Location Reviewed: 156 NJ-17, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
2nd Location: 244 US-46, Totowa, NJ
This past Saturday I had lunch at the first New York City Area Sonic in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, which had opened the previous Sunday. Traffic at this location has been beyond describable, so today's news (via Sonic's official Twitter) that a second location opened today in Totowa, a mere 13-mile drive away, should bring some much-needed relief.
I arrived at the Hasbrouck Heights Sonic with a friend of mine at around 3pm Saturday, looking to have a combination breakfast/lunch/dinner. As I anticipated, the lot was full and police offers were waving potential customers away. I did see the occasional car enter, so we tried twice to enter the lot, which due to the nature of the divided parkway-style road took about ten minutes.
Eventually we ditched the car three lots down at the intersection of Malcom Avenue and the NJ Transit rail crossing. From there we walked back about 50 yards to the Sonic and used the "walk up" option, which still requires you to talk to a menu board, just like as if you were in the drive-in or the drive-through. It took about 15 minutes until it was our turn to order, as we weren't the only ones who had used the "ditch and walk" method.
I ordered a Ex-Long Chili Cheese Coney, a Chicken Club Toaster Sandwich, large fries, and a large (32oz) limeaid. The limeaid (as most other fruity drinks) was 50 percent off for "happy hour," which runs from 2pm to 4pm every day. Don't even think about nutritional value when visiting Sonic. While there are some healthy-branded options, this chain is focused on the "eat your heart out" food consumption practices of yesteryear. I later estimated that this meal (once again, the only of my day) clocked in at around 1,800 calories. Since Sonic has hundreds of fruity drink combinations, it's almost a sin not to order one and instead go with a Diet Coke to save calories.
As can be expected with that caloric value, the meal was rather delightful. The Ex-Long Chili Cheese Coney was huge and very tasty. The Chicken Club Toaster was pretty good as well, but nothing too special. The fries were great as well. Hopefully my opinion hasn't been swayed too much by the storyline leading up to this meal (first meal of the day, getting there, waiting in line, etc.).
I hope to return sometime next month, when hopefully the crowds have died down somewhat, to have the true Sonic drive-in experience.
Photo Credit: Alipyon. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.0 Generic Licence.
2nd Location: 244 US-46, Totowa, NJ
This past Saturday I had lunch at the first New York City Area Sonic in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, which had opened the previous Sunday. Traffic at this location has been beyond describable, so today's news (via Sonic's official Twitter) that a second location opened today in Totowa, a mere 13-mile drive away, should bring some much-needed relief.
I arrived at the Hasbrouck Heights Sonic with a friend of mine at around 3pm Saturday, looking to have a combination breakfast/lunch/dinner. As I anticipated, the lot was full and police offers were waving potential customers away. I did see the occasional car enter, so we tried twice to enter the lot, which due to the nature of the divided parkway-style road took about ten minutes.
Eventually we ditched the car three lots down at the intersection of Malcom Avenue and the NJ Transit rail crossing. From there we walked back about 50 yards to the Sonic and used the "walk up" option, which still requires you to talk to a menu board, just like as if you were in the drive-in or the drive-through. It took about 15 minutes until it was our turn to order, as we weren't the only ones who had used the "ditch and walk" method.I ordered a Ex-Long Chili Cheese Coney, a Chicken Club Toaster Sandwich, large fries, and a large (32oz) limeaid. The limeaid (as most other fruity drinks) was 50 percent off for "happy hour," which runs from 2pm to 4pm every day. Don't even think about nutritional value when visiting Sonic. While there are some healthy-branded options, this chain is focused on the "eat your heart out" food consumption practices of yesteryear. I later estimated that this meal (once again, the only of my day) clocked in at around 1,800 calories. Since Sonic has hundreds of fruity drink combinations, it's almost a sin not to order one and instead go with a Diet Coke to save calories.
As can be expected with that caloric value, the meal was rather delightful. The Ex-Long Chili Cheese Coney was huge and very tasty. The Chicken Club Toaster was pretty good as well, but nothing too special. The fries were great as well. Hopefully my opinion hasn't been swayed too much by the storyline leading up to this meal (first meal of the day, getting there, waiting in line, etc.).
I hope to return sometime next month, when hopefully the crowds have died down somewhat, to have the true Sonic drive-in experience.
Photo Credit: Alipyon. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.0 Generic Licence.
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; "Submarina California Outside")
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Hasbrouck Heights is not the New York city area. There isn't a Sonic anywhere near nyc, despite the fact that we see their ads here all the time. I live in New York and I've never seen a Sonic, despite memorizing their commercials from seeing them so much.
Hasbrouck Heights is not the New York city area. There isn't a Sonic anywhere near nyc, despite the fact that we see their ads here all the time. I live in New York and I've never seen a Sonic, despite memorizing their commercials from seeing them so much.
It's a fifteen-minute drive from Manhattan... I consider that in the area!
It's a fifteen-minute drive from Manhattan... I consider that in the area!