He’s got a fast-paced walk with a friendly smile – like clockwork, rain or shine.

A familiar face at Sonic Drive-In, Justin Waggoner has been delivering food and drinks with a warm smile to customers in Kingfisher for over 35 years.

Recently recognized by Sonic for 35 years of service, Waggoner was presented with a plaque from his general manager, Jon Houston.

“He is always on time and very diligent about doing his job,” Houston said. “We love him.”

Looking for a job in the summer of ’85, Waggoner said, he took a job at Sonic Drive-In thinking it would be temporary.

“I needed a job at the time and thought I would give it a try until I found something else,” he said. “But, it’s 35 years later and I’m still here.”

Over the years his experience at Sonic has been a little good, a little bad and little “wow,”

Waggoner said.

Initially, he started working as a cook and has filled almost every position throughout the years, but being a carhop is his favorite, he said.

“I like being a carhop, because I get to meet the people,” Waggoner commented.

He is an assistant manager, Houston said, but he prefers to carhop. Customers love him and if he isn’t working on his regular shift, Houston said, they will ask if he is okay.

Sometimes they will call him over to the drive-thru window and tip him “just for being Justin,” he commented.

Waggoner said he has seen many changes through the years. Changes from answering the switchboard, using a calculator to total orders, two different physical locations in Kingfisher, addition of a drive-thru window and most dramatically, the transition to computerization.

Growing up in Dover, Waggoner graduated from Dover High School in 1976. He then attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University, receiving his bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1981.

He worked as an accountant in Enid before taking the job at Sonic.

His family was originally from Hennessey and he recalled visiting his grandfather’s country store on State Highway 51 growing up. His grandfather ran the store despite significant blindness and was an inspiration to him, Waggoner said.

“I had a cleft palate and I figured if my grandfather can make it being blind, then I can too,” he said. “He was my inspiration.”

Waggoner takes pride in the work he does and is always dependable, Houston said.

“It would be hard to find anyone who would dedicate more time to a job and the pride he takes in it.”

The only time he has missed work was after he was in a serious car accident about five years ago, Houston commented.

On that day in January, he was on his way home from work and only remembered waking up in the hospital, Waggoner said. He was in the hospital for two or three weeks and then went through rehabilitation where he had to learn to walk again, but still has the same fast-paced walk he has always had, he said.

The recovery process took about seven weeks and one of the things he fondly remembers during that time was the response he received when he was able to go back to church.

“The day I went back to church, I didn’t know I could get that many hugs,” he said.

“It was like…wow! I don’t have the words to describe it.”

As a member of the Kingfisher First United Methodist Church, Justin is very involved, helpful and is always dependable, Rev. Patrick McPherson said.

Justin serves as the Sunday school superintendent, sings in the choir, plays handbells and occasionally plays his harmonica during services.

“He is dedicated to everything he does,” choir director Molly Neuman said. “You can always count on Justin to do his best, help when needed and always have a positive outlook.”

In his free time, Waggoner also enjoys studying history, bowling and spending time with his three cats - Alvin, Simon and Theodore.

He loves animals and he said he doesn’t remember not having a cat or dog.

One of the perks of his job as a carhop is not only meeting the people, but their pets also.

“He loves the customers’ animals and has to stop to say ‘hi’ to every cat and every dog that comes through,” Houston said.

He is looking forward to the days when coronavirus is over, Waggoner said, and can talk more freely with the customers and their pets.

His future plans are to have another five good years with Sonic and when he retires be able to sleep in after 4:15 a.m., his routine of the past 35 years…if his cats will let him, he said.