Jollibee’s is a famous Filipino fast food chain restaurant that has recently opened in Skokie — the only one in the Midwest. A wait time of 45 minutes would lead many to believe the food was worth it.

In this case, I have to say that Jollibee’s tastes exactly like Kentucky Fried Chicken. To me, there was no difference besides the name on the packaging, and I was astonished at how mediocre the food was.

One customer at the restaurant was telling me how Jollibee’s reminds many Filipinos of home, but for me, it was just overpriced and overrated.

The food overall was unexceptional, and not worth the wait or money. The chicken dippers (which were recommended by another customer) were tolerable, but the spaghetti definitely had an acquired taste and was hard to eat.

Personally, I wouldn’t recommend Jollibee’s because you can get the same food for a lower price and better quality at KFC. The wait was extremely long, and the food was not worth it for the price.

After waiting for almost 20 minutes for the food, all I wanted was to sit down and eat, but even that was an issue.

Since the restaurant was so overcrowded, the tables were either packed or left untidy. Although the workers were trying to clean the tables, it was hard to clean around the huge masses of people either in line, waiting for food, or taking selfies in the middle of the restaurant (I witnessed this firsthand when I unintentionally photobombed several people’s pictures).

Eventually, after not finding a seat, I just decided to go home and eat, looking forward to the food that had been getting outrageous attention. The chicken dippers were a little on the spicy side and were very slimy on the inside.

Towards the end of the meal — which I didn’t finish — I had come to the conclusion that Jollibee’s had not lived up to my expectations based on the attention it has been getting.

Jollibee’s may be a huge hit in the Philippines and other areas around the U.S., but to me, it was simply not what I expected, and I wouldn’t go there again.

The wait, the price, and the quality of food was not up to par, and although I am a picky eater, I usually enjoy chicken tenders, which is what chicken dippers are when it comes down to it. I would only recommend this restaurant to people who enjoy KFC with a different name, along with some more eccentric food options, but I will definitely not be visiting Jollibee’s again anytime soon.