When many people think of fried chicken, they imagine American restaurants like KFC or Popeyes, and Korean restaurants like Mad for Chicken. Jollibee, however, is unique in its proud Filipino roots, using spices and flavors that appeal to many customers. The restaurant was established in the late 1970s; however, in the past decade, it has skyrocketed in popularity— reportedly due to their high quality and mix of Western and Filipino food.
To satiate my curiosity, I decided to give it a try and see if the food truly lived up to the hype online. From Townsend Harris, students can take the Q25 or Q20A/Q20B to Archer Ave. The building itself had intricate carvings, however the cartoony mascot and logo stood out. The restaurant interior seemed pretty standard to most fast food restaurants, with blandly colored floors and not many decorations, but a few posters and lighting around the restaurant lit up the mood. For my particular order, I’d decided to order online for convenience, though it should be noted that this made it cost more than it would have going in person. After going through the menu, I decided to order their popular “Chickenjoy” 6-piece meal set which was $32.50 in total.
Half and Half Fried Chicken
$25.63
Critic Rating: 8/10
Part of the Chickenjoy meal included fried chicken. They had options for spice, categorized as regular, spicy, or half and half. I decided to order half and half to try both worlds and took a bite of each to compare. The breading of both pieces was very crispy, something I personally don’t enjoy so much. However, the inside was overwhelmingly juicy and rich. It is important to note that crispier chicken is generally seen as a positive, and that this may be even more of a plus for most people. This combination of textures allows for a well balanced mouthfeel and combats the initial sharpness of the crispy breading.
The spicy flavor didn’t seem super spicy to me, though considering my relatively high spice-tolerance, I’d advise to order a regular if you don’t do well with spice. I found the small flags they’d added on the spicy pieces, which can be seen in the photo above, very helpful and cute, as they allowed you to differentiate between the spice levels. Just like I had heard, there was a lot of flavor in the chicken, with the spices and the restaurant’s “secret” frying technique coming through. The spice didn’t come immediately. Instead it felt like a hot sauce that gradually filled your mouth, with hints of pepper and garlic adding to the flavor.
The normal flavor didn’t differ too much from the spicy one, just obviously less spicy and slightly more juicy, possibly to make up for its less varied flavours. This was honestly some of the best fried chicken I’d ever tasted, especially in the first ten minutes where it stayed warm. After some time passed, however, the chicken quickly grew cold, and Jollibee chicken is known to have a complex reheating process— requiring specific temperatures and times in air fryers and constant supervision to ensure the chicken returns to its original warmth and crispy texture. I’d highly recommend going to a physical store to avoid eating the cold food that was a result of the timely delivery process.
Jolly Crispy Fries
$4.99
Critic Rating: 4/10
The meal also came with two sets of regular-sized fries. I was looking forward to seeing how they would pair with the chicken; however, just by looking in the bag, I was already very disappointed. There was no visible seasoning on the fries, and compared to the warm condition of the chicken, they were cold. This could be due to the delivery aspect, however, it was still a big let down. The fries tasted bland and felt soggy, yet tasted dry, and were unpleasant to eat.
I ended up not even starting on the second bag of fries, as I could barely try to pair the first bag with anything else, let alone eat them by themselves. Like the chicken, the fries were also extremely hard to reheat, and just felt like a useless addition to the meal that caused it to have a greater cost.
Lychee Iced Tea & Pineapple Quencher Set
$1.88
Critic Rating: 10/10
The last edition to the meal were two drinks that could be customized. I’d ordered the Lychee Iced Tea with mango jelly and boba pearls, and a regular Pineapple Quencher.
The Lychee Iced Tea was very refreshing, and had just the right amount of sweetness combined with the jelly and pearls. It paired perfectly with the chicken, and if I ever had trouble with the spice after a while, one sip immediately cooled it away. For students looking for a well-balanced and not-too-sweet addition to their meal, I’d recommend this drink.
The Pineapple Quencher was similar, as even without the added toppings, its strong pineapple flavor also paired surprisingly well with the chicken and fries, with the price of both drinks being very affordable for their high quality and relative size. Without the jelly and pearls of the iced tea, it was more fruity and tart, and resembled lemonade. This drink is perfect for anyone who prefers more citrusy or single-flavored beverages.
My Chickenjoy meal certainly lived up to my expectations and other people’s reviews that I’d read. While the meal itself values from $25-30, the portions were generous and filling-I nearly felt full after just two pieces of chicken and a few fries.
Jollibee’s taste and flavors are definitely worth their price; however, it would be wise to share a meal like mine with a larger group of people and at a physical store to make sure you can taste the food at its best temperature and texture. If you’re looking to try a new flavor of fried chicken, definitely try out Jollibee.
