One of the things I avoid doing when I go out of town is eating in a fast-food resto. It's a travel sin in my book. But Biggs Diner is an exception. Besides, it's not your usual fast-food restaurant. (Read: not your usual Jollibee, KFC or McDonald's). In fact the only thing that makes Biggs Diner a fast-food resto is its pay-as-you-order system. Everything else - food choices, service, interior design, ambiance - hardly falls under the fast-food category. And the only thing that's mainstream about this famous homegrown diner is it's a must-eat place in Bicol. They say skipping Biggs Diner makes your Bicol experience incomplete. But does it really?

Despite its ambiance and decor (very retro reminiscent of old American diners), Biggs Diner is actually a Filipino-owned fast-food joint with humble beginnings starting way back in 1983 when a group of Bicolanas put up a food business. With branches in Naga, Albay and Camarines, it's arguably the largest food chain in the Bicol Region.
My first taste of Biggs happened last July of this year when I did a solo food trip in Legazpi. I didn't quite enjoy the experience probably because I was alone and in a hurry. I was willing to give it another shot, this time with a group of travel buddies. Dinner at Biggs Dinner at SM Naga was the last order of business in our Caramoan escapade. A hearty supper before hopping on board the bus bound for Manila. Just like the first time, dinner at Biggs was kind of lame. I hardly enjoyed it. My order took forever to arrive and the chicken cajun tasted ordinary. But my friends had a delightful dining experience. I don't quite understand it myself (haha!)
I should have tried one of their local dishes such as laing, pinangat or Bicol Express but I don't remember seeing them on the menu. Or maybe I was concerned with the time we had left. You see, our bus was scheduled to leave at 9:15PM, which didn't give us enough time to enjoy dinner. Another thing that made me preoccupied was my tummy problem. As soon as our orders arrived, we gobbled them up like hungry wolves. I didn't even have time to take a photo of the chicken cajun I ordered (which was very unusual because I always take photo of food I'm about to eat).

I can totally skip Biggs Diner next time and I bet my Bicol experience wouldn't be so incomplete.