Chops and GT changing menus

[leisuretraveler223]

Sirloin is what I would order at an Outback if I was looking to save money vs a filet. It is NOT what I'd even even consider ordering when dining in a mid to upper end steakhouse. It has NO place on the Chops Menu. .

 

The cuts and preparation at Outback have always been superior to Chops. Chops on land would be a mediocre steakhouse at best.

[talia-co]

A steakhouse without a baked potato is not a steakhouse at all.

 

Vote with your wallets and pocketbooks and express displeasure in writing!

 

The last time I went to Chops it was 25.00pp. The meal was delicious. The next time I booked a cruise, it was 30.00pp and they had taken the bone in ribeye and REAL cheesecake off the menu. I said I would never go back and i won't.

 

Now its 35.00pp and even another upcharge for a decent steak?

 

Tater tots in a dining venue some here describe as a Ruths Chris, Capital Grille type of environment. LOL!

 

Absurd.

 

yes. Hopefully the test run will start and end with the Navigator.

[Cindy]

Sirloin is what I would order at an Outback if I was looking to save money vs a filet. It is NOT what I'd even even consider ordering when dining in a mid to upper end steakhouse. It has NO place on the Chops Menu.

 

For the most part I agree, but if they could replicate The Capital Grille's Kona Crusted Sirloin (in taste and quality) I might change my mind!:D

[Cindy]

yes. Hopefully the test run will start and end with the Navigator.

 

Selfishly, I hope it ends (or at least gets modified) before April 6th. I wanted to do a Dining Package on my cruise, but if the things I like to order are gone from both the Chops and GT menus, then I will definitely be saving my money!

 

I understand the need to periodically change menus and keep things fresh, but in the case of these changes it appears that what's been removed are the most popular (and probably costly) items that were the reason many booked the restaurants.

[LetsGetWet!]

Just sent this note to Mr. Goldstein's email address. I tried to keep it professional in tone, while expressing my displeasure. (And before someone jumps in, no I don't consider "Adam" to be my BFF, don't have his personal phone number and have never met him in person - nor do I really think he ever personally reads MOST of the emails sent to his email address - but hopefully the appropriate people will take notice.)

 

Dear Mr. Goldstein,

 

I’m writing to express my concern and displeasure with the new Chops menu and pricing recently rolled out on Navigator of the Seas. As Texans, we’re quite interested in Navigator for future cruises, and also very familiar with numerous high-end steakhouses here in the Dallas area!

 

I understand that prices rise over time, and although as a consumer I’d rather not see the prices jump from $30 to $35, I’d accept that if that was the only significant change. Unfortunately, the price raise seems to have come in conjunction with a significant reduction in dining choices on the menu, and that’s quite troubling.

 

When Chops debuted, the charge was $25, and it was a very enjoyable steakhouse experience. When the price was raised from $25 to $30, the ribeye steak was removed from the menu. Now the price has been raised again from $30 to $35, and the t-bone , larger filet and New York strip have all been removed from the menu. I understand about the addition of the two dry-aged cuts, but if we don’t wish our dining charge to jump to $53-$54 each, our choices are now limited to a single small filet, or a sirloin – which I’m used to usually being a lesser steak at steakhouses we normally patronize. A steakhouse with nothing on the standard steak menu but a small filet and a sirloin is hardly worthy of the “steakhouse” name in my opinion. Additionally, the four tasty sauces which used to be available to complement your steak are totally gone now also – we used to be able to choose from a cabernet reduction, a béarnaise, green peppercorn or chimichurri sauces – now there are none. Also, the baked potato is also completely gone – apparently replaced by “tater tots” which I have yet to experience, but have seen only mediocre reviews on, at best. A steakhouse with no baked potatoes? A steakhouse without at a minimum, béarnaise and cabernet reduction sauces for your steak?

 

In addition, what we both considered the best appetizer on the menu – the crab cakes – are also gone; along with the oyster duet and the delicious mushroom soup. Unfortunately, it appears almost impossible for me to reach any other conclusion than that this is a severe menu downgrade along with price increase – apparently in the name of cost cutting.

 

Although we’ve enjoyed Chops in the past, if this new menu & pricing is kept and rolled out to the rest of the fleet, our enjoyment of Chops will likely have come to an end at this point.

