Hungry and in the mood for some American classics? Take a spin to a Sonic Drive-In for some burgers, hot dogs, onion rings, and shakes. If you want to make your fast food run even more delicious while saving some money, we’ve rounded up our favorite Sonic secret menu items and Sonic menu hacks.
Here’s how to take advantage of Sonic Happy Hour, get Sonic coupons for free drinks and food, and order some off-the-wall Sonic secret menu items.
Remember to download the KCL app for more awesome hacks.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Our Favorite Secret Menu Items of All Time
Sonic Secret Menu Foods
Try the Sonic secret menu grilled ham and cheese.
To get the Sonic secret menu grilled ham and cheese, order the standard grilled cheese with ham inside. It’s $3.99. Not all locations carry ham, so make sure you ask in advance.
The Sonic secret menu Frito Chili Pie is legendary; check to see if your location has it.
A popular Sonic secret menu item in the South, Frito Pie is a generous serving of Frito chips smothered in chili and cheese. Think of it as the toppings on a regular Coney dog but on crunchy chips.
A Frito Pie is about $4.29, which is $0.10 cheaper than Large Chili Cheese Tots. Your location might not be able to make it, so check before you get your hopes up.
The Sonic secret menu Ring Leader Burger is only $0.70 more than a cheeseburger. It’s a cheeseburger with grilled onions AND onion rings.
This Sonic secret menu item is only a good deal if your local Sonic is generous.
Order a cheeseburger with grilled onions ($0.70) and one onion ring on top. Most locations will add a single onion ring to your order free of charge; otherwise, you might have to order a side of mini onion rings and assemble it yourself.
Price of cheeseburger $5.49 + grilled onions $0.70 + a free onion ring = $6.19.
Price of cheeseburger $5.49 + grilled onions $0.70 + mini onion rings $3.29 = $9.48
Celebrate your cheat day with Sonic secret menu Extreme Tots.
Feel like treating yourself? The Sonic secret menu extreme tots are definitely heavier than your regular tater tots, but still totally worth it; order tots with cheese, chili, jalapenos, onions, and ranch dressing for $4.09.
You can get the “Extreme” treatment on Popcorn Chicken, too! Definitely plan some nap time after this one.
Sonic Secret Menu Drinks
What is the Pink Lady drink at Sonic?
To order the vibrant Pink Lady drink on the Sonic secret menu, ask for Sprite with cherry flavoring and vanilla cream. A medium Pink Lady costs $2.39 — a 22.7% discount from a regular Sonic slush (reg. $3.09).
Check out the secret Sonic drink menu “Sonic Sunrise”.
One of the most popular Sonic secret menu items is the Sonic Sunrise, which tastes like a virgin Tequila Sunrise. To order, ask for a drink that’s equal parts orange juice and Cherry Limeade. It costs $2.89 for a medium and $3.69 for a large.
What is the Purple Sprite drink at Sonic?
The Sonic secret menu has some interesting items, like purple Sprite. Just order a Sprite with some added splashes of Powerade, cranberry juice, and lemonade for $4.46 (medium). It’s pretty sweet.
For lemonade and soft drinks, flavor add-ins are $0.69 each and $0.85 for fruits (like limes and lemons) and candies (like Skittles).
The Dr. Pepper/Powerade/lemonade combo is a popular experience.
You’ll need to spend $0.69 on add-ins, but this Sonic secret menu beverage is worth it. It’s in store only, and here’s how you order:
Medium Dr Pepper ($2.39)
Add splash of Powerade (adds $0.69)
Add splash of lemonade (adds $0.69)
Sonic Menu Hacks
1. Sonic Happy Hour makes the entire Sonic drink menu 50% off every day between 2 – 4 p.m.
What time is happy hour at Sonic? Sonic Happy Hour time is 2 to 4 p.m. every day, so if you’re close by, you’ve got to take advantage of Sonic Happy Hour. You’ll get half-price off the entire Sonic drink menu and Sonic slush menu (reg. $3.09) when you order at any Sonic Drive-In location.
2. Get half-price Sonic drinks & slushes anytime when you order through the Sonic app.
You’ll still get Sonic Happy Hour prices on any slush or Sonic drink menu item as long as you order through the Sonic app. If only every happy hour was like that. . .
3. The Sonic app gives you high-value coupons immediately.
When you download the Sonic app and sign up for their MySonic rewards program, you’ll get your first exclusive deal right away. When I signed up, I got a $1.99 Footlong Quarter Pound Coney reward, which would usually cost $5.29 (62.3% savings).
That’s just the beginning; app-exclusive rewards pop up often, so keep the app handy every trip. Sonic app deals vary from week to week with some Sonic coupons only lasting one day.
