Two smiling tater tot characters from the Wacky Reader cast standing side by side

Frequently asked questions

Questions,
answered
plainly

Everything teachers, principals, district administrators and parents most often ask about the Wacky Reader Program.

Yes. Every component — certificates, posters, bookmarks, stickers, printing and shipping — is funded by your local SONIC franchisee. There is no cost to the school, the district or families.
Grades PreK–6. Your school doesn’t need to serve every grade in that range; the program is implemented within whatever elementary grades you have.
The teacher. Wacky Reader deliberately makes no instructional prescriptions. You decide whether the goal is pages, minutes, chapters, books or a skill target, and you decide what number is appropriate for your students.
September through April — eight months. Materials ship before September so teachers can introduce it at the start of the year.
After meeting a monthly reading goal, the student receives a Wacky Reader achievement certificate, awarded by their teacher. The certificate doubles as a coupon redeemable at participating SONIC Drive-Ins for one free Wacky Pack Kids Meal.
Certificates from this program year are valid through August 31, 2027, so students who earn one in the spring can still redeem it over the summer.
No. There is no reporting requirement, no portal to log into and no mid-year paperwork. Once your kits arrive, the program lives entirely in your classrooms.
No. We collect a school name, a staff contact, a shipping address and a classroom count. Student names appear only on the classroom’s own progress poster, which stays in the room.
The program is structured around recognition rather than promotion. Certificates are awarded by teachers for academic achievement. There is no in-class marketing activity and no purchase is ever required to earn or redeem a certificate.
Either! Participation is tracked by classroom, so one teacher, one grade level or an entire building can enroll. If you’re interested in enrolling just your classroom or grade level, we recommend checking with your administration first in case they would prefer to enroll the entire school.
Two hundred per classroom, in a tearable booklet — sized to cover all eight months for a typical class without reordering.
Contact us and we’ll work it out. Kits are sized generously, so this is rare. Email mindy@umstattdsonicgroup.com with questions.
Yes. Libraries run the program the same way, setting their own reading goals for summer reading, after-school programs or storytime milestones.
At participating SONIC Drive-In locations. See the map of participating locations to find the drive-in nearest you.
Yes. Participating schools may be spotlighted on your local SONIC’s social media, and select classrooms can earn an end-of-year Wacky Pack Party. #WackyReader
Enrollment is easiest before the production run in late summer, but reach out any time — we’ll tell you honestly what’s possible for the current year and get you set for the next shipment date.