 

Thanks for listening,

[travelgoddess1]

Absolutely to both - I wrote an e-mail to Goldstein's e-mail address about the issue - it was polite and I brought up very specific points (I understand that menus have to be changed/updated as tastes change, for instance the new MDR menus, but that the lack of baked potato, removal of the sauces, changes to menu items, and removal of the creme brulee was a step in the wrong direction) and somebody from RCI contacted me a few days later to discuss it. The long and short of it is:

 

 

• The "new" Chops Menu on Navigator is, indeed, a test run. It's not on any other ship at this time and they aren't sure when or if this menu would be introduced fleet-wide.
  
• Thus far they've been hearing mostly positive comments and reviews of the new menu.
  
• That said, they have been hearing a lot of requests to bring back the baked potato.
  

I think if you do as I did and write a polite, detailed e-mail, our voices can be heard and RCI will either rethink the new menu altogether or, at minimum, bring back things like the sauces and the baked potato.

 

I'm glad to know this is a test run. Again, and it can't be stressed enough, let your feelings be known now, or the company will say everyone loved the changes, and we will be stuck with them.:eek:

[NOLAcruzrs]

Just sent this note to Mr. Goldstein's email address. I tried to keep it professional in tone, while expressing my displeasure. (And before someone jumps in, no I don't consider "Adam" to be my BFF, don't have his personal phone number and have never met him in person - nor do I really think he ever personally reads MOST of the emails sent to his email address - but hopefully the appropriate people will take notice.)

 

I also just took time to craft a letter to Mr. Goldstein to express our disappointment with the dinner we had at Chops. If enough people voice their displeasure hopefully they will reconsider these menu changes or at least add back some of the premium items without double premium prices.

[Dmgmd50]

How would you compare Chops to steakhouses on land such as Ruth Chris, Morton's, Capital Grille, Fleming's, etc.?

[seb]

How would you compare Chops to steakhouses on land such as Ruth Chris, Morton's, Capital Grille, Fleming's, etc.?

 

Food is sooo subjective but... I've eaten at all 5 you've mentioned. While CHOPS is very good for a cruise ship venue, IMHO, it doesn't come close to those you've listed here.

[NOLAcruzrs]

How would you compare Chops to steakhouses on land such as Ruth Chris, Morton's, Capital Grille, Fleming's, etc.?

 

Being originally from NewOrleans and eating many meals at Ruth's Chris, Chops for us this last time was more like Golden Corral. Previously on Liberty about 5 years ago it was VERY comparable.

 

We also did the Murder Mystery dinner the next night on Navigator last month at GT and they have a set menu so I ended up having another filet that night and it was better than the one I had the night before at Chops. I know that food preparation is very subjective, but my wife and I both had very poor quality filets at Chops.

[travelgoddess1]

Being originally from NewOrleans and eating many meals at Ruth's Chris, Chops for us this last time was more like Golden Corral. Previously on Liberty about 5 years ago it was VERY comparable.

 

We also did the Murder Mystery dinner the next night on Navigator last month at GT and they have a set menu so I ended up having another filet that night and it was better than the one I had the night before at Chops. I know that food preparation is very subjective, but my wife and I both had very poor quality filets at Chops.

 

It's sad to see this downhill slide, at least it is, IMO. Chops used to be full every night, and the experience was well worth the relatively small cover charge. That has certainly changed. :(

[beej]

I am really so sorry that RCCL has seen fit to cut corners in Chops. Hope the test of new menu fails big time. Instead of cutting corners, they will lose money, period.

[cruisegirl06]

I'm glad I found this thread. We are sailing Indy in November and I was thinking about doing Chops as a nice meal for our anniversary. After reading this thread it looks like I'll need to keep tabs on what's going on with chops before making a decision.

 

While I don't like the trend towards up charge restaurants on cruises, we're willing to pay for them if we really are getting a special experience. We did the Brazilian Steakhouse on NCL and thought it was the food was great, service was very good and ambiance was fine (nothing fancy, but fine for a nice, family meal). We've also done Palo and Remy on DCL, both were elegant, adult meals with delicious food and superb service. For all three of these restaurants, a similar experience at a land-based restaurant would have likely been substantially more expensive than the cover charge (as I feel it should be, when you are giving up a decent, included meal in the MDR AND paying an upcharge).

 

If what it seems like I'm reading is that Chops is more comparable to Outback than Ruth Chris, I don't think we'll bother. I'm not paying $70 for a meal on a ship (where I already have decent food available in the MDR) if I could get a comparable meal on land for less!

 

I will need to read more threads and gather more opinions, but right now I'm not sold on Chops...it sounds like finding a nice meal ashore or buying a nice bottle of wine may be a better use of my vacation dollars.

