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Sonic Drive-In, 2461 Decker Boulevard: Early February 2015   1 comment

Posted at 1:02 am in closing

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Well, I find this closing a bit surprising, especially given that a lot of Richland County offices will be going into Decker Mall just across the street.

For some reason I've always associated Sonic with small towns and bygone days, probably since the first one I was aware of was in Hartsville sometime back in the 1970s, but nowdays they seem to be a chain on the move with national television campaigns (rather silly ones, I must say) and expansion into head-to-head competition with McDonalds and the rest of the "sit down" fast food chains. I don't think I've had the burgers, but I stop for a milkshake once or twice a year, and they're pretty good.

The closing signs here are a bit disingenuous, as in fact the Forest Drive location:

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has been open for over a year in the old Hardee's location.

(Hat tip to my sister)

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UPDATE -- To become a Tokyo Grill:

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Also adding map icon.

Written by ted on February 9th, 2015

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One Response to 'Sonic Drive-In, 2461 Decker Boulevard: Early February 2015'

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  1. Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2015 07:07:10 +0000
    Author: Homer

    Comment: Huh, another vacant business on Decker. Who'd a thunk that would happen again?

    Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2015 07:12:53 +0000
    Author: Homer

    Comment: But seriously, I have never been impressed with any of Sonic's food. All of it is just typical fast food fare that I can get anywhere else. They should follow the trend McDonald's is trying; that is to scale back their menu. Unless you know exactly what you want, you could spend 15 minutes or more taking in all of the items on the drive-thru menu board.

    On the other hand, they have an excellent drink menu with some wonderful combinations, but again, way too many combinations.

    Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2015 19:05:25 +0000
    Author: Andrew

    Comment: I don't at at Sonic often. I've enjoyed it with a few friends when I was a USC student...I've had a couple of their burgers and liked and all but still don't go often. I've had a hard time warming up to them.

    My grandmother had a bad experience with one of their burgers...we're talking dried bread and meat tough as shoe leather that had her hesitant to return there. That I think fueled my feelings as well.

    I think the biggest thing turning me off to Sonic was the lack of interior seating. I've been planning to make it to the one on Forest Drive this one moved into (former Hardee's) but I haven't been yet. I've been to one on Charleston Highway (US 321 & I-26) that has interior seating and liked it fine...plus Sonic's Red Bank location has undergone an overhaul where they have interior seating so perhaps I'll make it to that one at some point.

    From what Ive noted it will be late 2016 before the offices are ready for the former Decker Mall to operate so I guess we'll have to wait for the completion to draw nearer to know what will likely wind up setting up shop along Decker due in part to it...

    Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2015 23:34:39 +0000
    Author: Rick

    Comment: Ted,
    I enjoyed looking at your photos showing the interior of Sonic.
    I have eaten at Sonic what I consider to be a good number of times over the years and I can only guess that many, like myself, have never seen the inside of one.
    The interior of the one posted looks a little devoid, even though many fixtures seem to remain, with exception to the menu boards in and out.
    I see bottles of mystery juice still remain. They must be of low value.
    It also appears a little nasty. I have heard stories about Sonic, nasty, cock roaches, rats etc.
    I hesitated before I submitted this comment but, unlike Homer and Andrew, I kind of enjoy a Sonic #1 Cheeseburger, it reminds me of the burgers Dairy Queen sold in Columbia back in the 70's.
    Lately, I have been trying to make the perfect pizza dough/ crust.
    Two cups all purpose flour, three tablespoons olive oil and one pack Fleischmann's Yeast. Mix, knead about four minutes, let it rise in a warm place about 45 minutes THEN, store it in the fridge for four to five days.
    Chute, this is as good a crust as any place. Top with what you like. It's all about the crust/dough.
    This works well for Crispy, Thin or Pan Pizza.
    I have a pizza stone the ball and chain got for me from a place called "The Pampered Chef".
    I warm that stone up in a 425 degree oven and SLAM. It's da bomb.
    I made a killer Lasagna this past weekend. Must have used half the pans and pots in the kitchen.
    Where do I get my recipes? I Google them and adjust to my taste. It's trial and error, and takes a lot of tries sometimes but, I enjoy cooking and over the years have built a nice restaurant grade kitchen. I think sometimes my next venture will be a restaurant of some kind. Only problem is, it appears that to be successful in the restaurant business it requires MANY hours per day that I, at this point in my life, am not willing to do. Maybe a Bar-B-Q joint, only open on weekends.
    I do make a good Q and home made sauce. 20 years in the making. Low country style. To quote Homer Simpson, Hmmm..
    Bar-Ba-Q.

    Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2015 23:41:38 +0000
    Author: Rick

    Comment: Ahem, there is a little more to making the pizza crust that I mentioned above so, if you want to try it, let me know.

    Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2015 01:19:52 +0000
    Author: Jason

    Comment: Sonic seems to have made some ingredient changes five or six years ago. I used to eat there a lot, then it seems like one day I went and all the food tasted BAD. Every location, every time I tried for the next couple of months and then off an on the next couple of years. This seemed to coincide with a serious uptick in their advertising - spend more money to advertise food that tastes worse because you're not spending money on quality ingredients anymore. Makes sense.

    Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2015 02:51:39 +0000
    Author: Sidney

    Comment: I remember when I was the manager at Pic-A-Flick Video on Decker in the Bi-Lo shopping center, this Sonic's used to get robbed all the time. We're talking 2 or 3 times a year. And that was back between 93-96 when it wasn't really such a bad side of town.

    Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2015 05:08:17 +0000
    Author: Homer

    Comment: @Rick - I love to experiment in the kitchen as well. Most of my recipe ideas come from cooks.com or allrecipes.com. I hardly ever follow a recipe word for word. I'll find two or three similar recipes for the same dish and mix and match the ingredients to my linking. I've got a shrimp and grits recipe that is like Blue Marlin but I like mine better. I also have a BBQ hash recipe that is based off of ground cooked beef and pork. I'm still in the process of tweaking it but I think I'm getting close. Also working on finishing up my Brunswick Stew recipe. I've got St. Pat's Day pie I have to work on this year. It has a Oreo crust with a filling of cream cheese and Cool Whip laced with Creme De Menth, Bailey's and Kahlua. Talk about rich!!!

    Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2015 05:12:45 +0000
    Author: Homer

    Comment: @Sidney - did you realize that the logo on the PIC-A-FLICK looked obscene at first glance when you were driving on Decker?

    Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2015 11:03:18 +0000
    Author: Sidney

    Comment: @Homer - Yes. We had customers come in and tell us all the time.

    ted

    9 Feb 15 at 7:07 am

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