Sonic is a popular fast food chain known for its expansive drive-in menu. The restaurant is famous for items like footlong hot dogs, cheeseburgers, tater tots, and limeades. With a wide selection of food and drinks, some customers may wonder if Sonic also offers smoothies.
Quick Answers
Yes, Sonic does offer smoothies. Sonic has smoothies available in a variety of flavors including strawberry, mango, peach, and tropical coconut. The smoothies can be customized with add-ins like protein powder or fresh fruit. Sonic’s Real Fruit Smoothies provide a cool, blended treat to enjoy alongside burgers, fries, and other drive-in classics.
When Did Sonic Start Offering Smoothies?
Sonic first added smoothies to its menu in 2011. This expansion of the drink menu gave customers a new, thicker blended option beyond the chain’s famous slushes and fountain drinks. Real Fruit Smoothies entered the scene to compete with other quick service restaurants promoting smoothies at the time.
Sonic did not create its own proprietary smoothie recipes from scratch. Instead, the chain partnered with smoothie industry leader Smoothie King to develop and source the new drinks. This strategy allowed Sonic to quickly offer quality smoothies without having to build the capability in-house.
Sonic chose ingredient and flavor combinations aligned with customer preferences and its brand identity. While Smoothie King features exotic ingredients like acai and probiotics, Sonic focused on classic fruit flavors featuring strawberries, mangos, peaches, and bananas. The result gave the chain on-trend blended fruit drinks consistent with its core menu.
The launch expanded Sonic’s beverage lineup which already included fountain sodas, juices, milkshakes, slushes, and the famous Sonic Cherry Limeade. Adding smoothies gave health-conscious customers a nutritious blended drink option. It also provided a new product catering to consumers seeking cooler refreshments during hot summer months.
What Smoothie Flavors Does Sonic Offer?
Sonic offers smoothies in a rotating variety of fruit flavors including:
- Strawberry
- Mango
- Peach
- Pineapple
- Tropical Coconut
- Mixed Berry
- Banana
- Pineapple Strawberry
The fruit smoothies are blended with real fruit, fruit juices, ice, and yogurt. This creates a thick, creamy frozen drink. The fruit flavors aim to provide the taste of fresh produce in a cool, sweet beverage.
Sonic occasionally releases limited-time specialty smoothie flavors as well. For example, past seasonal options have included Watermelon, Blue Coconut, and Strawberry Banana. Sonic tests these limited batches to potentially add new permanent flavors based on customer response and sales.
Most Popular Flavors
According to Sonic, its most popular smoothie flavors include:
- Strawberry Banana
- Mango
- Strawberry
- Peach
These bestselling options feature classic fruit flavors preferred by many smoothie drinkers. The tropical taste of mango and refreshing strawberry remain customer favorites.
Smoothie Sizes and Prices at Sonic
Sonic offers its Real Fruit Smoothies in two sizes:
| Size | Price |
|---|---|
| Regular | $2.99 |
| Large | $3.99 |
The regular size contains 21 oz of smoothie, while the large has 32 oz. Given typical smoothie prices at other chains, this represents relatively reasonable value pricing. Customers can choose the size fitting their thirst and budget.
Smoothie prices may vary a bit by location. Sonic franchise owners can set their own pricing within certain corporate limits. But smoothies generally cost under $4 for the regular size and around $4-5 for a large.
Sonic often runs promotions featuring discounted or BOGO (buy one, get one) deals on shakes and smoothies. Free smoothie coupons are commonly available via Sonic’s mobile app as well. So savvy customers can frequently get smoothies for even less than the regular menu prices.
Customizing Your Sonic Smoothie
Sonic allows customers to customize smoothies to match their personal preferences. Some customization options include:
- Fruit add-ins – Get extra strawberries, blueberries, banana slices, etc. added right into your smoothie for more fresh fruit flavor.
- Yogurt – Substitute regular yogurt for low-fat or non-fat yogurt in any smoothie.
- Sweeteners – Reduce or skip added sweeteners to cut calories in your drink.
- No ice – Remove some or all ice for a thicker, less frozen smoothie texture.
- Protein powder – Add a protein boost to your smoothie with whey or plant-based protein powders.
Keep in mind smoothie customization may cost extra depending on what ingredients you change or add. But the ability to modify provides greater choice to get your ideal specialized smoothie.
Do Sonic Smoothies Taste Good?
Customer opinion generally agrees Sonic’s smoothies are tasty and comparable to other leading quick service restaurants. The focus on core fruit flavors using real fruit results in a naturally flavorful blended drink.
Sonic smoothies tend to taste sweeter than some competitor brands relying on added sugars. But many customers enjoy Sonic smoothies specifically because they satisfy a sweet tooth with refreshing natural fruit taste.
Areas for improvement noted by some reviewers include inconsistent thickness and not enough fruit flavor variety. But overall, Sonic smoothies rate well for their sweet fruity flavor and cool, creamy texture.
Smoothie Ingredients
To deliver their characteristic sweet, fruity taste, Sonic smoothies contain:
- Fruit juices – For flavor and natural sweetness
- Real fruit – Strawberries, mangos, peaches, etc.
- Yogurt – For creaminess and protein
- Ice – To blend and thicken the smoothie
- Sweeteners – Cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup, etc.
