Picture of New Menu with $14.95 Chops Steak

[jbrambach]

:D:D

That's why I am curious to know how the waiters will handle inquiries.

Like, the menu says a sirloin is 'no extra charge' but the strip loin is $15. Whats the difference? Maybe if they were offering a tenderloin (filet) the difference would be more apparent, but they are not.

 

HaHa! Exactly....The menu should read the following to avoid confusion between the two steaks:

 

"Available Everyday Items....Sirloin: A thin poor quality steak along the lines of a steak-um or "The ultra magnificant worth every penny and specially prepared CHOP'S WONDER STEAK! If you want only the best then this is the steak for you"

 

Ugh, everytime I think of it, it makes me shake my head. SOOOOO AWFUL!

[jobob]

I don't feel there is anything wrong with offering a high quality steak, and charging for it. If the ship doesn't have a specialty restaurant, or a guest doesn't want to go to one, this is a nice offering. How can it cheapen the MDR experience? If you go to a land based steakhouse the cost varies according to the cut of meat. It's about options and choices and I like to be able to choose.

[hcat]

HaHa! Exactly....The menu should read the following to avoid confusion between the two steaks:

 

"Available Everyday Items....Sirloin: A thin poor quality steak along the lines of a steak-um or "The ultra magnificant worth every penny and specially prepared CHOP'S WONDER STEAK! If you want only the best then this is the steak for you"

 

Ugh, everytime I think of it, it makes me shake my head. SOOOOO AWFUL!

 

That's exactly the tone it has! How gauche!

[jbrambach]

I don't feel there is anything wrong with offering a high quality steak, and charging for it. If the ship doesn't have a specialty restaurant, or a guest doesn't want to go to one, this is a nice offering. How can it cheapen the MDR experience? If you go to a land based steakhouse the cost varies according to the cut of meat. It's about options and choices and I like to be able to choose.

 

No disrepect, but you are comparing apple to oranges when comparing a land based "pay for" restaurant and the MDR; and I think that is exactly the point. All items on the MDR menus should remain included in the price of the cruise.

 

I understand what you are saying about ships that do not have specialty restaurants, but that is the way that ship is designed. If specialty restaurants are one of the main reasons someone likes to cruise then pick a ship with one, or better yet let RCCL offer a steak of equal quality to the "Chops Steak" for FREE on ships without a Chops.

[The Big Booper]

Actually... you are incorrect about this, sort of... The application/hiring process for Chefs at Chops/Portofino is different than that of the MDR... the qualifications needed are different for those venues as the food cooked in MDR is more mass-produced, banquet style (heavy focus on prep is needed) and what is served in the specialty restaurants is cooked to order...

 

For the specialty restaurants, they seek a staff that has more restaurant kitchen experience whereas for MDR, they seek culinary folks who have more of catering-type experience... One is more prep-based and not as fast-paced as the other...

 

DH interviewed with RC Culinary a few months back... :)

 

I would say though, that ordering this steak probably entails pulling one of the MDR kitchen folks to "fire up a $15 steak", he then stops chopping veggies and proceeds to the grill... Whereas ordering it at Chops means you are getting someone who grills a heck of a lot more steaks in his day to day...

 

There's a skill-set involved with grilling steaks that not all culinary professionals possess...

 

Just the facts ma'am, just the facts. Right On !

[HorrorFan]

I don't feel there is anything wrong with offering a high quality steak, and charging for it. If the ship doesn't have a specialty restaurant, or a guest doesn't want to go to one, this is a nice offering. How can it cheapen the MDR experience? If you go to a land based steakhouse the cost varies according to the cut of meat. It's about options and choices and I like to be able to choose.

Well, like I said if they were offering filet mignon, then MAYBE I could see justifying the extra charge.

But they aren't. I believe they are offering a sirloin 'free' or a strip loin for $15. I don't know for sure, but I just don't think there is much difference between the two cuts is there? The cost isn't any (or much ) different in the supermarkets I shop in anyway.

[floatel_lvr]

I tend to agree. When I first read about this, it struck me as here is the MDR cheap quality stuff, but if you want the good quality food, here is the cost. I think it degrades what is offered in the MDR.

 

That is exactly what I thought when I saw this...

RA

[amybear912]

Well, like I said if they were offering filet mignon, then MAYBE I could see justifying the extra charge.

