FACT: Everyone LOVES Jollibee. In a country that hails foreign products on a regular basis, no one has given our foreign friends The Clown and The Colonel a run for their money like the all-Pinoy Bee has. Since its start in 1978, we have always made Sundays (and really, any other day!) memorable by dropping at the nearest Jollibee branch and ordering the timeless favorites– my personal all-time go-to order? The Chickenjoy and Jolly Spaghetti combo, of course!
Yet through the years, our favorite Pinoy fast food chain has introduced quite a number of menu items that are now just a distant memory. Netizen Jano Sison Casuga took the time to upload all of these on Facebook and we couldn’t help but feel a tinge of nostalgia! Recognize any of them? Which ones were your favorites?
Recent history: Jollibee Ultimate Burger Steak and Flip Floats
While it hasn’t been gone long enough for it to be forgotten by patrons, the Ultimate Burger Steak HAD to be included here. Introduced in 2013, what should have been the new Jollibee favorite is now gone and replaced by the “Supreme Burger Steak”– and as our Senior Features Editor KC Canlas puts it, “There’s nothing supreme about that”. So farewell, Ultimate Burger Steak, you will be missed.
Ahh, the Flip Floats. Jollibee, to its credit, has always been quite the visionary when it came to their desserts. Endorsed by a more boyish Gerald Anderson 2 years ago, the Flip Float was literally named because the order of the sundae was flipped: the vanilla soft-serve went at the bottom, with chocolate or caramel in the middle, and the cookie crumble and syrup went on top. It’s best explained in this old commercial below:
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Jollibee Arroz Caldo and Molo Meatball Soup
Remember when Jollibee’s value meals went as low as 25 pesos? Me neither. But this arroz caldo brings back so many memories– I myself had this as a staple whenever I got sick with the flu, and while nothing beats the real homemade arroz caldo, the cheap and quick Jollibee version was a decent alternative. More recent iterations but are now defunct were the molo meatball soup and creamy macaroni. Soup just makes everything better.
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Jollibee Arroz Cubana
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Jollibee Chicken Torpedo and Crispy Chicken Steak
We can see where Jollibee was going with this: with the prized Chickenjoy as its pride and joy, why not have other food offerings with chicken in it? I certainly would not have minded the Chicken Torpedo, in particular.
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Jollibee Ice Craze and Jollibee Ultimate Sundae Delights
See what we mean about Jollibee being super creative with their desserts? While their sundaes were good, the Jollibee Ice Craze treats were the real deal. The Ultimate Sundae Delights also have to be worth mentioning though, with their delectable and indulgent offerings– at under less than 40 pesos? SOLD!
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Jolly Crispy Fries Overload
Remember when Jollibee introduced the Jolly Crispy Fries Overload on their menu, which they offered either topped with lip-smackingly glorious double cheese, or on a bed of nachos?
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Jolly Beef Rice
You know what we really miss though? The Jollibee HONEY beef rice.
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Jollibee Crunchy Chicken Burger and Little Big Bites
Correct us if we’re wrong, but the Jolly Little Big Bites, while defunct in Philippine stores, are still available as sliders in the US. Renowned chef and food host Anthony Bourdain even had a bite of this in his show, CNN’s Parts Unknown when he explored LA’s Koreatown… and he said that he liked it! Perhaps you’ll give the classic Chickenjoy a try on your next Philippine visit, Mr. Bourdain?
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Jollibee Premium Macaroni and Fresh Green Salad
This has got to be one of Jollibee’s more interesting offerings. At a time when the look for healthier options was on the rise and fast food chains around the world were “freshening” up their menu, this was Jollibee’s take on the matter. An admirable effort, but really, stick to what you do best– like Chickenjoy!
Special mentions:
We tried our DARNEDEST to look for the Jollibee Honey Beef rice, which solved many a budget-conscious diner’s woes. Delicious strips of beef on top of a bowl of steaming white rice, with that glorious sweet honey sauce drizzled on top, just thinking about it makes our mouths water even more. Also, remember when Jollibee used to serve Chickenjoy with dinner rolls? We want our dinner rolls back!
What do you think of this trip down memory lane? Which ones were your favorites??
