St. Mary OKs Atchafalaya Construction
July 15, 2008
Rickie J. Harris
July 17, 2008
Two fast food chains make the cut in Sonic competition
By KEYON K. JEFF
Keeping fast food workers interested in their job has always been a difficult task.
Sonic Drive-In has found a novel way to ensure employees always keep high-quality customer service in mind: Make it a competition.
Over 2,700 of the restaurant chain’s 3,300 drive-ins are participating in the 14th annual Dr Pepper Sonic Games. The competition recognizes the best Sonic Drive-Ins in the country.
Two crews in the Tri-parish area advanced to the top 300 in June – the Sonic at 1318 Grand Caillou Road in Houma and 800 North Canal Blvd. in Thibodaux. By the end of July, they will know whether they made the top 48.
“It really does a good job of helping to improve the morale and atmosphere of the employees,” said Eric Fuentes, part owner and manager of the Sonic on Grand Caillou Road.
The nine-month competition evaluates individual crew members in Carhop (food delivery), Fountain (drink preparation), Switchboard (service delivery) and Dresser, Grill and Swamp (food preparation).
Since Jan. 1, certain crew members have been required to call a 1-800 number monthly. They are quizzed on various aspects of Sonic’s operations.
“They also have secret shoppers who visit. We are scored based on how good our food and service is,” Fuentes said. “Every month we qualify for certain points. Throughout the year they keep track of it and tally it up.”
If either crew makes the top 48 cut, they continue on until the top 12 finalists are announced in September. The top 12 go to Orlando, Fla., to compete in the national finals at the Sonic National Convention.
One Sonic in Orlando is shut down as the site of the competition. Each crew goes in one at a time and competes against each other to see who’s the fastest, who has the best food and the best quality.
Crew members compete on an individual and team basis for the chance to be named national finalists. Dr Pepper Sonic Games winners will receive gold, silver and bronze medals plus $750 per person.
“It’s kind of similar to sports,” Fuentes said. “We have the playoff rounds and then we go compete for the championship.”
Fuentes has taken part in the Sonic Games since he became manager four-and-a-half years ago. His drive-in made the top 200 in 2006, which is basically the same level as this year’s top 300.
Crew members have received cash bonuses, gift cards and other prizes for advancing in the competition.
“I have a crew that has been with me for quite a few years,” he said. “They are self-motivated. They come in every day with a good attitude and push other crewmembers to be positive. It rubs off on everybody.”
If this is the year Fuentes makes the finals, he would be ecstatic, but he would also have hard choices to make.
“I would be speechless,” he said. “I would only be able to bring myself and six crewmembers (one from each station). Our franchise owner, Ted Kurgan, has over 40 stores in Louisiana and he has had only one store make it to the finals. We’d be in a pretty elite class.”
Sonic Drive-In employee Annley Grabert helps a customer at the chain’s Grand Caillou Road site. Employees with the Houma and Thibodaux Sonic learned recently they have advanced to the top 300 in the company’s 14th annual Dr. Pepper Sonic Games. * Photo by KEYON JEFF