The combination of juices, fruit, ice, and yogurt provides plenty of tangy flavor. Sonic also confirms its smoothies contain no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
Nutritional Information for Sonic Smoothies
A Sonic strawberry smoothie nutrition facts breakdown for a regular size drink contains:
| Calories | 250 |
|---|---|
| Total Fat | 2g |
| Sodium | 65mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 57g |
| Protein | 5g |
Smoothies supply a high amount of carbohydrates from natural fruit sugars. But otherwise they are low in fat and sodium. The protein comes mainly from the yogurt base.
Nutrition can vary by exact smoothie flavor and customizations. For example, adding protein powder will boost protein content. Overall though, a Sonic smoothie contains a blend of vitamins, minerals, and fiber from real fruit making it a more nutritious beverage choice compared to soda.
Are Sonic Smoothies Healthy?
Sonic smoothies provide both pros and cons for nutritional value:
Pros
- Real fruit ingredients
- Vitamins and antioxidants
- Dairy calcium from yogurt
- Protein boost option
- No artificial ingredients
Cons
- High in natural sugar
- Large size options
- Added non-fruit sweeteners
- Calories from creaminess
Smoothies should be considered an occasional treat, not an everyday drink choice. But they can be a better option than heavily sweetened sodas or shakes when you want something cold, sweet, and fruity.
Tips for Enjoying Sonic Smoothies
Here are some tips to get the most satisfaction from your Sonic smoothie experience:
- Use the Sonic app for deals on half-price or BOGO smoothies.
- Customize with extra fruit or low-fat yogurt for more nutrition.
- Order smoothies with lighter mixes like strawberry banana or mango pineapple.
- Request light ice for a thicker, less frozen texture.
- Avoid heavy cream or sugar-based flavor additions like mocha or caramel.
- Share a large smoothie for a more reasonable calorie intake.
- Substitute smoothies for milkshakes for a relatively healthier treat.
Sonic smoothies can satisfy a craving for frozen fruity refreshment. Follow these tips to keep your indulgence from going overboard.
Smoothie Alternatives at Sonic
If smoothies don’t appeal, Sonic provides other options to quench your thirst including:
- Sodas – Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Dr. Pepper, and more fizzy favorites.
- Limeades – Sonic’s famous regular and Cherry Limeades.
- Lemonades – Classic or strawberry flavor.
- Juices – Orange, apple, cranberry, grape, and tomato juices.
- Milkshakes – Thick malts and shakes in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and more.
- Teas & Lemonades – Raspberry tea, green tea, and Arnold Palmer-style lemonade/tea mixes.
- Coffee drinks – Hot, iced, and frozen coffees.
- Slushes – Icy, flavorful slushy drinks like the Ocean Water with tropical blue coconut flavor.
With this huge drink selection, you have many options at Sonic for cooling down with a refreshing beverage treat.
Pairing Food Items with Sonic Smoothies
What foods go well with Sonic smoothies? Consider pairing your smoothie with these menu items:
Breakfast Pairings
- Breakfast Toaster – Sausage, egg, and cheese on Texas toast.
- Breakfast Burrito – Scrambled eggs, meat, potatoes, cheese, and sauces wrapped in a warm tortilla.
- Cinnabon Pastries – Mini cinnamon rolls ideal for dipping in smoothies.
Lunch/Dinner Pairings
- Jr. Burgers – Simple beef burgers with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mustard, and ketchup.
- Hot Dogs – Several sizes of all-beef franks with chili, slaw, onions, and more toppings.
- Chicken Strips – Hand-breaded chicken tenders served crispy or grilled.
- Tater Tots – The classic crispy, deep-fried potato side.
- Onion Rings – Crispy battered sweet onion slices.
Pairing smoothies with typical fast food fare like burgers, hot dogs, and fried sides can provide a refreshing sweet complement to balance salty, savory flavors.
Vegetarian Options to Pair With Smoothies
For vegetarian pairings, consider these no-meat menu items with a Sonic smoothie:
- Veggie Burger – Grilled Boca veggie patty with classic burger toppings.
- Grilled Cheese – Gooey, toasted cheese sandwich.
- Mac & Cheese Bites – Creamy macaroni and cheese in poppable bite sizes.
- Mozzarella Sticks – breaded, deep-fried cheese sticks.
- Fries – Crispy regular or waffle-cut french fries.
- Onion Rings – Crispy battered sweet onion slices.
Veggie burgers, grilled cheese, cheesy sides, and fried snacks all make satisfying meatless meals to enjoy with a sweet, fruity smoothie on the side.
Conclusion
Sonic Drive-In expanded its beverage lineup in 2011 by introducing Real Fruit Smoothies. Customers can now enjoy blended drinks at Sonic featuring strawberry, mango, peach, tropical, and other fruity flavors. The smoothies combine real fruit with juices, yogurt, ice, and sweeteners for a creamy, nutritious refreshment.
Smoothie lovers appreciate the sweet fruited taste and absence of artificial ingredients in Sonic smoothies. Customizations allow you to tailor smoothies to your preferences as well. While not the healthiest daily drink choice, Sonic smoothies can provide vitamin-rich hydration and a cool sweet treat perfect alongside burgers, fries, and other drive-in staples on a hot day.
