A colleague had raved about Jollibee. In fact, more than a few had raved. So far, and having visited the Manila airport location, I’m not convinced, but I’m willing to give it a second chance.

And when I’m back “home,” here are a few reasons why Whataburger still kicks Jollibee patootie:

• They take Visa and don’t accept only Philippine pesos.
• They don’t run out of hamburgers and offer only Whataburger Jr.’s.
• They don’t run out of fries. (What?! No fries? You heard right.)
• Your order takes 10 minutes, not the “only 4 minutes” the very nice young man had informed you of.
• You don’t have to go to the counter to remind them to get your order and then get steered down to the end of the counter, where a pile of burgers is stacked and being handed out.
• Two of your three junior burgers aren’t cold.

OK, this is rant-y and whiney, and not a little bit.

You’d have thought I’d have learned a thing or two from the people I’d spent the last 72 hours with and who live off less than fifty cents a day.