Sonic's New Grillo's Collab Menu Review: Pickles Are Cooling Off Summer In The Best Possible Way

Pickle-flavored items have been on trend for a few years. Since then, the unique flavor profile has been used in numerous snack foods and fast food menu items. Starting June 30, Sonic Drive-In is collaborating with Grillo's Pickles to release a lineup of its own savory and sweet food mashups for a limited time. Sonic has done a pickle burger before. But this new briny collab combo includes a single or double burger made with hand-smashed Angus beef patties, dill pickle seasoned tots, or groovy fries, and to wash it all down, a Picklerita Slush. The double patty meal starts at $14.47 while the triple will set you back about $15.47. The burgers on their own are $7.99 and $8.99, respectively. 

The burger contains dill pickle-seasoned crispy cucumbers, Dilly Ranch, Grillo's Pickle Chips, and lettuce. If that doesn't fill your dill, the fries and tots are covered in Grillo's pickle seasoning. Finally, perhaps the most adventurous item is the Picklerita Slush, made with pickle juice, lime, Pickle Juice Flavor Bubbles, and a pickle chip topper.

I'm someone who loves pickles and pickle-flavored snacks. Those spicy dills wrapped in heavy plastic in the refrigerated section at 7-Eleven are still a refreshing summertime ritual, a holdover tradition from my youth.

So, I was excited to hear that Grillo's was doing a sonic partnership for summer. I was even more excited to get to review them. Armed with a gift card provided by Sonic's PR team and the flavor of Listerine still in my mouth, I headed out to my neighborhood Sonic at 6 a.m. to not only beat the heat, but to get my dill on. Here are my thoughts.

Pushing the dill pickle concept to its absolute limits is the Sonic pickle burger. The test kitchen must have reached a satisfying limit of flavor then added a pinch more with the addition of pickle flavored chips for texture. In this case, it was a good call because the sandwich is a tasty blend of burger and brine.

As over-the-top as it sounds, this is actually a great tasting combination. It comes in both a double (680 calories) and triple (870 calories), and is all about the toppings since the standard pressed burger patty is used as the base. From there, they pile on some lettuce, Grillo's pickle slices, dill sauce, cheese, and that added flourish of pickle potato chip pieces. It's all served on the soft potato bun.

The flavor profile, as you would imagine, is dill-forward. Way forward. But surprisingly, despite the barrage, it's almost comforting thanks to what Sonic calls "Dilly Ranch," a sauce so yummy it should become a household staple. Without it, the burger just becomes a tangy trifle of meat and pickles. The added crispy cucumbers don't add anything to the flavor, but the crunch is texturally fun.

Even though the burger is enjoyable, it's the Pickle Seasoned Tots (370 calories) that are the standout in this collab. They aren't as extreme as other things in this review but make no mistake, you're going to get your dill fix, just not as strong. Sonic has some of the best side dishes in drive-thru dining. The tots are some of the best Sonic has to offer, especially the cheesy ones. Adding dill seasoning to them without cheese is a genius idea, and they might be the star companion to the whole Smasher meal.

I got these little hot barrels of heaven fresh from the fryer, and that may have made a difference. The medium size is $3.69. Crunchy and toothsome, the Pickle Seasoned Tots are encrusted with clumps of dill seasoning, which enhances the oily essence of the earthy potato. It's a near-perfect culinary match, much like bacon and tomato. Mine came in a paper tray that's used for hot dogs with a foil sleeve. I'm not sure that's the standard packaging, but it was great for having less greasy fingers while avoiding the bottom of the carton finger punch when you're down to the last few.

Sonic over the years has tried to push culinary limits with some odd pairings; some hits, like the peanut butter bacon shake, and some misses — I'm talking to you, Cheesy Garlic Pepperoni bites. Since this is Sonic's first pickle collaboration, it's nice that Sonic incorporated the signature snack with this trendy concept. It works really well.

Unlike the near-perfect mash-up of Sonic's tater tots and Grillo's pickle seasoning, the Pickle Seasoned Groovy Fries (380 calories) are woefully under, and overwhelming. A medium basket costs $3.69. 

Sonic's fries, in my opinion, aren't that great anyway. They aren't as crunchy and soft as McDonald's, or as salty and sweet as Burger King's. They are better when topped with something like liquid cheese or Chili.

But the pickle seasoned variety suffers in this lineup from too much salt. With 1070 milligrams of sodium, which is about half your recommended daily amount, the seasoning that's supposed to open up your taste buds ends up working overtime, as the impact of brine was more than I could take. I love pickled flavored snacks but even those have a palatable, softer fusion than these that blast your mouth into a pucker.

The Picklerita Slush was the one thing that I feared trying the most. I do love pickles, but maybe not enough to drink them in liquid form. Sonic is, of course, famous for its crushed ice drinks, and have made pickle slushies in the past. However, its Cherry Limeade is quintessential to the brand and is a masterclass in fast food beverages. However, the idea that one could make a refreshing summer slushy flavored like pickle juice might be a stretch. After all, I wouldn't take a jar from my fridge and guzzle it to quench my thirst.

However, Sonic's Picklerita Slush is a surprising heat-buster that might not keep you hydrated, but it's sure a fun segue. It only comes in a medium size (290 calories) for $3.99. 

What hits you first is that salty, definitive brine, which you could possibly use to pickle your cucumbers. It's strong and salty with a punch of dill that will make your tongue pop off the top of your mouth. Once that top note fades, it becomes a little sweeter. Not sickening sweet though, the counterbalance ensures a smooth experience, which might make you guzzle it quicker than you think. But don't choke; there are sweetened green "flavor bubbles" in every serving, and they come at your throat like delicious paintballs.

From the iciness of the micro-crushed ice, and the perfect savory to sweet ratio, Sonic has done what it does best: create a fun, delicious beverage that you might not order every time, only when the craving hits you.

As Sonic continues to serve up unique fast food items, including adding to the delicious frozen beverage line, it seems to be the only chain to raise the bar for car cuisine. However, as with most experiments, that initiative can be hit or miss for this epicure.

The Sonic and Grillo's pickle crossover is one I thought would be more fad than food. But surprisingly, it was a win, except for the disappointing fries that I felt belonged in a stable as a salt lick. But other than that, the burgers were delicious with the addition of the Dilly Ranch sauce, those perfectly seasoned tater tots, and the briefly refreshing Picklerita Slush. 

As a whole, the combo was a bit too much of a good thing. Inundating the palate with so much dill is a sensory overload and may lead to flavor blindness. If a whole meal made of pickle-flavored items sounds intriguing, by all means, give it a try; it might ease your craving for something savory. For me, it was a bit of overkill. That being said, I will be ordering this collab, but next time, à la carte. 

In advance of the Sonic Drive-In and Grillo's Pickles team-up, the public relations firm reached out to The Takeout and offered a gift card to pay to purchase the items for review. I got to my nearest participating Sonic just after it opened on Monday, June 30. 

On the drive there, I was nervous that there would be lines around the restaurant, eager patrons dying to try this new pickle-infused menu. But that wasn't the case; the drive-thru was empty. I ordered all the new items and made my way back home, trying to control myself, trying not to make the Picklerita Slush my car drink. My house is only 3 miles from my local Sonic, so everything was still hot, and the Picklerita Slush was only just beginning to become a slurry.

My husband helped with the taste test, giving me his feedback, but I only used my opinion for the purposes of this review. He was a little annoyed that we had to go back because they gave us regular tots and fries. I ranked my opinions on a few things: If the pickle flavor was there, how those flavors complemented the rest of the meal, and how surprised I was if they worked. All three of those criteria were met, with only one being a miss.