Shakey’s meal deals: For the love of the group

A satisfying meal means more than just a generous serving of tasty food on one’s plate. As a social opportunity for camaraderie and fellowship, sharing a meal is a chance for friends and family members to be together and engage in meaningful conversations. This is especially important so that we can catch up with the goings-on in each others’ lives. We live in increasingly frenzied times, after all, and every chance to get together is precious. Although being alone may be an agreeable experience once in a while, eating by your lonesome all the time can be unhealthy. Likewise, it will definitely curtail the range of what you can sample. Keep in mind what the late American actor and director Orson Welles once said: “My doctor told me to stop throwing intimate dinners for four unless there are three other people.”

One drawback that comes with dining as a group, however, is the length of time it takes to order a meal. When one is unfamiliar with the food terrain in a restaurant, or there are too many people with specific dietary preferences in a group, precious time is lost deciphering the menu before decisions are made. Recognizing that most diners would appreciate it if the process of choosing what to eat is simplified, many restaurants now offer specials or “meal deals.”

At Shakey’s, our favorite casual dining restaurant, there’s the ‘Great Meal Deals’ offer. “This is where our guests can choose set meals depending upon the number of diners in their group,” says Barbie Ocampo, Shakey’s Marketing Manager. “But since our aim is to customize meals according to our Guests’ preferences, we’re also giving them the liberty to choose any pizza variant without requiring them to pay extra.” Because of this, diners who opt for a Great Meal Deal at Shakey’s can choose any of the 18 pizza variants from the restaurant’s classic or premium lines without added cost. The Great Meal Deals consist of the Family Deal 1 ( consists of 1 large Thin Crust Pizza, 1 solo pack of 3 pieces Chicken N’ Mojos or 1 platter Classic Spaghetti and 1 pitcher of House Blend Iced Tea); Family Deal 2 (1 large Thin Crust Pizza, 1 Buddy pack of 5 pieces Chicken N’ Mojos, 1 platter Classic Spaghetti, 1 pitcher of House Blend Iced Tea); Family Deal 3 (1 Party Thin Crust Pizza, 1 Family Pack of 7 pieces Chicken N’ Mojos, 1 platter Classic Spaghetti, 2 pitcher of House Blend Iced Tea); and Monster Meal Deal (2 Large Thin Crust Pizzas, 1 Party Pack of 12 pieces Chicken N’Mojos, 1 platter Classic Spaghetti, 1 platter Carbonara Supreme and 3 pitchers of Coke.) But it gets even better. Instead of opting for just 1 flavor for each large pizza, one can choose a combination of two flavors in one thin crust pizza.

“We understand our consumers’ concerns regarding group value,” explains Ocampo. “The aftermath of the Christmas season is always perceived as a time of belt-tightening, and therefore customers are more conscious about getting the best value for their money. We at Shakey’s hear and understand our guests, that is why we are highlighting group value. True, group meals might seem to cost more, but when one divides the cost by the number of diners, one realizes that each diner would actually be getting more value than the typical single meals in the market. Besides, by opting for any Shakey’s Great Meal Deal, you get all our iconic products with your meal.”

“We have complete meals for larger groups of 10 to 12 persons,” adds Barbie Ocampo. “We realize that Filipinos are fond of celebrating various occasions by eating out, and most of the time extended family members and friends are included in the gathering. The Monster Meal Deals caters to more people and can easily be enjoyed by everyone.”

Of course, the Monster Meal Deals are also suitable for those with monstrously ravenous appetites — my family of eight people included. When we are all together, are too lazy to cook and require a familiar and dependably tasty meal without having to drive far; or when the craving for Shakey’s pizza and Chicken N’ Mojo fix hits us late at night, we hightail it to the 24-hour Shakey’s outlet in Katipunan, Quezon City which is nearest our village. Sure, there are times when the decibel levels of the college kids rooting for their teams can be deafening as they watch the television screens, but we just let it pass and smile at their youthful enthusiasm. We munch on, have our fill, and regard the chattering and laughter around us as part of the restaurant’s agreeable bonhomie.

And there really isn’t much to it when it comes to ordering our food, either. As serious repeat customers, we’ve been hardwired to simply flip straight to the Meal Deals page; it’s really much easier that way. It’s a common thing, when only some members of the family have a hankering for Shakey’s, to order the “good for 5-7” set even when there are just three or four of us eating. Most of the time, we finish what’s delivered right then and there — nothing like hot, freshly prepared pizza and chicken, right? Needless to say, when we need a dependably satisfying Shakey’s fix, we quickly head for an outlet. See you there. That’s where fun people who appreciate  satisfying meals meet.