Review Insights · App Store
SONIC Drive-In - Order Online
Sonic · 2,626,157 ratings · ★ 4.9
4.9
★★★★★
2,626,157 ratings
🎯 Build a better version
Top complaints - extracted from 84 negative reviews
Recurring phrases mined from 1-2★ reviews. The bigger the percentage, the more users have the same problem. Fix the top 2-3 in your version and you have product-market fit on day one.
1
"sonic"
24 negative reviews mention this · 29% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Never works. This app is horrible. Had it a couple years ago and would never allow me to order ahead so to get the 1/2 price drinks it was always magically down at which ever location I tried. Thought I would try it again and when I entered the verifica…" - Ugh.2026
2
"order"
18 negative reviews mention this · 21% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Never works. This app is horrible. Had it a couple years ago and would never allow me to order ahead so to get the 1/2 price drinks it was always magically down at which ever location I tried. Thought I would try it again and when I entered the verifica…" - Ugh.2026
3
"doesn"
16 negative reviews mention this · 19% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Payment methods just so-so. I have multiple gift cards to use and it won’t let me combine payment methods. I’d like to use all my gift cards and debit card at the same time but the app doesn’t allow it." - Mizzou Proff
4
"drinks"
14 negative reviews mention this · 17% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Never works. This app is horrible. Had it a couple years ago and would never allow me to order ahead so to get the 1/2 price drinks it was always magically down at which ever location I tried. Thought I would try it again and when I entered the verifica…" - Ugh.2026
5
"work"
14 negative reviews mention this · 17% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Never works. This app is horrible. Had it a couple years ago and would never allow me to order ahead so to get the 1/2 price drinks it was always magically down at which ever location I tried. Thought I would try it again and when I entered the verifica…" - Ugh.2026
6
"half"
12 negative reviews mention this · 14% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Annoyed. Why is it called order ahead if the order doesn’t get made until you get there? I always end up waiting so long to the point where it defeats the purpose of ordering AHEAD. I only use the app because of the half off drinks but honestly at t…" - ME1😒1
7
"been"
12 negative reviews mention this · 14% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Annoyed. Why is it called order ahead if the order doesn’t get made until you get there? I always end up waiting so long to the point where it defeats the purpose of ordering AHEAD. I only use the app because of the half off drinks but honestly at t…" - ME1😒1
8
"update"
11 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Here we go again. It seems every other update bricks me ability to pay on the app I don’t have Apple Pay. The app will not recognize my default payment and and and will not allow me to add a new one" - nood aaa
9
"every"
10 negative reviews mention this · 12% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Here we go again. It seems every other update bricks me ability to pay on the app I don’t have Apple Pay. The app will not recognize my default payment and and and will not allow me to add a new one" - nood aaa
10
"times"
10 negative reviews mention this · 12% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Bad server issues. Almost every single time I go here I have issues with my card processing even if I try different cards and they all have money on them. It’s frustrating enough to not make me want to return. And yes that’s even after updating the app, and c…" - Whitttt98
11
"works"
9 negative reviews mention this · 11% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Never works. This app is horrible. Had it a couple years ago and would never allow me to order ahead so to get the 1/2 price drinks it was always magically down at which ever location I tried. Thought I would try it again and when I entered the verifica…" - Ugh.2026
📋 All 84 negative reviews
Every 1-2★ review we fetched. Use the copy button to grab them all for your own analysis (paste into ChatGPT/Claude with a prompt like "summarize core user problems, group by theme, ignore bugs, focus on missing features").
Here we go again
It seems every other update bricks me ability to pay on the app
I don’t have Apple Pay. The app will not recognize my default payment and and and will not allow me to add a new one
I don’t have Apple Pay. The app will not recognize my default payment and and and will not allow me to add a new one
Annoyed
Why is it called order ahead if the order doesn’t get made until you get there? I always end up waiting so long to the point where it defeats the purpose of ordering AHEAD. I only use the app because of the half off drinks but honestly at this point it’s not even worth it!
That was my initial review now half off drinks have been removed. Also, you can’t customize the drinks like you could if you ordered in person. Sucks!
That was my initial review now half off drinks have been removed. Also, you can’t customize the drinks like you could if you ordered in person. Sucks!
