‘Friendliness’ puts local Sonic among best

Maegan Shadoan’s goal two years ago when she came into run Maricopa’s Sonic Drive-In was to make a difference.

“It was dirty and awful,” she said. “We had to get sales up. Show that we can do the full turnaround.”

Apparently, it worked.

Shadoan’s crew of 21 employees has been rated in the top 300 of the 3,500 franchise stores.

In an annual corporate competition, her Sonic was the only one of the 30 in Phoenix owned by Mason Harrison Ratliff Enterprises to make it so far. The hope was to go all the way to finals in San Antonio, Texas this month, but Shadoan found out late July her shop didn't make it in the next round of cuts. 

Still, getting this far – 3,500 stores overall, 2,500 participating in the competition – motivated her crew to greatness.

“I’m very proud of my team,” Shadoan said. “And even though we didn’t make it this year, we’ll try again next year. And we’ll continue to keep serving our customers with great service.”

Competition took the shape of secret shoppers, quizzes in such categories as carhop, switchboard (taking orders) and curb time.

The crew was tested in a variety of categories from the weight and appearance of ice cream treats, the temperature of the food, whether another item was suggested when taking an order, and repeating back the order.

Along the way, crew members could win such items as T-shirts, visors, iPods, cameras and movie tickets.

Ask Shadoan, carhop Jozlyn French or Assistant Manager Candice French what the secret to a successful Sonic is, and they say the same thing: Friendliness.

“My main focus is the friendliness,” Shadoan said. “Everyone has hot food and a unique menu. It’s the friendliness. We have balloons for the kids, we’re getting crayons. I’ve found, it’s where the kids want to go, is where the family wants to go.”

When she was 16, Shadoan carhopped for her father Butch Carter, who operates two stores in the Valley. She went on to train in other stores in the country and then trained others.

French, who has been a carhop since November and is a senior a Maricopa High School, said she loves working at the Maricopa store, despite falling on her skates the second day on the job.

“You really just have to be friendly. You get to know customers and they get to know you,” she said. “I love it. It’s just fun. I like all the people here.”