I almost always tip as long as the service warrants a tip.
If they are quick, friendly and get my order right then they get tips.
Last Halloween several of the young ladies working at the Sonic here in town dressed up as Hooters girls and they by far looked may better than the real Hooters girls and one of the ladies I know who works their said they raked in the tips tha night.

I usually only tip the hot ones...for being hot...
I was a working high school kid once not to long ago...if I needed more money I asked for more hours.

I have the same policy for anyone who asks for a tip.  You earn a tip with good service.  If you ask for one, you get [b]none[/b].  

Do yourself a favor, and pull into the spot right smack dab in front of the door.  Unintentionally, I found myself in that slot last time I was there.  That was a pleasant snack, seeing the lil' hotties in those tight hip huggers roll in and out of the door continuously.  Thats my target space from now on. [:P]

Cope  

Never give them a tip, give them the whole thing.

I just consulted my wife on this subject since she used to be a car hop at Sonic. She said these girls get paid minimum wage or above, unlike a waitress in a resturaunt who may only be paid $2 an hour and depend on tips for the rest. But if it's good service I usually give them a buck or so or at least let them keep the change.

Having worked for tips before, I tip them for good service and as an offering to the "powers that be" in prayer that I never have to work for tips ever again!

"I wish I had a job society deemed tip-worthy."

                                 -Mr. Pink

yep...always at least a buck fifty.....may pay off someday....I dunno though, I am gettin' kinda old.

no

I used to tip when the hotties worked there.  Over the last couple of years, the Sonic near me has turned into a ghetto employer.  Nothing but bad service and bad attitudes.  I'm lucky if they get my order right.  Hell, they don't even wear skates anymore when they bring the food out.

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I tip there the same reason I would at any restraunt: for good, courteous service.
I've never heard "do you need change" there, and that would be a deal killer.
My reasoning is that they're working, not home watching tv, getting a tattoo or smoking crack, so they deserve some credit for that. [:)]

damn, no sonics up here in yankee land. as has already been stated,tipping has gotten way out of hand. you make less than minimum wage, come to me,take my order, bring it,refill the glass, etc. you get tipped. you do all of that really well, you get more. you do that really poorly you get less. i go to a dunkin donuts,i come to your counter, you're getting paid more than minimum wage, you bring my order to the counter and never again deal with me, i don't tip.sonic is a wierd thing, they do bring the order to your car.that deserves at least something, but, seeing as that is the ONLY THING that they do, and they do get higher than minimum wage, i would give a lesser amount. not sure how much, but something for sure.

[b]#1  Sonic employees get paid the same minimum wage as everyone else, [red]$5.15[/red] an hour unless their subject to the youth minimum wage of $4.25 an hour(19 & younger first 90days)

A waitresss/waiter at a resturuant gets a wage of about [red]$2.15 an hour plus tips[/red] so they RELY on tips!

If I go to Taco Bell, McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Subway etc.  those employees get paid the SAME WAGE that the EMPLOYEE at Sonic gets paid BUT I'm expected to TIP the Sonic employee ???
And not the other fast food employees don't deseve a tip???

Merely because the owner/operator of Sonic subscribes to a different business model than most fast food joints???
 So the short jaunt out to my car expends enought effort to require this??

I don't think so,[/b] if they were making the $2.15 an hour real waiters/waitress's were making I would tip but a $4.15-5.15+ an hour no.

p.s.  a college buddy of mine worked in the  
     food service industry in the early '90's
     opening & running Sonic's

i know the head hancho of the texas district for SONIC.  My buddy told me if i ever needed a job he could arrange it.  i laughed and said no thanks. lol

I've never eaten at Sonic, so I'm not sure about a tip.  

I do remember when I was 19 and dating this [s]bitch[/s] bossy girlfriend.  We ate at Black Angus and the waitress was a real hottie, and even seemed interested as they always do when you're "taken".  Anyhow, just to piss of my GF I left a 40 dollar tip.  It was priceless.