[Dmgmd50]

Being originally from NewOrleans and eating many meals at Ruth's Chris, Chops for us this last time was more like Golden Corral. Previously on Liberty about 5 years ago it was VERY comparable.

 

We also did the Murder Mystery dinner the next night on Navigator last month at GT and they have a set menu so I ended up having another filet that night and it was better than the one I had the night before at Chops. I know that food preparation is very subjective, but my wife and I both had very poor quality filets at Chops.

 

I wouldn't go to Golden Corral at home, so I guess I shall avoid Chops. I shall go to Ruth's Chris in Illinois or Florida instead!

[SharkByte]

I am really so sorry that RCCL has seen fit to cut corners in Chops. Hope the test of new menu fails big time. Instead of cutting corners, they will lose money, period.

 

IF they continue maybe they will change the name to something more fitting...

 

If their cutting corners, they could call it "Chumps" since they have most of the letters.:D

Edited March 12, 2014 by SharkByte

[NOLAcruzrs]

So I received a follow up from RCI to my feedback about Chops and it appears that they are hearing us. They have heard from MANY passengers about the Baked Potato situation and that is evidently getting rectified. No mention however about changing the double premium cost for quality steaks that used to be part of the regular menu at Chops.

 

Well at least a start!! Everyone should continue to provide their input about the menu changes as well.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[lindseesmom]

Is this menu change to all of the ships for Chops? We are going on the Rhapsody to Alaska. Has the cost gone from $30 to $35 a person? Is there copy of the new menu somewhere?

[Julesben]

No, it's not. From what I could gather, most passengers were displeased with the changes, so if we all speak up, maybe RCI will listen. :)

 

Good evening,

 

Chops is a favourite of ours, from what we're reading this will unfortunately stop us from using the speciality restaurants on the upcoming bookings, after these it really doesn't matter as we've booked land based holidays as a result of the cruise fares going up in price ridiculously from UK ports.

 

Lots of people use this term "Loyal to Royal", brain washed individuals, as Royal are not Loyal to you, only to £€$.

[Robinola]

The New Chops Menu should be "Chopped!"...

[A&L_Ont]

We just returned from Oasis on Saturday and we ate at Chops on the Wednesday. The menu was still the old menu, except they now have 2 steaks added since November that had up charges. It was either $20 or $28... can't remember and we didn't take pictures of the menu. They were dry aged cuts, the strip loin and bone in porterhouse.

 

They still had a regular NY Strip as well as a regular porterhouse.

[ARCruisinNana]

The new Chops menu is only on Navigator. It's a test. It may be on Quantum and expand to others if it is successful:rolleyes:

[SA Traveler]

Just off the Navigator and did not like the new Chops menu. Grandkids did like the mashed potatoes more than in the MDR. I missed the old potatoes - parmesan? Can't remember the name but nothing on the new menu compared. Taylor lll

 

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[SA Traveler]

Sorry I shouldn't try to post on this phone. For some reason this phone want's the Chops potatoes to be Taylor's not tots. Trying to correct I accidentally posted!

 

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[travelplus]

As the saying goes I'll believe the changes when I see them. I was at Chops two years ago on my cruise and loved it. I sure hope they won't downgrade their menu to be like a Mc Steakhouse lol .

 

I hope they will see that passengers are not dining at Chops and will go back to the old menu.

 

BTW Can I still get the baked Idaho Potato and Red Velvet Cake?

 

I will be on the Splendour and if anyone has the new menu could you please post it? Thanks

[travelplus]

Just off NOS last Sunday. New menus are coming, though for our cruise GT was the same as usual. Don't know about Chops as we didn't eat there. However, menus displayed in the DL and CL showed changes that we did not like at all. First, GT's new menu has no filet and no lamb chops. There is a strip steak offered. New Chops menu, now that the fee is $35 pp, has no 10 oz. filet, no crab cake appetizer and no t-bone. There are a number of fish dishes and things such as short ribs. So for more money you get less expensive food!

 

I'm a Fillet Mignon guy so for $35 can I get two Fillet Mignon's or one NY Strip Steak and one Fillet? I don't remember anywhere on the menu stating you could only get one entree. At least I'll eat my $35 dollars worth along with the appetizer, sides and desserts.

 

Now why would you add fish dishes to a steakhouse? If I wanted fish dishes I would eat in the Main Dining Room thank you very much.