Awful
It never works. Ever. I genuinely believe they should just close all Sonic’s
Unreliable
This is probably the most inconvenient and inconsistent app for food. Numerous; system difficulties, having to log back in, re-entering payment information, over and over. Do better sonic
No more 1/2 drinks
Delete the app the only discount we used is gone so when your melting in your car with no ac and the only drink that doesn’t parish in the heat is over priced I recommend you go to the Walmart get 4 1$ 2 liters before paying for a singular drink that’s over priced
Where’s the Diet Coke?!
I go to sonic every day for a Diet Coke and with the latest update, Diet Coke is no longer an option under “sodas”!!! What the hell?? Bring back Diet Coke in the app. They still sell it!
Can’t remove bun
Come on. Get with the program sonic and let us remove the bun in app. It’s the reason I often choose not to eat there. I can do it every everywhere else.
New app rewards
Hate this
Support
I thought it would be easier with the app , I was wrong, I made an order, not only was it wrong, there was a hole in the bottom of my cup. I tried to report it and it had me sen led a ticket that has been in wait for 2 weeks now. Terrible!
Worst app
Half the time I try to use this app it won’t let me pay and says the app is having technical difficulties. You can only redeem the deals from the app so I won’t be buying anything if the app doesn’t work. It’s been broken for months. Figure it out dinguses.
bad
genuinely the buggiest, most frustrating food service app. Doesn’t tell you what isn’t going through when inputting information, despite now allowing you to checkout. Chose to go somewhere else for dinner because it was annoying.
this app sucks
the developers of this app are ridiculous. horrible finding what you want. try using a deal and it randomly goes through items with sizes and flavors all mixed up. the worst.
Advertisements
I do not need to be bombarded with advertisements after I check out!
Only works half the time
Love Sonic and when the app works, it’s great but half the time there are “technical difficulties” and can’t place an order. Then I drive off to McDs for an iced tea.
Never recognizes I am at the store
The app never lets me check in. Everytime I am at the location, it does not recognize that I am there. Drives me crazy. I have contacted support over and over.
App doesn’t work
I’ve spent a lot of money at Sonic over the years and the app has never been worse. It’s always saying there are “technical difficulties”, it will not save my debit card, OR a gift card.
Worst app I’ve ever used
Genuinely can’t get it to log me in. Super glitchy, nobody will support me
App is awful
App is terrible now. Used to use only the app. Now can’t use cards I had if they were under $1. Can’t load new cards. Can’t get cherry limeade slush without paying extra for lime! Can’t get 1/2 price drinks except 2-4 & I work! Used to get all kinds of drinks anytime for 1/2 price through app. This is really not good business.
Terrible
This app is just bad. It’s so terribly glitchy and you can’t redeem deals half the time because “no qualifying items have been added to the cart” despite the necessary qualifying items being in the cart 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻
Too many errors on the app
I am constantly having issues with payments on the app. I go to sonic for the half priced drinks, and the only way to get them now is through app purchases. After the last several attempts have been unsuccessful I finally deleted the app. It’s frustrating to get everyone’s order and drive to sonic just for it to not work. Update your stuff.
Broken for no Reason
Used to work fine, now they want to verify my phone number, annoying that I need two-factor authentication for a food app but whatever. They send me an email with a link, I follow the link. It asks for my phone number, I give it, it texts me a code, I give it. Says to wait or refresh page, waiting does nothing so I refresh and it takes me back to the page where I put in my number. You broke a perfectly fine app and now I can't log in.
Cannot login
For several years I have been unable to log back into to the app. I used Facebook to login and it will not authenticate and there is no way to reset my account so that I can login another way, I’ve tried. So tired of it and have basically stopped ordering Sonic because of it.
Won’t let me submit any order
I’ve used multiple different cards and Apple Pay and it only gives me the error app 4241
Always glitching and not working
Every time I want to order off this app it glitches and loads slow and always says it’s a problem with checkout. It needs to be fixed.
Cannot get past verification.
For months, no matter the update, I enter my phone for verification when prompted, enter the code, and then get a technical difficulties message.
I used to go to sonic at least weekly, I haven’t been at all since the app stopped working.
I used to go to sonic at least weekly, I haven’t been at all since the app stopped working.
Quite literally the worst
The app is constantly changing how things work and now insists on me entering my phone number when I’m paying by Apple Pay. Plus as soon as I finish paying it starts showing me ads. No I do not want a credit card, I just want a soda that’s made the way I want it.
