Sonic Cherry Limeade: Price, Calories and Nutrition (2026)

The Cherry Limeade is the drink that made Sonic a beverage destination: Sprite-style lemon-lime soda poured over crushed ice, mixed with sweet cherry syrup and a squeeze of real lime, garnished the classic way. It is the signature limeade, the one the chain built its drink reputation on, and the order that turned a burger drive-in into a place people visit just for drinks. In 2026 a medium Cherry Limeade runs from $2.59 at most locations, with 240 calories per medium according to Sonic’s official September 2026 nutrition data.

Sonic Cherry Limeade (medium) price: from $2.59. Sonic Cherry Limeade (medium) calories: 240. Prices vary by location because Sonic drive-ins are franchise-operated: menu aggregators have listed the medium between $1.99 and $2.59 in 2026, and the from $2.59 figure is the typical menu-board price. The daily Happy Hour from 2 PM to 4 PM cuts all drinks and slushes to half price, which drops a medium Cherry Limeade to about $1.30. The diet version, made with diet cherry flavoring, runs about 15 calories for a medium at the same price.

Last updated: May 30, 2026

Table of contents

• What is in the Cherry Limeade
• Cherry Limeade nutrition facts
• Cherry Limeade ingredients and customization
• Allergens
• Cherry Limeade vs Ocean Water
• Getting the best value on the Cherry Limeade
• Frequently asked questions

What is in the Cherry Limeade

Lemon-lime soda over Sonic’s famous crushed ice, mixed with cherry syrup and real lime. The build is simple and the execution is everything: the crushed ice, small soft pellets that absorb flavor as they melt, is as much a part of the drink as the cherry. The cherry syrup gives it the pink-red color and the sweet-tart backbone; the real lime adds the citrus bite that keeps it from tasting like pure candy. It arrives with a straw wide enough for the ice, and regulars chew the cherry-flavored ice at the end as a matter of ritual.

At 240 calories for a medium, the drink is essentially flavored sugar water: 65 grams of carbs, 64 grams of sugar, zero fat, zero protein. There is no nutritional upside here and no one pretends otherwise. It is a treat drink, and the honest serving guidance is to treat it like dessert. The small at 140 calories is the reasonable version; the Route 44 at 490 calories is a full day’s sugar in a cup.

The Cherry Limeade’s cultural role at Sonic is bigger than its ingredient list. It is the drink that proved a fast-food chain could be a drink destination, the template for the entire limeade lineup, and the base for half the custom drink orders on social media. Strawberry limeade, cranberry limeade, diet cherry limeade, cherry limeade with extra cherries: the whole family descends from this cup.

Cherry Limeade nutrition facts

Full nutrition breakdown for one medium Classic Cherry Limeade, based on Sonic’s official September 2026 nutritional brochure.

Nutrient	Amount per medium drink
Calories	240
Total fat	0g
Total carbohydrates	65g
Protein	0g
Sodium	95mg

The 240 calorie figure is 12 percent of a 2000 calorie daily guideline, but the 64 grams of sugar is the real story: that is more than a day’s suggested added sugar in a single medium drink. The honest read: this is liquid dessert. Enjoy it as such, in the small size, or during Happy Hour when the price is halved and the portion decision feels easier.

Context against the sizes: small at 140 calories, medium at 240, large at 360, Route 44 at 490. The sugar scales linearly, which means the size choice is the entire nutritional decision. The diet cherry limeade at 15 calories for a medium is the escape hatch: same cherry-lime flavor architecture, diet cherry syrup, a fraction of the sugar.

A note on the numbers: independent aggregators list the medium between 220 and 250 calories, which brackets the official 240 closely. The figures above use Sonic’s own published data.

Cherry Limeade ingredients and customization

The standard ingredient list is lemon-lime soda, cherry syrup (sugar, cherry flavor, color), real lime, and crushed ice.

Customization is the Sonic drink game. Extra cherry syrup, light ice, extra lime, a splash of vanilla or coconut, real fruit add-ins: the app and the speaker box both handle it. The diet version swaps in diet cherry flavoring for about 15 calories. The cherry limeade slush blends the whole thing with ice for a frozen version. Regulars have strong opinions about light ice (more drink, less dilution) versus extra ice (more chewable cherry ice at the end).

Allergens

The Classic Cherry Limeade contains no major allergens: soda, cherry syrup, lime, and ice. It is free of milk, egg, wheat, soy, and the rest of the standard list. The usual cross-contact caveats that apply to food do not meaningfully apply to a fountain drink. Anyone with a specific syrup sensitivity should check ingredients at the drive-in.

Cherry Limeade vs Ocean Water

The signature-drink question, settled with numbers. Classic Cherry Limeade (medium): 240 calories, 0g fat, 65g carbs, 64g sugar, 0g protein, 95mg sodium, from $2.59. Ocean Water (medium): 190 calories, 0g fat, 53g carbs, 53g sugar, 0g protein, 95mg sodium, from $2.29.

The Ocean Water is the lighter of the two by 50 calories and 11 grams of sugar, and it costs a little less. The flavor profiles are completely different: cherry limeade is sweet-tart cherry citrus over lemon-lime soda; Ocean Water is blue coconut, tropical and smooth. The cherry limeade is the classic, the icon, the drink people mean when they say “Sonic drink.” The Ocean Water is the cult favorite, the one regulars evangelize about.

Pick the Cherry Limeade when you want the signature Sonic drink experience, the tart cherry-lime bite, and the most customizable base on the menu. Pick the Ocean Water when you want fewer calories, the tropical coconut flavor, and the drink with the stronger insider reputation. Both are half price during Happy Hour.

Getting the best value on the Cherry Limeade

• Happy Hour is the whole game: every day from 2 PM to 4 PM, all drinks and slushes are half price. A medium Cherry Limeade drops to about $1.30. Time your drink runs accordingly.
• The Route 44 is the per-ounce value king but a 490-calorie sugar load. The small at 140 calories is the value pick for anyone watching sugar.
• The Sonic app runs drink deals constantly: free drinks with signup, BOGO drink offers, and app-exclusive pricing that beats the menu board.
• The diet cherry limeade costs the same as the regular and runs 15 calories. If this is a daily habit, the diet version is the value move for your health if not your wallet.

Frequently asked questions

ManuBite Team. We track fast food prices and nutrition across the USA so you always know what your meal really costs, in dollars and in calories.