The highly-anticipated opening of Jollibee’s first Manhattan location goes down tomorrow morning (8AM), and trust me when I say you’ll want to brave the Times Square crowds for this.
A quick backgrounder for those not in the know: Jollibee is the largest restaurant company in the Philippines and operates more than 4,200 stores (a third of which are Jollibee stores) in 20 markets around the world. Menu signatures include its “world-famous” Chickenjoy (hand-breaded and perfectly crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside), Jolly Spaghetti (with a sweet sauce and ham and hot dog chunks – don’t knock it ‘till you try it) and peach mango pie (filled with sweet Philippine mangoes).
Beyond the food, which is indulgent and nostalgic in all the right ways – offering Filipinos a taste of “home” thousands of miles away – it’s the vibe that’s made Jollibee a beloved household name in the Philippines and beyond. Once described by Anthony Bourdain as “the wackiest, jolliest place on earth,” the company takes pride in the unique culture it has created.
“For our fans, Jollibee is so much more than just another fast food, fried chicken restaurant,” said Jose Miñana, Jollibee Foods Corporation’s (JFC) group president for North America. “Jollibee is about spreading joy by sharing great-tasting food with friends and family.”
Jollibee store openings are always met with much excitement, and the brand has some special surprises for its Manhattan debut to further entice fans. Coinciding with Jollibee’s 40th anniversary, the first 40 customers in line (with a minimum purchase of $20) will get free Chickenjoy for a year. Additionally, the first 300 customers who spend a minimum of $20 will get an exclusive Jollibee plush doll and 40 customers with the best Jollibee costumes will be given exclusive Jollibee Funko Pop! figures, according to Miñana. The giveaway items, Miñana tells me, “is our way of thanking our customers who really go the extra mile just to support us when we open our new restaurants.”
If you’re of the dedicated set and looking to be one of those first in line, you’ll want to get there early. Miñana detailed that at a recent opening in Scarborough, customers began lining up outside the store as early as 2PM the day before, and on opening day the store served “an unprecedented 7,000 customers.”
As the brand celebrates this milestone of 40 years, with 1,300 stores (more than 200 of which are outside of the Philippines) and fans worldwide, Miñana notes that some things never change. “Though the brand has aggressively expanded over the years, our philosophy has stayed the same,” he said. “We at Jollibee are committed to bringing families, friends and communities together over great-tasting food, which we serve with warm and friendly service wherever we are around the world.”
