There are four ways to get Sonny's BBQ without taking a table, and they do not cost the same. The spread between the cheapest route and the most convenient one, for an identical order, is around 70 percent — and one of those routes is still a telephone.
The four channels
| Channel | Menu pricing | Extra fees | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonny's app | Menu price | None | Regulars, rewards |
| sonnysbbq.com | Menu price | None | Family bundles, larger orders |
| Phone to the restaurant | Menu price | None | Catering, platters, special requests |
| Third-party delivery app | Marked up 15–25% | Delivery + service + tip | When nobody can collect |
Everything except the last row costs the same as sitting down. That is worth stating plainly because plenty of chains quietly add a takeout tier; the money at Sonny's is lost on the platforms, not on the pickup. The full arithmetic is in the delivery guide.
What the online menu handles well
The whole printed menu is there, including the parts people assume are dine-in only. Specifically:
- The Big Deal upgrade — every sandwich appears twice online exactly as it does on the menu, so a Pork Sandwich is $9.29 alone or $13.29 with two Sidekicks and a drink.
- Pitmaster Picks — the Pick 2 ($15.99), Pick 3 ($17.99) and Pick 4 ($19.99) with all four meats chosen in the flow.
- Family bundles — Create Your Own at $49.99, $69.99 and $89.99, and the Family Feast at $65.99. These are the orders the website is genuinely best at, because the choices are structured.
- By the pound — Pulled Pork at $16.99, Sliced Brisket at $23.99, Hot Link at $16.59.
- Bulk sides in small, medium and large, and Gallon Sweet Tea at $5.99.
What to phone about instead
| Do it online | Do it by phone |
|---|---|
| Sandwiches, plates, combos | Catering for more than about ten people |
| Family bundles | The Burnt Ends Platter and other party trays |
| Sidekicks and drinks | Allergy accommodations |
| Small by-the-pound orders | A timed pickup for an event |
| Sauce bottles and House Dry Rub | Asking whether ribs are dry-rubbed today |
The catering platters are the clearest case. A Burnt Ends Platter at $79.99 or a Smoked Wing Platter at $69.99 often needs notice the online flow will not ask you for, and a phone call gets a straight answer about what the kitchen can actually have ready. Allergy questions belong on the phone too, for the reasons set out in the allergen guide.
Curbside and pickup timing
Most locations offer curbside collection, and the practical advice mirrors the hours guide: avoid 12:15–13:00 on weekdays and 18:00–19:30 on Friday and Saturday. Unlike a counter-service chain, the same kitchen line that fills your pickup bag is plating for a full dining room, so a ticket dropped into the dinner peak waits behind tables.
Five things worth doing at checkout
- Take the Big Deal anyway. Two Sidekicks alone cost $6.98, so the $4.00 upgrade wins even if the drink goes untouched.
- Ask for sauce on the side in the notes field. Sauced meat sitting in a container for 20 minutes goes soft.
- Choose chopped brisket over sliced if you are more than a quarter of an hour from home.
- Add Corn Bread at $1.99 — the only side priced below the $3.49 flat rate, and it travels perfectly.
- Skip the fryer items. Crinkle Cut Fries, Tater Tots, Fried Okra and Corn Nuggets all steam themselves soggy in a lidded container.
Rewards and offers
Sonny's runs a loyalty program through its app, and app-only offers are where genuine promotions surface — the chain does not publish a fixed national weekday deal calendar, so the app is the closest thing to a reliable source. What terms apply, and whether an offer can be combined with anything else, varies by restaurant; the specials guide covers the standing deals that need no coupon at all, and every price is on the Sonny's BBQ menu.