Location
Johnny's: Victoria Park & Sheppard
Johnny Rockets: Yonge & Dundas building
Price
Johnny's: $2.95-3.50 a burger.
Johnny Rockets: $6.95-$9.00 a burger.
Size
Johnny's: The patty on this burger was decently sized and had a good burger to bun ratio.
Johnny Rockets: Whoever told you size doesn't matter obviously lied to you. The beef patty was 1.3x thicker than Johnny's patty, and they're quite generous with the toppings. This is expected since you're paying a premium for this burger.
Taste
Johnny's: Their charcoal broiled burger was good, but it wasn't the best burger I've had. The patty was moist, but they could have let it sit on the grill for a bit longer.
Johnny Rockets: The patty was dry, crumbly, overcooked and drenched in BBQ sauce. The excessive amounts BBQ sauce made the burger overly salty and less enjoyable.
Seating Area
Johnny's: A weathered picnic bench outside with seagulls and pigeons circling the premise. There's a probable chance that a bird may defecate on your head, so I suggest you eat your burgers in your car or at home.
Johnny Rockets: '50's diner styled interior with jukeboxes, booths, Coca Cola emblems as decor, etc.
Service
Johnny's: The staff is grouchy and the older man at the cash register is akin to the soup nazi in Seinfeld. He never smiles or laughs, not even when he's trying to make a joke (or maybe he wasn't trying to joke around with me). I guess I should cut them some slack. I know I'd be a bit temperamental too if i had to wear a pumpkin orange uniform with a silly white hat every day.
Johnny Rockets: The staff drawing a smiley face with ketchup on my plate doesn't make up for the bad burger. They probably did this because they saw the sadness in my eyes after I took my first bite!
Verdict
Johnny's wins hands down in terms of taste and price. Johnny Rocket's burgers were very dry and an overall big disappointment. I've had better burgers at friend's BBQ than at Johnny Rockets.
Johnny's Hamburgers:
Johnny Rockets:
I used to visit Johnny's very often during highschool. It was cheap and delicious and it filled a lot of hungry hs kids who were really tight on budget.
ReplyDeleteIt brings back good memories everytime I go nowadays. I think the picnic tables are not there anymore as the Petro-Can gas station is demolished. The parking is very limited now. But ya... Johnny's means more than just burgers & fries to its customers. It brings back a sense of belonging.
BTW, the clientele is really broad at Johnny's. Besides the usual hs kids, I remember seeing a Bently GT parked outside the place. I am sure that middle age white man could've enjoy a fine ass Bymark Kobe burger, but it chose Johnny's. Maybe Johnny's burger is just that good!!! hahaha...
The previous comment is correct. My first visit there was probably about 1973. You have to eat this in your car; losing fries under the seat and putting a "burger stench" in your car for a week. It is part of dining at Johnny's. I like the "Soup Nazi" comparison. Basically, it can get so busy at Johnny's because it is so popular that the line has to move with military precision. Just look at how that team works. There are numerous people in there performing a single repetitive task with what seems like no breaks. This is the system that has made this place so popular for so long. When your number is called, you had better know what you want on your burger!
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