Sonic’s Limited-Time Menu Item Is a New Take on a Fan Fave

Sonic Drive-In’s menu additions have kept us on our toes this year. The restaurant, which gained significant recognition a couple of years ago for its nugget ice—so popular that even Starbucks is switching its ice machines to make nugget ice instead of chips—has really upped its game.

In the spring, Sonic released new cheesy, bacon-loaded sandwiches along with a tasty Orange Cloudsicle Slush Float. Then, it took a bold move that’s always risky for a fast-food chain: it changed its fries permanently. Sonic’s new Groovy Fries are designed to grab onto whatever you’re dipping them in, and they even introduced a special Groovy Sauce to pair with those fries.

But Sonic didn’t stop there. It’s now introducing a warm, melty cheese to elevate its customers’ snacking experience.

Sonic’s New Queso and Loaded Queso Fries

French fries and melted cheese are a classic pairing. And when you add queso—the Tex-Mex cheese dip often used with tortilla chips—you take that classic pairing to a new level.

Starting Sept. 2, Sonic is offering creamy white queso as a dip for French fries, along with two flavors of Loaded Queso Fries. (But if you’re a Sonic app user, you can order them now before the official launch.)

Both versions start with hot, crispy Groovy Fries layered with the new queso and topped with bold toppings:

• Bacon Ranch Loaded Queso Fries: Groovy Fries topped with queso, crisp bacon, melted shredded cheese, and a drizzle of creamy ranch.
• Southwest Loaded Queso Fries: Groovy Fries topped with queso, sliced jalapeños, ripe tomatoes, creamy Southwest sauce, diced onions, and melted shredded cheese.

“SONIC’s hot and crispy Groovy Fries are a perfect snack on their own, but imagine elevating them with creamy queso and other flavor-packed toppings—now that’s a snack that hits the spot,” said Mackenzie Gibson, vice president of culinary and menu innovation at Sonic.

The Loaded Queso Fries start at $3.99 for a medium-sized order and are available for a limited time while supplies last. They sound so cheesy-good, they probably won’t last long.