Garlic Bangus, Longganisa, and Palabok Fiesta. Those are a few of the Tagalog dishes on the menu at Jollibee Restaurant, which is a Filipino icon at home and abroad. Those Tagalog dishes are fried milk fish with garlic, Filipino style sausage and rice flour noodles with crab or fish sauce and garnished with small shrimp, ground pork skins, hard boiled eggs and chopped spring onions. Yum, yum, yummy! Palabok is one of my all time favorite Filipino dishes. Spaghetti is also on the menu at Jollibee but it is the sweet Pinoy style spaghetti and not my favorite Italian style.
Of course, there are many other popular menu items at Jollibee that are not Tagalog dishes. No need to be concerned, as all the workers who work the counters at Jollibee speak English, as it is a requirement for being hired since many expats enjoy eating at the Bee! You can order a bucket of fried chicken, known as Chicken Joy, which comes in regular flavor and hot & spicy. You can also order Hot Dogs, the Aloha Burger with pineapple, the large Champ Burger, Burger Steak with mushroom gravy and over EZ egg, Pork Steak, Grilled Pork Tenders, Chrisscut Zesty Cheese Fries, Macaroni Soup, Peach Mango Pie and 4 flavors of Flip Floats, loaded with ice cream. It doesn’t sound bad does it? I think it all sounds pretty darn good!
Love or Hate The Bee
I have heard many expats complain about the food at Jollibee and I was one of those complainers at one time. No, Jollibee is not McDonald’s, Burger King, Hardees, Wendy’s, KFC, Hungry Jack’s or any number of other fast food restaurants found in other countries. The food at Jollibee is geared toward the Filipino taste and the Filipino customer base. Jollibee has been around for a little longer than 35 years. They are not only in the Philippines but are also in locations in other countries where there is a large Filipino community, including California, USA. On Sunday in Hong Kong, it will be an all day affair to get a table at Jollibee, as thousands of Filipinas gather there to eat and socialize!
On a recent trip to Jomabo Island, off the coast of Negros Occidental, the resort restaurant was closed! Once we got back to the mainland, Jollibee was the only restaurant we recognized since we were new to that particular area. Let me tell ya, the Jollibee food really hit the spot! The bucket of chicken that we ordered was not the Colonel’s but it was delicious.
Regardless of what other expats may say or tell you, I personally recommend that you check out Jollibee once you get to the Philippines. You be the judge! In my opinion, your Philippine experience will not be complete until you eat at the Bee! Jollibee is part of the Filipino Culture and many children fondly remember their birthday parties held at the Filipino fast food restaurant. I have eaten at Jollibee many times over the past 27 years and while it is not my favorite restaurant, it is far from my least favorite restaurants in the country.
The Jollibee mascot comes around the restaurants and the malls on a regular basis. It is alright to let him give you a hug. Actually, there may be a very attractive lady in that costume! Who knows?
It’s true that many expats don’t appreciate Jollibee. It’s not my first choice for a sit-down dinner, but I would choose their fried chicken over any other in Bacolod. Their hot dogs are very good, too.
Hello Bob,
Thank you for your comments. I agree that the Jollibee fried chicken and their hot dogs are pretty good. Palabok was one of the very first Filipino dishes I ever tried way back in 1986 and Jollibee’s version is a good one in my opinion.
Have a great day!
~ Gary ~
Bob,
I stay away from fast food except when I’m actually moving fast. A drive-thru Jollibee hot dog is my usual remedy when I need to keep moving. They are the best around. Just wish I could get the counter girls to give me a plain ‘ole dog and bun the first time around. It’s as if I stepped on their logo when I say I don’t want it all gooped up.
Gordon
Great article. I live about 75 miles south of a Jollibee’s near Seattle, but had never heard of it until reading this. I’ll have to check it out the next time I’m up there…I grew up going to the mall it’s in, so finding it there won’t be too hard. It could be a good way to sample a fast-food version of Filipino fare but, more important, to meet Filipino people and hopefully learn more about their homeland. Sounds like a potential win/win to me. At worst, I get to try palabok and halo-halo.
Thank you much, Bruce, for you compliments. It will be a win/win for you to visit a Jollibee in your area of the States. You will see Filipinos in that Jollibee near Seattle. I met and talked to many Filipinos in the Seattle-Tacoma Airport while changing planes headed to the Pearl of the Orient. I hope you enjoy the food, too.
Have a great day!
~ Gary ~
Gary,
Went to the Jollibee’s at the mall after the Mariners game this afternoon. Didn’t have the palabok (had two beef empanadas instead, which were actually pretty good), but I DID try the halo-halo…an acquired taste, but I acquired it really quick. Wasn’t sure how the beans would translate, but they worked really well (just as my doc who hails from Manila said they would).
As for getting to talk with Pinoy, that didn’t quite work out. Very noisy and busy there, so it didn’t really seem like the right setting so I’ll want to come up with a Plan B. But I WILL try the Chicken Joy some other time at Jollibee’s.
Bruce,
That is great that you went to Jollebee. I would say that halo halo is the national dessert of the Philippines and it seems that every community has their own version, although somewhat the same. Locals refer to the beans as sweet beans and some put in chickpeas instead. I had halo halo before that had sweet corn in it and garnished with Rice Krispies!
Too bad you did not get the chance talking to Filipinos. If you had been to the Jollibee in Hong Kong, the Filipinas would have been talking to you.
Chicken Joy is always good, if you enjoy fried chicken.
Have a great day!
~ Gary ~
Hi Gary,
I’m new to visiting your site, but find it to be very fair,accurate and entertaining so far.
I don’t make a steady diet of Jollibee food, but enjoy the sweet spaghetti and hamburgers and the flip floats. A few years ago I brought back a ketchup packet back to the States with me and had Jollibee’s face tattooed on my left knee from the packet logo. I love it because Jollibee is so iconic and cute, and the children always get a kick out of seeing my Jollibee!
Best wishes on your site! Queenie
Hi Queenie,
Thank you much for your kind words and compliments.
The Jollibee Chickenjoy Bucket is one of our favorites with 6-8 pieces of fried chicken and rice with gravy.
I can imagine that children and adults alike would get a kick out of your (Jolli) Bee tattoo! Now, that is interesting!
Have a great day!
~ Gary ~