What's the deal with Johnny Rockets?

[Eye6769]

I dont like the way they leave the bottles of ketchup on the tables outside in the sun. Ketchup should be kept in the fridge and if they dont adhere to good food practice where we can see it , what do they do in the kitchen???

[Iluvcruising2]

Thanks. I appreciate all your views. Though we lived in LA for 2 years, I don't recall ever seeing a Johnny Rockets.

 

Given that RCI is introducing JR to almost all the ships on the fleet, I figured that something must be going right for it, otherwise why would people pay?

 

by the way, how much does it cost to eat there for small kids? Mine are 6 and 7.

[Sherry84]

My favorite thing from Johnny Rockets is the strawberry milkshake, and that 's what I always look forward to. :)

[Big_G]

Go figure, burger wars on the Cruise Critic. What's next?:eek:

[ALSEAU]

You're paying for the brand.

 

I like the atmosphere - the cute 50s-style diner with the dancing waiters.

 

The $4.95 cover charge includes whatever you want to eat - hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, onion rings, etc. You can get as much as you want.

 

However, you can go into the restaurant and tell them you just want milkshakes, and they'll bring you French fries or onion rings and you won't be charged the $4.95 cover charge - just the cost of the milkshakes.

 

The C&A coupon books have 2 for 1 milkshake coupons in them.

 

 

I enjoy the music and atmosphere mostly. Each inside table has the old juke box song selector. If you find your favorite oldie but goodie you can ask your waiter to play it and they will do it gladly as long as it doesn't interfere with their next song/dance routine.

[tanelicus]

JR's is just like every other alternative dining spot on the ship. For those that want something different than the burger offered in the WJ which by the way is horrible, JR's is a nice change. Very few times have I experienced a crowd. The bugers, rings and fries are hot and fresh. I for one like it.

 

The burger and fries in the WJ in my opinion were pretty good. However, for five bucks, who cares. Mickey D's or BK cost more than that. Its better than spending the couple extra bucks on Ben and Jerry's ice cream or a cute cupcake (in my opinion).

 

The real issue is time. There are so many things on the ship to do, going to a fast food place (give it - neat atmosphere) in my opinion is a waste of time. That's my opinion.

 

The burgers in the WJ are ready, most of the time available, and with some dressing are as good as any regular fast food joint or diner around. They are pretty much burgers that you find in Sams or Costco, but already cooked in a heated tray.

 

I prefer taking the time to have a nice sit down lunch in the MDR, overlooking the water. Especially with the salad bar in the MDR, to me is a no brainer. It's a treat to have a little better service for lunch. That's something you don't get at a local restaurant. The view you definitely don't get at a local place.

 

By the way, have to disagree with the poster about Red Robin. I really enjoy the place. Five guys is good, but I would consider it expensive (ala the reference to price). I also like Johnny Rockets.

 

Try JR's!! I have not tried it on my cruise on the Freedom, but if you want to give it a go, you should, so you can say that you did.

[rncruiser]

by the way, how much does it cost to eat there for small kids? Mine are 6 and 7.

 

The price is the same regardless of age. However, if your kids go with Adventure Ocean, they eat for free. Adventure Ocean usually offers to take them there once or twice, depending on the length of the cruise, generally on formal nights. You have to sign them up in advance.

[Iluvcruising2]

The price is the same regardless of age. However, if your kids go with Adventure Ocean, they eat for free. Adventure Ocean usually offers to take them there once or twice, depending on the length of the cruise, generally on formal nights. You have to sign them up in advance.

 

But when you sign them up in advance, you don't have to pay anything?

 

If that's the case, then that's cool!

[hubofhockey]

not really

They are 80 /20 beef

 

Re: Five Guys

 

Interesting that you mention that. Anthony Bourdain on the food channel mentioned 80/20 as a great ratio on a burger for taste (because any less fat yields a dry burger). Obviously, if you're eating burgers as part of a healthy diet, you want 90/10 or better. But Five Guys burgers and fries taste great. Yup, it's $11 for burger, fries, and drink and it's not healthy either. It's just a great guilty pleasure. Johnny Rockets, to me, is more about concept than taste and falls a bit short of Five Guys. We'll still grab lunch there on our Allure cruise.

[Cigar King]

I dont like the way they leave the bottles of ketchup on the tables outside in the sun. Ketchup should be kept in the fridge and if they dont adhere to good food practice where we can see it , what do they do in the kitchen???

 

The ketchup doesn't last long enough to be a problem. Besides, has there ever been a serious problem because ketchup has been out for a few hours? If so, every BBQ and picnic would be a death trap.

 

Back on topic, I like JR...the shakes rule, and I love watching the staff dance.

[wraithe]

I had Red Robin yesterday, tower of rings, and a monster burger. Love Johnny Rocket's on the ships, always have lunch there when I'm on a ship that has one. Five Guys, not so much for me, if I'm going to pay 13 bucks for a burger, fries and coke, they can serve it to me some way besides throwing it at me in a greasy, paper bag and expecting me to vend my own drink. That's my take.

[Jason12]

I had never heard of JR until I booked our cruise we are going to go on my sons 21st birthday, apart from the $3.95 service charge and drinks what else do you pay for.