Bad App
After the changes made to this app over the past year it is very frustrating. You should fire whoever is in charge of it.
Stop giving me ads
I’m tired of being spammed with ads every time I make a purchase!
Will not allow online ordered
I ordered all the time and as soon as summer got here it will not allow me to order online anymore. When I get a reward it won’t go through. This is almost purposefully done to cause me to pay more. It’s very frustrating!
I hate the app after the update
Please put the app back the way it was before the update. I hate that you cannot add a promotion along with happy hour, as you used to be able to do. Also, redeeming rewards is obnoxious because it makes you scroll all the way through an entire list of drinks (with the sizes included), and that takes forever. I honestly don’t even go to Sonic as much as I used to because I hate the app. It takes way longer to navigate through than it used to.
Do not like the update
Please change the app back. The variety of drinks is smaller and it requires a lot to customize drinks.
yall are kidding
Why would yall remove lemonade slushes are we srs 🥲
Junk App
There was a time when this app was easy to use but it isn’t any longer. It signed you out everytime you use it. You have to reset passwords constantly and it’s clunky. If this doesn’t cost Sonic business I’d be shocked.
Sonic app
Consistently the worst app I ever use.
Won’t locate a Sonic
Won’t let me sign in
Logs me out for “security” reasons
Loses orders after entering them
Has trouble applying discounts
Can’t check out (pay)
Can’t check in (arrive)
I love Sonic and having the app when it works
Which it has currently has not been working for several weeks now
Won’t locate a Sonic
Won’t let me sign in
Logs me out for “security” reasons
Loses orders after entering them
Has trouble applying discounts
Can’t check out (pay)
Can’t check in (arrive)
I love Sonic and having the app when it works
Which it has currently has not been working for several weeks now
Rewards as useless now
Used to be able to get half priced on any drink, but now you can’t. Also the $0.99 cent Large drink reward is only applicable to “normal” drinks like a regular coke or tea. Can’t get it to apply to something like a dirty diet Dr Pepper or anything along those lines. Making the rewards worth less than before makes me want to simply avoid going to sonic now. It’s sad to pull in expecting to get your favorite drink on the reward but you no longer can.
No delivery
1 star wack
Sellout
Remember when Sonic was good? Like you always got happy hour on the app, you could tip on the app, and you liked going? Those days are gone. Declined three adds for a third party on my order. I have to remember to get happy hour prices. And feel horrible about not tipping the staff. I miss the real Sonic.
Can’t Order Half the Menu
Most of what we get at Sonic isn’t even available to order in the app and only half the drink choices are available on the combos. Frustrating to not be able to place our full order so the rewards go to waste.
Forced ads and offers from credit cards
Forced ads and offers from credit cards. App over sucks
Their just getting worse and worse.
Continued problems with the app when it used to be really good. Now I can’t get a hold of the corporate office because they’re closed for juneteenth? And then I have a thousand bonus points that just disappeared. Give me a break. They can go to hell. App deleted. Never going back to Sonic again.
Doesn’t work
The app only works half the time if i’m lucky.
Orders fail
Everytime i use this app it fails to place an order. I’ve redownloaded and restarted so many times but each time i come back it fails
No good
Sonic is not good anymore half of their machines outside the screens are turned off They don’t fix them. It’s very rundown and raggedy. I feel like they lost their class.
Difficult…
The new app is difficult to navigate. I like the previous versions much better.
Ice cream
I’ve gotten a hot fudge sundae a few times and it always tastes like it has a sour tang to it. I finally googled why that was and it said most likely due to either unclean machines or bad cream 🤢. Will not be going back.
No customer service
Called 3 times today hung up on me 3 times after 6 min wait
Drinks
I used to get half price drinks in the app but not anymore
App dont work
Get told technical difficulties and cant even use the app
Worst app great restaurant
App never works. Always crashes. Can’t get discounts if the app doesn’t work.
Where is my account
The app has locked me out of my account for some reason? Tried to reset password but it won’t send me a link to do so. Trying to contact their customer support is ridiculous and there are no options for what I’m experiencing. This isn’t the first issue I’ve had with this app but it is definitely the worst and not frustrating. There’s literally nothing I can do so screw me I guess.
+ 34 more in the clipboard copy
Sentiment summary
97%
Positive (4-5★)
1%
Neutral (3★)
1%
Negative (1-2★)