Johnny Rip-offs

[Ocean Boy]

They do. They're gross.

On Freedom a month ago I thought they were quite good.

[setsail]

I have a free Boardwalk Balcony lunch at JR's on Allure in October, so I don' have much to lose by going there . In the past I always liked the burgers, fries and pie. I hope it really isn't as bad as everyone has reported.

 

You should go and make up your own mind. What you have in this thread are a very small amount of people who will not eat there by their own admission, because of the food, price, etc.. Why would anybody care what's being said from people that will not eat there.

Go and enjoy.

[Merion_Mom]

If that is true, then why did it start out as free??? :confused:

Two reasons:

 

The economy, in terms of profit and corporate goals and emphasis on stockholder value, has changed since 1999. (the first Johnny Rockets)

 

Different corporate leadership at Royal Caribbean.

[Schlepporello]

You have to pay a cover charge for Johnny Rockets? Just another reason for me not to pay them a visit.

[firefox247]

I think people comparing RC's JR to Carnival's GBJ might be missing the bigger picture that this isn't some anomaly where Carnival just happens to have a better burger venue but everything else sucks. Consistently, Carnival has much better casual food options like GBJ, Guy's Pig & Anchor, BlueIguana Cantina, Captain's Pasta Bar, Mongolian BBQ (finally have on Harmony, I suppose), fresh (and actually good) pizza, 24-hour ice cream, etc. It's salt in the wound that all these options are free and generally as good or even better than the stuff that Royal charges for (Rita's is probably close to BI, but Guy's is on another level vs. JR, etc.)

 

Don't get me wrong, I love Royal (family is going on Mariner next year), and Carnival can't hold a candle to Royal's higher-end venues like 150 Central Park and Wonderland, but Carnival absolutely wipes the floor with them on casual food, especially the venues that are free. If you want a ton of free options for lunch that are generally of good quality (and are willing to wait in the lines to get them), Carnival is the line for you. JR is never going to be Guy's. It just isn't.

Edited June 3, 2018 by firefox247

[FPP777]

Wow, 155 posts about a hamburger place. I just love the passion on CC. :)

[grapau27]

Wow, 155 posts about a hamburger place. I just love the passion on CC. :)

What surprises me is that McDonald's has never opened on a ship.

They are all over the UK.

[sprshop]

Besides specialty restaurants, do you have to pay extra for other eating venues on board? Cafe Two 70?

[RocketMan275]

Hate to tell OP this but we're looking forward to Johnny Rockets. We like burger joints especially those modeled after dinners. We'll probably go there two or more times. We're fine with the price. We appreciate that JR costs more. That only means there won't be too big a crowd. May even do breakfast there.

[Mikew0805]

They do. They're gross.

 

They are absolutely gross. I will not eat any burger that has been cooked and then sitting around in a pan.

[Cuizer2]

You don't have to wait to find out.... they do.

 

Great - you just ruined the surprise. :mad:

[Cuizer2]

What surprises me is that McDonald's has never opened on a ship.

They are all over the UK.

 

McDonald's is not hard to find in the US either.

[lbjen]

Last summer on Oasis, JR was empty every time we passed it. We had a couple of free meals from there from our TA, we went once and it was so disappointing that we didn’t go again. Having to pay extra for shakes just tips it over the edge of being poor value in my opinion.

[mek]

Hate to tell OP this but we're looking forward to Johnny Rockets. We like burger joints especially those modeled after dinners. We'll probably go there two or more times. We're fine with the price. We appreciate that JR costs more. That only means there won't be too big a crowd. May even do breakfast there.

 

Well, I'm looking forward to it also. I get really tired of "cruise food" quickly, so a burger, fries and shake taste great after a few days. My past experiences with JR's have been great with no complaints. (And we have always enjoyed breakfast - especially early in the cruise before the word gets out.)