 

Jason

[teddie]

I dont like the way they leave the bottles of ketchup on the tables outside in the sun. Ketchup should be kept in the fridge and if they dont adhere to good food practice where we can see it , what do they do in the kitchen???

 

Ketchup does not require refrigeration. I think that that's a matter of taste. Considering the ketchup turnover in restaurants, there won't be a problem, so I don't think it's accurate to say that JR is not adhering to food safety practices. I took this off the Heinz website:

 

Q: Do I need to refrigerate Ketchup? A: Because of its natural acidity, Heinz® Ketchup is shelf-stable. However, its stability after opening can be affected by storage conditions. We recommend that this product, like any processed food, be refrigerated after opening. Refrigeration will maintain the best product quality after opening.

 

So, refrigeration is recommended, but not required. If it were a food safety requirement, it would say so. If it were, every diner in America would be in trouble!

 

Not trying to start a ketchup war, but I'm just sayin'.

 

Happy New Year, everyone.

[ryano]

The ketchup doesn't last long enough to be a problem. Besides, has there ever been a serious problem because ketchup has been out for a few hours? If so, every BBQ and picnic would be a death trap.

 

Back on topic, I like JR...the shakes rule, and I love watching the staff dance.

 

Ketchup sitting out on a table is not a health concern at all and it also doesnt HAVE to be refridgerated. Waffle House, contrary to what some people think about the place, generally gets high high 90s and even some 100+s on their scores always leave the ketchup on the tables. So do many other places.

 

Warm ketchup is not a concern to me at all...........In fact, they now have mayonnaise that doesnt have to be refridgerated at all either

[Cigar King]

I had never heard of JR until I booked our cruise we are going to go on my sons 21st birthday, apart from the $3.95 service charge and drinks what else do you pay for.

 

Jason

 

I think that's it. I also think the charge might be $4.95, but, it hardly matters. There's usually a coupon in the book they give for shakes, and you can get free lunch from playing the slots. I think we did lunch for four with tip for something like 15 bucks last time. Enjoy.

[sadie8]

We loved the Oreo Sundae! And since the Voyager class ships don't have an outdoor dining area, it's a nice way to have lunch served alfresco.

[struther1]

We don't usually do JR on 7 day cruises but on longer cruises, we eventually get to the point where we are ready for a hot juicy greasy burger, fries and onion rings. LOVE Johnny Rockets.

[Desert Cruizers]

On the Liberty of the Seas this Oct, we tried Johnny Rockets twice and totally enjoyed their burgers. the fries/onion rings beforehand are a meal in themselves and loved the shakes. They offered other things to eat. Enjoyed their entertainment also while eating.

[werewolf]

We always eat one meal at Johnny Rockets when we are on the Voyager. First of all the nearest Johnny Rockets to us is over 400 miles away. And , second we grew up in the late 60s so it brings back nice memories of the malt shops, sock hops etc.

 

$4.95 is well worth it to us and since we always buy the Soda Card the cokes at Johnny Rockets do not cost us any more money.

is the soda card worth the money?

[Cigar King]

I'm not a soda drinker myself, but, if you are, and drink more than say two or three glasses per day, then yes, I suspect you'll get a good value from buying the soda package. I think it was 5 or six bucks per day on our last cruise. Somebody who buys the package probably knows exactly. Here's a link at RCI

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqSubjectName=Food+%26+Beverage&faqId=3653&faqSubjectId=336&faqType=faq

[WillWorkForCruise121]

I dont like the way they leave the bottles of ketchup on the tables outside in the sun. Ketchup should be kept in the fridge and if they dont adhere to good food practice where we can see it , what do they do in the kitchen???

 

I used to think that ketchup should be kept in the fridge too. I learned later that it is an acidic food that does not grow bacteria when left out. You do not have to refrigerate ketchup. Warm ketchup causes no additional risk of foodborne illness. I am from Pittsburgh (the home of Heinz ketchup) , I know ketchup! LOL

 

Also, I agree with the five guys comments. I think their burgers are awesome, and the 80/20 argument is invalid. You need a little fat in the burger to make it taste better. Yes they are not as healthy as some but an 80/20 beef is pretty much ideal when we are talking tasty burgers.

 

In response to the OP, Johnny Rockets on land is pretty pricey for burgers and for the $4.95 cover charge on the ship it's definitely worth a try. It's nothing spectacular as far as food quality and taste, but its good. I think the biggest appeal is the classic diner atmosphere and dancing staff members but for less than $5pp, it may be well worth the try. :)

[postmeome]

jonny rockets ,out of this world.

cheeseburger,cheeseburger,went once could'nt find the other.

fiveguys, did'nt bother,only three of us turned up.

as for red robin we just kept bob bob bobbin along.:eek:

[azdmelani]

I dont eat red meat, and their turkey burgers are some of the best I've had. Not to mention their awesome onion rings.

 

10 more days!

[callmewhatever]

We don't have JR's here in Australia, but I was looking at their menu......OMG! Do they have all sorts of shakes on the ship that I just read about? Yummo......Hurry up December:p

[Ocean Dancer]

Do they still give you a free coupon for JR in the booklet?:confused: