Music producer Benny Blanco has taken to social media to revise his initial harsh critique of Jollibee, the rapidly expanding Filipino fast-food chain known for its distinctive offerings such as Chicken Joy and unique takes on spaghetti and dessert pies. The chain, which has opened 73 locations in the U.S., with 31 in California, faced Blanco’s scrutiny in a TikTok video where he shared his unfiltered thoughts on the food.
@itsbennyblanco my first time trying jollibee
♬ Little Things – Adrian Berenguer
In his first video, captioned “my first time trying Jollibee,” Blanco, who has a Filipino stepmother and grew up eating Filipino cuisine, was less than impressed. “The adobo rice tastes like butt,” he complained, adding that the chicken was “soggy as f—.” The video quickly went viral, amassing over 5 million views and eliciting a wave of critical and humorous responses from viewers.
One top comment, which received 88,000 likes, playfully mirrored his review: “Benny your literal review about Jollibee is my literal review of you 🥲.” Others warned him of the consequences of his words, saying, “You just made some enemies with that Jollibee disrespect.”
@itsbennyblanco filipino food take 2
♬ Little Things – Adrian Berenguer
However, the backlash seemed to prompt a reconsideration from Blanco. In a follow-up TikTok titled “filipino food take 2,” he dramatically changed his tune. “Holy f—,” he exclaimed, visibly enjoying a Jollibee chicken sandwich. “Not only is this sandwich so good, I completely reverse my opinion of how it sucked. You could go there just for this,” he said, taking another enthusiastic bite.
This abrupt about-face has left fans divided, with some appreciating his willingness to give Jollibee another try, while others remain skeptical of his sincerity. “He knew he needed to redeem himself lol,” one fan commented on the second video, while another retorted, “We all know he’s being sarcastic.”