’m not one of those people who likes really hot spicy food, and so I tend to stay in the mild range. For me to be completely underwhelmed by something in this way, is a bit surprising. My brother and close friend who have eaten this burger said the same thing. There was no heat, no fire, nothing.

The Burgers from Sonic are tasty and satisfying overall, though not quite the same level of the Whataburgers they resemble. On a good day, they are capable of delivering a similar experience. This new Island Fire Burger is a disappointment however, after being led to believe it would have a spicy kick. Interestingly enough, a couple hours later I felt a tiny amount of heat. Perhaps it’s a time-release recipe.

The score below is for Sonic Burgers as a whole. The Island Fire version failed to deliver the spicy kick promised, but for only $0.30 more than a regular double-meat, includes bacon and two cheeses, which is cheap, so it all evens out.

Prices:
Sonic Burger with Cheese — $2.89
SuperSonic (double) with Cheese — $3.99
Sonic Island Fire Burger — $4.29
Website: SonicDriveIn.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B+

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Nutrition Facts - Sonic Island Fire Burger.

Calories - 1010
Calories from Fat - 530
Total Fat - 59 grams
Carbs - 69 grams
Saturated Fat - 24 grams
Trans Fat - 2.5 grams
Cholesterol - 165 milligrams
Sodium - 1540 milligrams
Protein - 52 grams

Nutrition Facts - Sonic Burger, Single w/mustard and cheese.

Calories - 600
Calories from Fat - 280
Total Fat - 31 grams
Carbs - 54 grams
Saturated Fat - 12 grams
Trans Fat - 2 grams
Cholesterol - 75 milligrams
Sodium - 1050 milligrams
Protein - 27 grams

Nutrition Facts - SuperSonic Burger, Double w/mustard and cheese.

Calories - 870
Calories from Fat - 470
Total Fat - 52 grams
Carbs - 55 grams
Saturated Fat - 23 grams
Trans Fat - 3.5 grams
Cholesterol - 155 milligrams
Sodium - 1440 milligrams
Protein - 45 grams

Sonic Drive-In is well known for their wide variety of flavored drinks and dessert treats. One of the frozen desserts is the Sonic Blast, a vanilla dairy creation, that’s mixed and topped with crumbled pieces of candy. You can choose from M&M’s, Oreo Cookies, Butterfinger, or Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups to get your chocolate groove on.

The blast is sugary sweet, with a soft vanilla flavor in the background. It’s smooth and creamy, and starts out thick enough to eat with a spoon, but it tends to melt quickly, and I’ve found it becomes a little soupy towards the bottom 1/4 of the cup. In a way, it reminds me of yogurt, and I’m not a big fan. That’s definitely a problem for me.

It’s thicker than your average malt or shake that you would enjoy slurping with a straw, but still thinner than something like a Frosty from Wendy’s. For me personally, this in-between zone is not a favorite territory. It doesn’t feel anything like ice cream. On the other hand you can’t drink it, at least not at first. This unusual weight and density leaves me feeling unsatisfied, but it doesn’t ruin the experience — just limits it.

There’s a nice sprinkling of crushed candy bits on top, with more mixed in. There’s normally a thin layer of candy at the very bottom of the cup. I suspect pieces are sinking over time, as I’m eating, and they settle down there. Or maybe they drop a small handful in the bottom of the cup before loading it up with frozen dairy. Either way, it’s a nice final burst of chocolate candy flavor to end the show.

The Sonic Blasts Frozen Treats are good, and they will not disappoint your basic desires for a cold, creamy sweet dessert. But I don’t find them to be anything special, and they aren’t Thick-OR-Thin enough for my taste. The candy helps.

Price: $2.49 — Website: SonicDriveIn.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B-

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Nutrition Facts - Sonic, Blast Frozen Treat, Butterfinger, Regular Size.

Calories - 670
Calories from Fat - 280
Total Fat - 31 grams
Carbs - 89 grams
Saturated Fat - 19 grams
Trans Fat - 1.0 grams
Cholesterol - 60 milligrams
Sodium - 250 milligrams

Nutrition Facts - Sonic, Blast Frozen Treat, Reece’s Cups, Regular Size.

Calories - 620
Calories from Fat - 200
Total Fat - 22 grams
Carbs - 96 grams
Saturated Fat - 14 grams
Trans Fat - 0.5 grams
Cholesterol - 65 milligrams
Sodium - 270 milligrams

Back to Sonic Drive-In, this time for Tater Tots. In the case of this review, just plain tots with some ketchup on the side. The fast food world has never accepted the tot as a substitute for french fries, but the frozen supermarket variety has remained popular. Tots make a fast-food comeback every few years, appearing as “new” or “limited time” items for various chains, but they still lack the popularity of french fries. Sonic is one place that’s offered tots thru-out the years, and they do a pretty good job.

My Sonic tots arrived quickly and they smelled great. The package was warm, with just a little bit of grease soaking thru. My first look inside revealed one particularly golden brown tot sitting on top. I picked it up for inspection. It looked good, and tasted good. Crispy on the outside, with soft potato inside, and I could feel tiny individual pieces of potato in my mouth. The next one was not quite as brown or crispy, but still tasty.

