False Advertising

Confident Learner Joined: Apr 29, 2006 Posts: 99

I like to eat at Sonic drive-in. I absolutely love the Sunshine Smoothie, and am rather infatuated with the Steak, Egg, and Cheese Burrito. Moreover, when it is cold outside, the last thing that I want to do is get out of my car and race to the door of the warm restaurant. So, having someone bring my food to me is kind of nice.

I do, however, have one major contention with Sonic drive-in. While the Sunshine Smoothie that I love so much is made with ice-cream, orange juice, bananas, and strawberries, most smoothies do not contain any ice cream. The regular smoothies are supposedly made with yogurt.

Note, I said they are "supposedly" made with yogurt. That is what is indicated on the menu, which states they are made with "low-fat yogurt". However, Sonic Drive-in does not actually use yogurt. They have a powder that, when mixed with the slush, provides a yogurt-like texture to a given drink.

Now, when I hear the word "smoothie", I think of the Sunshine Smoothie. Thus, the word "smoothie" makes me think of a drink that is made with ice-cream. So when I have decided to try a regular smoothie, I was sorely disappointed. However, had I properly read the menu, I would have known better.

Yet, when I read the menu, and I see the words, "low-fat yogurt", I generally assume that they are using low-fat yogurt. By not using low-fat yogurt, they are advertising falsely.

This form of false advertising is not isolated only to the Sonic Drive-in. Coffee shops and other eateries also engage is offering flavours as something other then flavours. When you go to Starbucks, for instance, and order a drink with Kahlua, you can watch as artificial Kahlua flavouring is added to your drink! Sorry, but artificial Kahlua flavouring is not Kahlua!

There was once a time that false advertising was actively opposed. Laws were formulated against it, and consumers refused to accept it. Now, it is common practice for businesses to offer products that they do not have. Nobody seems to suggest that there is anything wrong with it.

So when I go to Sonic Drive-in, I only order my Steak, Egg, and Cheese Burrito and Sunshine Smoothie. I go to sonicdrivein.com and tell them how I feel, although I know that they aren't listening to little old me. I do my best to fight against false advertising and false labeling. Unfortunately, it seems that I am alone in that.

Thinker Joined: Nov 12, 2006 Posts: 423

Hey, I'd be really surprised if it had any real orange juice, bananas, or strawberries in it as well. Like they use to say, "Better living through chemicals." Smile

Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 9:24 am

They're using yogurt, it's just dehydrated and probably doesn't have a live culture.

Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2007 2:42 pm

This reminds me of a couple of years ago, when McDonald's started writing on all it's chicken nugget advertising "now made with real chicken". I still want to know what the hell was in it before. Now that's some pretty bad false advertising, when your chicken nuggets don't have any chicken in them.


Create an account	Home · Articles · Downloads · Video Library · Forums · Chat Room · aStore