But they aren't. I believe they are offering a sirloin 'free' or a strip loin for $15. I don't know for sure, but I just don't think there is much difference between the two cuts is there? The cost isn't any (or much ) different in the supermarkets I shop in anyway.

 

 

According to reports (see the now infamous Steak thread)... The ONLY steak being offered is the one you pay for... the other has been removed... Keep in mind though, that is apparently a test on certain ships... at this point, those recently off of Freedom and Majesty have reported it...

 

Our recent sailing on Enchantment did not have this pay-for steak available... of course, it also didn't offer the non-pay-for steak either...

[Sugar*Magnolia]

This is one of the tackiest thing I have ever seen. I think it just cheapens the entire dining room experience to have an entree for additional charge listed on the menu.

Agreed! Big time!!

You can't possibly believe that they hire specialty chefs who ONLY cook in specialty restaurants' date=' can you?

 

The same chefs, sous chefs and kitchen staff prepare the meals for the whole ship including main dining room, buffets, any deli's, fish n chip places, specialty dining rooms, etc.

 

What you are paying for is more food, better presentation of it and personalized service.....and the feeling you are getting special treatment. Same chefs......[/quote']

Agree with the others (TY amybear:) ) that this info is somewhat incorrect and Off-Base. :rolleyes:

================================================

 

It is almost like they're dissing on themsleves and the dining room-saying, "the food is merely ok here in the DR- if you want better order the $14.95 steak."

 

Thank you but no thank you. Either we will go to a specialty restaurant and happily pay the money or chose something that will be 'dining room enjoyable'. I dont remember ever leaving dinner hungry.

[Boo Boo]

Has anyone atcually ordered this steak yet? Would be interesting if someone did - ESPECIALLY if they did a side by side comparison with the "free" steak...

 

Boo

[jobob]

The strip steak is one of the highest quality beef steaks on the market. In the United States and Canada it is also known as striploin, shell steak, Delmonico, New York or Kansas City strip steak. In the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, the same steak is traditionally called a Porterhouse steak. Cut from the strip loin part of the sirloin, the strip steak consists of a muscle that does little work, and so it is particularly tender. Unlike the nearby filet mignon, the strip loin is a sizable muscle, allowing it to be cut into the larger portions favored by many steak eaters.

 

When still attached to the bone, and with a piece of the beef tenderloin also included, the strip steak becomes a T-bone steak or a Porterhouse steak as the latter term is understood in the United States and Canada.

 

The Kansas City strip steak usually has a portion of the bone connected, whereas the New York strip steak is boneless.

[jbrambach]

The strip steak is one of the highest quality beef steaks on the market. In the United States and Canada it is also known as striploin, shell steak, Delmonico, New York or Kansas City strip steak. In the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, the same steak is traditionally called a Porterhouse steak. Cut from the strip loin part of the sirloin, the strip steak consists of a muscle that does little work, and so it is particularly tender. Unlike the nearby filet mignon, the strip loin is a sizable muscle, allowing it to be cut into the larger portions favored by many steak eaters.

 

When still attached to the bone, and with a piece of the beef tenderloin also included, the strip steak becomes a T-bone steak or a Porterhouse steak as the latter term is understood in the United States and Canada.

 

The Kansas City strip steak usually has a portion of the bone connected, whereas the New York strip steak is boneless.

 

Not saying that I do not enjoy a strip steak I do and if the ship has a Chop's I am there sometimes twice, but they are offering two "Sirloin's" and charging for one of them in the MDR, what does that say about one of them? :rolleyes: The extra pay for restaurants are great, but the extra charge pay for food should remain in the specialty restaurants.

[amybear912]

The strip steak is one of the highest quality beef steaks on the market. In the United States and Canada it is also known as striploin, shell steak, Delmonico, New York or Kansas City strip steak. In the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, the same steak is traditionally called a Porterhouse steak. Cut from the strip loin part of the sirloin, the strip steak consists of a muscle that does little work, and so it is particularly tender. Unlike the nearby filet mignon, the strip loin is a sizable muscle, allowing it to be cut into the larger portions favored by many steak eaters.

 

When still attached to the bone, and with a piece of the beef tenderloin also included, the strip steak becomes a T-bone steak or a Porterhouse steak as the latter term is understood in the United States and Canada.

 

The Kansas City strip steak usually has a portion of the bone connected, whereas the New York strip steak is boneless.

 

KNOCK IT OFF!!!!!;) :) :D

 

You're making me hungry...