As I worked my way thru the order, I was pleased with the crunchy potato nuggets, and the seasoning and salt was perfect. They held up to ketchup very well, and are great for dipping. I noticed they tasted and felt much like the frozen Ore-Ida (company who invented the tater tot in 1953) tater tots I’ve been eating for years. That’s not a bad thing, but it makes me question why I would order ‘out’ something I could so easily cook at home. I don’t want the mess or hassle of making my entire meal at home, but I can open a plastic bag and toss some frozen clumps on a cookie sheet.

The Tater Tots from Sonic are good, and a worthy alternative to french fries. They have a crispy crunch, a warm potato center, and just the right amount of seasoning. They might even bring back some fond memories for people who haven’t had tots in a long while. However, there’s nothing unique or special about them, and I can make (basically) the same thing at home with no hassle. I prefer Sonic’s Onion Rings.

Price: $1.19 (regular) / Website: SonicDriveIn.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B-

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Nutrition Facts - Sonic Drive In, Tater Tots (regular size).

Calories - 220
Calories from Fat - 120
Total Fat - 14 grams
Carbs - 23 grams
Saturated Fat - 2.5 grams
Trans Fat - 3 grams
Cholesterol - 0 milligrams
Sodium - 600 milligrams

I wanted to give Sonic Drive-In another chance, after a fairly disappointing experience with their extra long chili cheese coney. This time it’s their onion rings, and I’m pleased to report the results are much better. These rings were good enough to make me forget about that chili-dog. In fact, they are some of the best fast food rings around. They are not frozen and thawed. Sonic employees actually slice and bread onions every day, at each store, making some of the freshest onion rings in the industry.

The balance between onion and breading is just right, with each bite containing a fair amount of both. This ‘balance’ is important and one of the keys to a good fast-food onion ring, because too much of one element can overpower the other. The onions themselves are cut thin to medium-thick, just the way I like them. I find that if onions are too thick you often wind up with an unpleasant surprise waiting in the center. There’s nothing worse than taking a bite only to find the entire naked onion has escaped from it’s breading shell, because it was too limp and slimy to cooperate. This is not a problem with Sonic’s onion rings. Their size and proportions allow for even cooking all the way thru. And the breading itself is crisp, crunchy, dark brown, and has plenty of nice bumps and ridges for added texture.

The Onion Rings from Sonic are excellent. They have a near-perfect balance of onion flavor and crispy breading crunch. From the first ring that fell out of the package, to the last squashed tiny piece in the bottom, every bite was tasty and satisfying.

Price: $1.59 (regular) / Website: SonicDriveIn.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A

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Nutrition Facts - Sonic Drive-In, Onion Rings (regular size).

Calories - 500
Calories from Fat - 250
Total Fat - 28 grams
Carbs - 55 grams
Saturated Fat - 5 grams
Trans Fat - 6 grams
Cholesterol - 0 milligrams
Sodium - 210 milligrams

There are not many fast food chains that still serve hot dogs, chili dogs or any other variation of dogs these days. One of the few is Sonic Drive-In. That’s appropriate, since Sonic is a bit of a rarity itself. I’m not aware of any other fast food chain which offers this type of curb-side service. Customers pull up and park their car in a long row positioned just in front of the restaurant’s kitchen (there is no public ‘interior’) with each parking spot having a small lighted menu and speaker system to communicate with the employees inside. After you’ve finished browsing the menu, just press a button to place you order, and a voice will greet you.

You are surrounded by people in cars on both sides of you. Folks are eating, music is playing, a couple is making-out in the car to your left, and some kids are screaming and fighting in the car to your right. It’s much like a regular sit-down restaurant, except people are seated at motorized vehicles instead of tables.

Then, a friendly smiling face (known as a “carhop”) comes walking out to your car with your food, at which point you have the option of driving away or staying put and having a mobile-meal. In the latter case, Sonic provides you with a tray device that clips to the window of your car, serving as a temporary perch for your food. It’s a clever invention, and gives easy access while eliminating all the clutter inside your car.

Unfortunately, the previous two paragraphs describing Sonic’s environment is more exciting than their Extra Long Chili Cheese Coney. This item is the definition of bland and generic. Despite the reasonable $3 cost, it’s still over-priced in my opinion.

The bun looks, tastes and feels like a cheap supermarket brand. It’s not toasted, warmed or prepped in any manner. It appears to be straight from a plastic bag. The wiener is “extra long” alright, but length isn’t everything. Sadly this tube of meat is also extra-thin. As you can see from the picture, my finger is thicker than the dog. The taste of the meat is not bad, but it’s bland with no particular spice or flavor jumping out. The chili is decent, and helps give some much needed punch, but still basically tastes like they heated up a can of Wolf Brand, and it’s not enough to save the dog. The cheese was not very “cheesy” tasting, despite making plenty of greasy mess. I think it was cheddar, but honestly it was hard to tell. Considering the nutrition facts (calories, fat, sodium, etc.) this dog should have more flavor.

No matter how I spin this review, it comes out the same way. There is simply nothing above average about the Extra Long Chili Cheese Coney from Sonic Drive-In. It’s a completely forgettable, average product. It’s not bad - but it’s just not good enough to recommend to anyone except those with a major case of the chili-dog munchies.

Price: $2.99 / Website: SonicDriveIn.com

Fast Food Critic Score: C-

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Nutrition Facts - Sonic Drive-In, Extra Long Chili Cheese Coney.

Calories - 600
Calories from Fat - 290
Total Fat - 33 grams
Carbs - 54 grams
Saturated Fat - 11 grams
Trans Fat - 1 gram
Cholesterol - 75 milligrams
Sodium - 1700 milligrams