So recently we were making a five-hour car trip home from Charleston, South Carolina, and dinner time rolled around. Where to stop?

At a drive-in. But of course. And in moments, through the magic of Interstate 95 as it wends through back-country North Carolina, appeared a Sonic Drive-in on the exit horizon.

The Wonderful Husband pointed and said, "Ehh?" I shrugged and said, "Sure. It beats the Lung Wah Chinese Buffet." That is the actual name of a place in that area, and it turns my stomach every time. Note: Don't include body parts in your restaurant name. Mmmmm, let's to go the Leg & Thighery! No! The Spleen Smorgasbord!

We headed toward the Sonic, and Baby A piped, "Is there a playground?" Sure enough, there's an enormous outdoor playground—the kind that sucks your child in for an hour and leads to parents having to inch up a three-story-tall, kid-sized tunnel and pull the child out by the ankle. Yes, I have done that, and I didn't want to do it this evening.

The situation called for a major distraction technique, so we parked in a drive-up slot, turned off the car, opened and sunroof, and let A. violate a big family rule. We let her into the front seat with us. Not only that, we let her stand up and poke her head out of the sunroof.

** FREEDOM! **

Then we set about ordering, and that went pretty easily. TWH had been craving a burger, so he knew what to get right away. The menuboard reminded me about Sonic's Santa Fe Grilled Chicken Salad, with lettuce, carrots, Colby Jack cheese, grape tomatoes, red cabbage, and croutons, topped with grilled chicken and a black bean and corn salsa and a lone onion ring. I got that, gave Baby A some chicken, tomatoes, and croutons. Then I squeezed on some ranch dressing, and went to town. And you know? It was really good. There was not a brown bit of lettuce. The black beans and corn were great. And I love me some red cabbage.

** Looks good, no? **

** Yeah. Yum. **

** Yes, we ate dinner in this redneck fashion. **

Not exactly Emily Post, but it got the job done.

Strange newly realized fact: Baby A does not like tater tots or French fries. She'll gnaw on a fry or two, but, really, she doesn't care for anything made with potatoes—even my delicious (if I do say so myself) homemade mashed potatoes. For a kid who ate many a sweet potato as a toddler, she sure won't touch one now.

What did she like? The cherry limeade. Is this not pure kid ecstasy?

And, afterwards, contentedness:

That smile says it all: I'd call our stop at Sonic a success. The only real challenge was distracting Baby A after dinner as we drove away past the humongous playground. But we pulled it off: Holy cow, do you see that convertible? Over there? It's so cool!

If this roadfood experience sounds like one that might work for your family, it looks like there will be more Sonics on the horizon. The company recently announced (PDF) that as of the end of its fiscal year on August 31, 2007, it has posted 21 consecutive years of positive same-store sales. Not a bad streak. During the financial year just begun, Sonic plans on opening between 180 and 200 new drive-ins.