Huge queues formed in Cardiff city centre on Saturday (July 24) morning as Jollibee opened its doors for the first time.
Filipino fried chicken restaurant, Jollibee, has officially opened on Queen Street, where a branch of Burger King closed in March this year.
Earlier this year, Jollibee announced that they plan to open 50 sites across the UK and Europe by 2025 as part of a £30m expansion, including in Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Madrid. The company opened a small site in London in 2018, which saw thousands of fans queuing for 18 hours.
Read more: Met Office issues crushing update about the second heatwave forecast for August
This morning the restaurant proved to be just as popular in Cardiff with people lining the street to sample the food chain's goodies as early as 6am.
The new Cardiff branch will be open 10am to 10pm daily, with a seating capacity of 124. The building has been painted deep purple, with one side covered in a wall mural in line with the brand's new store design.
"Opening our first Jollibee in Wales is part of our continued commitment to expand across Europe and bring our delicious crispy fried chicken to more people around the world," said Ernesto Tanmantiong, CEO of Jollibee Group.
Jollibee is one of the biggest and fastest-growing Asian restaurant companies in the world and outsells even the likes of McDonald's and KFC in the Philippines.
Founded in the Philippines in 1978, Jollibee now has 1,478 branches across the globe. Dubbed "the home of the famous chicken joy," it is known for its "mashup" of American and Southeast Asian inspired food. Aside from the restaurant's signature 'Chickenjoy' meals, the menu also includes burgers, loaded fries, and spaghetti served in tomato sauce with hot dog slices and melted cheese.
Jollibee has also just launched a range of new menu items which will all be available at the Cardiff restaurant, including the Spicy Chicken Burger, Sriracha Chicken Loaded Fries, Chicken Wrap, and the Peach and Mango Drink.
“With a growing culinary landscape and increased demand for new cuisines, we knew Cardiff had to be one of the top on our list. We are keen to introduce our delicious menu to locals and welcome them into our cool new central location," said Adam Parkinson, Business Head of Jollibee Europe.
"You won’t miss the store, painted purple top-to-bottom and with a specially commissioned mural, this is not your regular chicken shop.
"Where else can you get crispy fried chicken with a side of sweet-style spaghetti and a mango coconut sundae for dessert? I might be biased, but I believe we have the best chicken burgers in Wales. Don’t take my word for it though – we have priced them at just £3.99 so our Cardiff customers can decide for themselves."