[jobob]

Not saying that I do not enjoy a strip steak I do and if the ship has a Chop's I am there sometimes twice, but they are offering two "Sirloin's" and charging for one of them in the MDR, what does that say about one of them? :rolleyes: The extra pay for restaurants are great, but the extra charge pay for food should remain in the specialty restaurants.

 

The menu says a New York Strip Steak, corn fed Black Angus, all natural, from a ranch in Calif. Couldn't make out the rest, but I think it says 10 oz. Not a bad piece of meat that is worth every bit of $14.95, in my opinion.

[jobob]

KNOCK IT OFF!!!!!;) :) :D

 

You're making me hungry...

 

I know I can't wait. I hope they offer it on my next cruise.

[Foffie232]

Just go to Chop's, it is only $5.05 more and you get a wonderful experience!

 

The smaller ships (Majesty, Monarch, Sovereign) don't have Chops - I would much prefer the Chops experience than having that in the main dining room.

[kasowell2]

We need someone to do this quickly. Someone needs to go to the MDR and order the steak on the menu and also order the "Chops" steak and report back to us to see if there is any real difference. I really think the main thing to do is for everyone to boycott the new steak offering. If it doesn't sell then they will not try to force you to buy other items. If it sells then the next thing will be a "specialty" dessert or a "specialty" appetiser (sp).

[jbrambach]

We need someone to do this quickly. Someone needs to go to the MDR and order the steak on the menu and also order the "Chops" steak and report back to us to see if there is any real difference. I really think the main thing to do is for everyone to boycott the new steak offering. If it doesn't sell then they will not try to force you to buy other items. If it sells then the next thing will be a "specialty" dessert or a "specialty" appetiser (sp).

 

Exactly!

[Lightsluvr]

I love RCCL and I love Chops but I am disappointed to see this type of merchandising in the main dining room. My own personal opinion, but it seems to "cheapen" the other items on the menu.:(

 

RCI "cheapened" the items on the DR menu years ago...

 

the old grey mare ain't what it used to be...(and we've only been cruising for 4 years...)

 

Cheaper cuts, fewer selections, smaller portions, boring presentation, not to mention the ambiance of shorts, flip-flops and wife-beater t-shirts at the next table... :p

 

LL

[amybear912]

We need someone to do this quickly. Someone needs to go to the MDR and order the steak on the menu and also order the "Chops" steak and report back to us to see if there is any real difference. .

 

As stated before... the ships that are charging for the Chops steak are NOT offering the other one...

[English_in_Spain]

If we decide to eat in Chops or Portofino every night instead of DR then presumably we do not have to leave a gratuity for DR staff.

 

Add the cost of this to the cost of the steak and it is almost worth booking alternative restaurants every night (which, as I understand, include gratuities)

[PSCruiser]

I don't feel there is anything wrong with offering a high quality steak, and charging for it. If the ship doesn't have a specialty restaurant, or a guest doesn't want to go to one, this is a nice offering. How can it cheapen the MDR experience? If you go to a land based steakhouse the cost varies according to the cut of meat. It's about options and choices and I like to be able to choose.

 

When this becomes the accepted way of doing things, you should take a few years break from cruising RC. When you return, you will find a price on everything on the DR menu. There will be a little note on the menu - "For our guests preferring complementary dining, the Windjammer Cafe is open for dinner from 6-9PM". This is what's wrong with offering this steak.

RC can raise cruise fares as needed to cover costs as the market will bear, but I say leave the essential cruise experience (including the DR) unchanged.

[icruiz2]

There will be a little note on the menu - "For our guests preferring complementary dining, the Windjammer Cafe is open for dinner from 6-9PM". This is what's wrong with offering this steak.

 

Very well put.

[tyedye]

Chops is basically only for those guests 13+, other children must dine before 7 pm. From the website

Q: Are children allowed to dine in our Specialty Restaurants?

A: Chops Grille and Portofino

All guests 13 and over are welcome; children under 13 years may book only before 7 p.m. Thereafter children under the age of 13 are not allowed. All guests under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

 

My son loves to dine on steak when he cruises and really looks forward to that. Our next trip is on the Freedom so I hope this is only a test. If they offered the other lesser quality steak, he would be fine with that, he just wants steak.

[Snoozeman]

Wow, news to me, I missed the steak thread I guess. I have to agree with everyone who says it cheapens rest of the MDR menu.

 

I'm on Majesty next week, I'll look for the new menu.