Sonic-Drive-In Now Open
Tacoma’s (long-awaited) first Sonic Drive-In officially opened Tuesday, and the Tacomans are flocking.
We’ve heard the stories of other Sonic openings around the country, where highways were backed up with overflow traffic heading to the old-school drive-in restaurant with roller skating waiters.
So far we haven’t seen anything quite like that, but burger-hungry customers are filling the parking lot and “staging areas” of the restaurant at N. Orchard St. and Sixth Ave.
Have you been? Was it worth the wait?
The drive-in was originally scheduled to open in April, but was delayed by construction complications, according to this News Tribune article.
Original Exit133 coverage here.
Filed under: tacoma-business, 6th-avenue
23 comments
P Pat August 13, 2010
People are lining up for mass produced french fries and hamburgers shipped in from a distribution center because they get to see people on roller skates? How about Frisko Freeze in Tacoma and Pik Quick in Fife?
C Christine August 13, 2010
Add to that:
Legendz on 12th & Sprague and Flip-n-out on 12th & Madison(?)for some really good, tasty local business fare.
L lostinlosangeles August 13, 2010
Add to that
Herfy’s is way better than Legendz. Just because something is local doesn’t make it good. And the ‘we don’t like mass produced stuff’ in a port city that was born on importing mass junk and messing with the real locals aka tribes is getting a little sickening. Thanks. The port of Tacoma is a big entry point for junk, what do you think all those railroads are for? Thank you. Keep it real. Sorry if you are someone’s employee bitch Trashtown and you are jealous of people who can do whatever the hell they want during the day like keeping these Tacomaphiles real on the internet.
C Christine August 14, 2010
So much anger.
(Here comes the flame.)
L lostinlosangeles August 14, 2010
Is it anger? Or is it passion? And who amongst the readers is sophisticated enough to know the difference? You Christine? Ok, I’ll cool it. I see that Daniel has given up banning me. When the admins just give up you know it’s time stop disturbing the local’s virtual buttsniffing station aka exit133 and let everyone get back to gagging on eachother’s in tacoma by choices. Slainte!!
J Jesse August 14, 2010
Sonic = meh…
A Fat Burger in the bottom of the Joy Building = Priceless
Not that it’ll ever happen. One can dream…
N notme August 14, 2010
Sonic = tater tots. Blah.
C Corey August 14, 2010
@lostinlosangeles, please stop posting on this site.
T Trashtown August 14, 2010
LOST,
I am no one’s bitch, and I ain’t jealous of some fat 40 year old dude who talks shit on the computer.
I’m gonna go to point defiance now..
L lostinlosangeles August 14, 2010
..and get back to my cave paiting of wheel leg horse with smoke tail walking in row for food from wheel foot girl at big sonic fire.
I’m suprised you even figured out how to click on the submit button, Trashtown.
More like Trogladytetown.
You must have gotten help from the caretaker taking you back to the exhibit in point defiance.
F frazzlebee August 15, 2010
Ooh! Sonic. Do they serve Brontosaurus ribs?
Anybody notice that A&W on Pacific Ave is gone? No more root beer straight from the tap. Don’t think you can get that anywere around here.
Maybe Sonic will have a A&W Root Beer Slushy.
D dolly varden August 16, 2010
I’m much more psyched about the opening of Caffe Dei on 6th … more fast food is not what Tacoma (or anywhere) needs.
J janemckane August 16, 2010
Welcome to Tacoma Sonic. Glad to see businesses open up here, instead of folding and moving elsewhere. Nobody was busting down doors to build on that 6th Avenue site and nobody was lining up to visit any retailers around there either. I’ll come give your burger a try.
T Trashtown August 16, 2010
The burgers are terrible.
A Altered Chords August 16, 2010
My own burgers are amazing.
This place sounds like more crap.
“Do not want”
R redhead522 August 17, 2010
It is okay but it is not anything special. There is better burger joints out there. I have been to these before in Idaho and they all taste the same. Fair warning though, because they are new they probably won’t get all of your order correct.
I have a quick question for LostinLosAngeles. If you don’t like this blog, why are you reading it and commenting? If you hate it so much, don’t read it. If you live here and hate it maybe you should leave and live in a place that you like. It is just another city, sir.
J Jesse August 18, 2010
“My own burgers are amazing.” — AC
If you have the burgers, I have the wine.
C captiveyak August 18, 2010
Sonic was omnipresent in Western Colorado. I’ve always thought of it on a par with Wendy’s or Arby’s – not quite the definition of ubiquitous, but almost. To be fair, that’s not always a bad thing. In ‘n’ Out makes a very fine burger, and it rules the landscape of California.
I still prefer Flippin’ Out Burger, though I am a full-blown snob.
A Andy Campbell August 18, 2010
Did I catch Flippin Out on a bad day or something!? The fries were solid, no doubt about it but we commented that the burgers tasted like they might have been soaked in soy sauce before being cooked. We’ve got some genuinely good burgers in Tacoma- from greasy to gourmet- but I’m sure there’s still room on 6th ave for a Sonic. As much as I miss the abandoned Godfathers/Classy Casual combo that it replaced… Gotta hate those pesky frontage improvements along the 6th ave corridor too!
A Altered Chords August 18, 2010
@ Jesse – Sounds like an exit 133 party. Maybe end of Frost Park season?
E Evelyn in Tacoma August 22, 2010
I tried the Sonic in Spokane for breakfast on a quick business trip. Can’t say it was good, but you know, it wasn’t bad either. I was so excited about Carl’s Jr. coming north, but the reality did not live up to my memories. Maybe I’ve aged out of fast food.
S Steven August 23, 2010
I’ll give sonic a try. I recently went to Flippin Out. I checked my burger a couple of times to see if I was bitting in the the paper. The bun was terrible. Yikes.
Steven
T TacomaThinker August 24, 2010
what? I love flippin out. $3.71 for the best burger in town. Their sign says fresh ground daily usda angus beef w/ no additives aaaand they grill it until it has yummy crispy edges!
…another reason to love Tacoma.