4. Does the Sonic app have coupons? Order from the stall and pay with the Sonic app to get a new reward — every time.
Sonic coupon rewards are given EVERY TIME you place an order with the Sonic app.
How do I pay with the Sonic app at the stall?
If you want to order in person (especially if you’re trying to get some complicated Sonic secret menu items), here’s what you do to get the reward:
- Order at one of the drive-in stalls
- Open the Sonic app
- Click the bag icon to check out
- Put in your stall number
- Pay via the Sonic app
- Get your new reward (added to the app)
You can collect as many rewards as you want — but you can only use one per order.
5. And cheeseburgers have their own Sonic Happy Hour — they’re half price every Tuesday after 5 p.m.
Tuesday is “Family Night,” where you can get half-price cheeseburgers after 5 p.m. when you order through the Sonic app. It’s like a whole other Sonic Happy Hour.
I got a Bacon Double Cheeseburger (reg. $7.39) at a Sonic near me for $3.70!
By the way, this isn’t the only Tuesday restaurant deal you can get.
Note: This offer doesn’t include the Double-Patty Cheeseburgers, any limited-time or seasonal cheeseburger, Quarter Pound Double Cheeseburgers, Jr. Burgers, and combos.
6. Take home a massive 10-lb Sonic bag of ice for $2.99.
Buying ice at fast food joints is my new favorite thing. Sonic is known for its “nugget” ice, and you can buy a 10-lb bag for only $2.99.
Compare that to a 10-lb bag of ice at 7-Eleven, which is anywhere from $2.50 to $4, depending on your state. And 7-Eleven’s ice isn’t nugget ice.
7. Get a high-value Sonic coupon page with every in-store purchase.
When you get your food in-store, your bag will come with a printed page of Sonic coupons. The coupons range from a BOGO free Classic Chicken Sandwich (reg. $5.59) to an assortment of sides and drinks for only 99 cents.
By paying with your Sonic app (see Tip 4), you can double up on the coupons you get from one Sonic trip.
Note: These printed coupons are only redeemable in stores. There’s no way to apply them to the app.
8. Get Sonic delivery from Uber Eats for the cheapest delivery fees.
You get access to the full Sonic menu when you order Sonic delivery from DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Based on our research, Uber Eats has the cheapest delivery fees nationwide:
- Uber Eats: $0.49 delivery fee
- DoorDash: $2.99 delivery fee
- Grubhub: $4.99 delivery fee
Before you place your order, check out our DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub tips that will help save you money.
Note: You won’t be able to use Sonic coupons (paper or digital), or earn rewards, when you use these third-party delivery services.
9. For fastest service, use the Sonic app to order ahead.
The Sonic app lets you place your order beforehand and select a pickup time and location. Just drive up to a stall and check-in, and the order should be ready in five minutes.
Order ahead is only available through the Sonic app, and only until 11 p.m.
10. Save money when you order from the Sonic 2 for 5 menu
You can order 2 of your favorite items from the classic menu for just $5 when you order from the Sonic 2 for 5 menu. This applies to burgers, hot dogs, breakfast items, sandwiches, sides, and drinks. This is a budget-friendly way to enjoy a full Sonic meal without breaking the bank.
How to order from the Sonic 2 for $5 Menu online?
Order directly on the Sonic website or use the Sonic app. If you prefer, you can order through a third-party delivery service like Uber Eats, Doordash, or Grubhub.
Follow these steps to order it online from Sonic 2 for 5 dollar menu:
- Go to the Sonic website or open the app
- Select your location
- Choose the 2 for $5 menu
- Select your items
- Pay for your order
- Schedule a pickup time
11. Sign up for text messages to get exclusive offers on the Sonic menu.
Sign up for Sonic Drive-In text messages to get exclusive offers sent directly to your phone. All you need to do is provide your phone number and zip code to start getting 10 texts a month.
When I signed up, I immediately got an offer for a free large Sonic drink or slush (reg. $3.59). There is a limit of one promo per order.
12. How to get a free drink at Sonic? Complete the Sonic survey on your receipt for a free drink.
Whenever you get a receipt from a Sonic, it will have an ID number on the bottom. Go to TalkToSonic.com and do a quick Sonic survey to get a promo code for a free large drink. You have 14 days from your original purchase to finish the survey, so don’t put it off too long.
13. Get a discounted Sonic gift card to save up to 10%.
Places like Raise.com sell gift cards for cheaper than the amount on them. We’ve seen discounts as high as 10% for Sonic gift cards, so buying a discounted gift card will help you stack the savings.
You can also get a Sonic gift card from Target for a 5% discount with your Target RedCard.
Tip: Check out Restaurant.com’s Dining Discount Pass for Sonic coupons like BOGO Free shakes at Sonic.
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