The summer after my senior year in high school I worked at Sonic. Why Sonic? Well everybody was either working at Randalls or Sonic and I figured I’d take the one with the short shorts and the cute visors. Plus, the whole thing sounded glamorous with the free coneys and tater tots. Mmmm….tater tots.
I showed up for my first day of work (curled pony tail and all) ready to go. They taught me how to make Cherry Limeades. Yes, I know the secret recipe! Then they gave me a changer (the silver change holder that straps onto said short shorts) and allowed me to start carrying food out to customers.
On my first trip out to deliver food to a car, I was extra careful not to drop the tray. I walked really slowly. But then my manager, Marvin, yelled after me, “Run, Elsa! Run!” What? How could I run with a tray? But I looked around and the other car hops WERE running! I ignored him. I figured the person would rather get his Brown Bag special 20-seconds later than eat it off the Sonic concrete.
From then, my mantra was like Seinfeld’s: “I choose not to run.” Marvin hated me for it. In fact, he started cutting down my hours in hopes that I would just quit. But I wasn’t trying to make a lot of money; I was just working there for fun. So that didn’t get me. Then he started assigning me trivial (and disgusting) tasks like cleaning the bathrooms and taking out the trash.
One day I came back from the dumpster and my changer was gone. It had all the money I had made that night including bills! Marvin was pleased because he knew I would have to go back to the dumpster to try to find it. He also thought I wouldn’t do it.
He was wrong.
I went to the dumpster and when I didn’t see my changer I CLIMBED in! Yes, I stood in a filthy, foul-smelling, unsanitary dumpster for a $4.25 per hour job! But I found my changer. And I didn’t get fired. And I still had my dignity. It was stinky but I still had it.
Since I worked at Sonic I get a lot of questions about it. Here are the top three:
Did you wear skates? No, only Diane wore skates. She was this career car hop meaning she was like 36 and working there. Her face always had dirt on it but she wore the whole poodle skirt get-up with the skates. Like I said, I could barely walk with the trays much less roll with them.
Are you supposed to tip at Sonic? Yes and no. Yes, you should tip but not 15%. It’s just a “keep the change” type situation. Seriously, it can be like $.25. Marvin used to yell at us if we didn’t get enough tips and we’d say “But people don’t know they’re supposed to tip at Sonic.” So please tip just a little so those poor car hops don’t have to face the wrath of Marvin.
Did you dress up like a Cherry Limeade and stand on a major street, waving at cars? Yes. Actually, nobody asks me that. I just offer that information.
So I hope I’ve satisfied all your Sonic curiosity. Oh, and if a car hop with a cute curled pony tail and short shorts ever accidentally gives you change for a $20 when you only gave her a $10, don’t drive off and never return. Poor kid could end up in the dumpster that night.
16 comments:
Tips in a paper french fry holder. Was it better than Michael's?
I too carhopped at Sonic. Except I was 26. And surrounded by pregnant teenagers. I was amazed daily how stupid teenage girls are. I lasted six months. I never lost my changer. I never cleaned the bathrooms. And the only thing I sucked at was the drive-through. You have to make drinks and take orders at the same time. I couldn't hack it. I usually made about $20 in tips in a day. I never reported it to the IRS.
The dumpster story is my favorite! 2nd only to the story when you yelled at your boss at Michael's.
Makes me want a hot dog real bad!
And that is why I love Frank!
Oh, I've got more Michael's stories. Maybe next week should be a tribute to all my old jobs. Jessi, I know you can't wait for the driving school one!
Oh, and Frank's little rationale is why we never go to Sonic!
Oh geez... the driving school. And yes I'm sorry that I didn't give you more hours but the rival of F.D.S took care of you just fine.
Plus you got all the crazy night kids. But I had my share too.
And I was just feeling my blood pressure rise as I remembered how you STOLE that job from me! But yes, I could write a whole other story about Gulf Coast Driving School and the teacher with unfortunate grammar: "We was driving down the road..."
Frank, are you telling me my time is not worth 87 cents? You can't spare 87 cents to tip a stupid teenaged girl who says stuff like "I'm getting married as soon as I turn 16. The baby will be here by then too."? You can't get change for a dollar for a quarter tip? She's right there and that changer is full of quarters. People, meaning FRANK, tip the carhops. They depend on that money to support families. I've seen it from the inside and I'd gladly tip a carhop over some hungover college kid who never refills my iced tea at Ozona. I hate those frat boys. They're also the ones who are more likely to do something to your food. A carhop needs the job too much to do that.
Hey I didn't steal it from you. You gave it to me when you went off to UT. I still had it when you came back for the summer.
Coach didn't pay me enough to deal with those parents. Note to self: don't be a crazy parent.
Speaking of old jobs, I had a flash back this morning of FLOWCHARTS!!!! Nortel Alums - ya feelin me????
What about the status report game?
Hey! I thought we were talking about tater tots?
I'll gladly talk about tater tots. They're so good with catsup AND mayo. And then you can mix the catsup and mayo together until it forms this pink substance.
It's called fry sauce in Utah. And you can get it at most places!
That's awesome--except I really like to mix it myself and watch the transformation.
I prefer to put it together myself, too! But that is interesting Jessi.
We used to always get tater tots with cheese at the Sonic in League City when I was in High School!
Very Healthy!
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