[davekathy]

Well, I'm looking forward to it also. I get really tired of "cruise food" quickly, so a burger, fries and shake taste great after a few days. My past experiences with JR's have been great with no complaints. (And we have always enjoyed breakfast - especially early in the cruise before the word gets out.)

Another option is go to the MDR on a sea day and order a burger cooked the way you like it.

[Merion_Mom]

Besides specialty restaurants, do you have to pay extra for other eating venues on board? Cafe Two 70?

 

No charge at Café Two70.

 

(it's always helpful to specify the ship you are asking about)

 

If you are asking about the Anthem of the Seas, no charge at the Solarium Bistro, either.

 

Sorrento's

Café Promenade (which should be called Café Esplanade)

SeaPlex Dog House

 

(and of course, the Windjammer buffet and the four main dining rooms)

[KmomChicago]

What surprises me is that McDonald's has never opened on a ship.

They are all over the UK.

 

 

 

For a US clientele, putting a McDonalds on a cruise would be like putting a Walmart shop onboard. Nothing special that we don’t see every day at home. JR and Guys have some novelty factor aside from the actual burger quality debate.

[lbjen]

Actually I wouldn’t mind seeing a UK McDonalds, US McDonalds is a whole other story.

[OctoberSky]

I only ate at a JR once, land based, years ago, and have no plans to eat it again.

[geomancer]

Maybe time to change venues???

 

I agree with others that 5 Guys is a viable option. I haven't eaten in a JR in years. the last time was when I was a business trip about 5 years ago and I could expense it. Even then I felt it wasn't worth it.

 

I don't eat fast food burgers. But there are many "above-fast-food-quality" burger places I would think would do better than JR. Red Robin, Fuddruckers, Steak n' Shake, Shake Shack, and Five Guys are examples. My local favorite is 25 Burgers.

 

Fuddruckers would be great. I don't go to Five Guys after a couple visits, it makes me too depressed when I see them pressing the life out of the burgers with that spatula. How can these places not know that a burger should never be touched except when flipped one and only one time? Every time I see someone mashing a burger down with a spatula I cringe and fight the urge to ripe it out of their hands. Hopefully it's just the one near me and not all of them...

[PopeyeDaSailor]

The phrase "rip-off" .if they told you that you get a hamburger , fries, etc for the $12.95 and you agree, where is the rip off? If they told you all those things then gave you a bun with no hamburger, that is a rip off. If you are shocked by the price, the door opens both ways, walk away.

 

I agree. It would be a "rip off" if they told you AFTER you ate.

 

To me with all the "free" food that is available and JR's on the mainland why would you eat there? It's like saying Starbucks was too much on the ship. There is a Starbucks every 100 yards on the mainland! :)

[never_cruised]

I overheard a number of complaints this week on NOS about charges for JRs, specialty coffee, gym classes, overpriced spa...

The nickels and dimes are now $10s and $20s. I now expect the complaints as a common theme on every cruise.

Completely agree , sadly more and more these days is becoming at an additional charge.

[Zach1213]

Actually I wouldn’t mind seeing a UK McDonalds, US McDonalds is a whole other story.

 

Shockingly, I had the most phenomenal McDonalds experience recently in the US...it was 3:30am and I was on the way to the airport. Stopped at McD's and got a Quarter Pounder which you could tell was freshly cooked as were the fries. It was, truly, a delicious burger. I was shocked.

 

 

But, four weeks later I did the same thing at the same time at the same McD's and it was awful.

[starvenger]

On Oasis May 13-20 and I wouldn’t pay $10 each for a hamburger. I’m apparently not the only one as every time I walked by very few were eating there. The free breakfast was outstanding though.

I don't know that I'd ever call the breakfast "outstanding" but eating outside on the Boardwalk when you're at sea and it's quiet is very nice.

[maria1122]

When on the Anthem and we want a good burger we go to Michaels Pub which is now ? Brok. The burgers are served hot, juicy and with great fresh fries.