Jollibee to open 28 new stores in North America in 2021

Filipino quick service chicken restaurant chain Jollibee announced plans to open 19 U.S. and 9 Canadian locations in 2021, a total of 28 new stores. The expansion marks the brand’s largest expansion in North America in company history.

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(Jollibee)
(Jollibee)

Filipino quick service chicken restaurant chain Jollibee announced plans to open 19 U.S. and 9 Canadian locations in 2021, a total of 28 new stores. The expansion marks the brand’s largest expansion in North America in company history.

The brand is best-known for the Chickenjoy, a hand-breaded piece of marinated chicken described as “crispylicious on the outside and juicylicious on the inside.” In the U.S. market exclusively, the brand sells a chicken sandwich, featuring a 100% hand-breaded chicken breast fillet, a brioche bun, garlic aioli sauce, lettuce and tomatoes.

Jollibee, one of the fastest-growing Asian restaurant companies in the world, operates more than 5,800 stores in 34 countries. The chain ultimately hopes to open 300 North American locations by 2024.

COVID-19 challenges

Jollibee opened 12 stores across North America in 2020, falling short of its original goal of 25 new stores because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Five additional stores – located in San Antonio and Houston, Texas, San Diego and Delano, California and Toronto – should open by the end of the year.

The brand focused on off-premises dining throughout the pandemic, encouraging customers to use call ahead pick-up, take out, drive-thru or delivery via DoorDash. For the safety of both customers and store members, the dining rooms of the new stores will remain closed until further notice.

"We have remained nimble and optimistic which has led Jollibee to defy expectations amidst an extremely difficult year and experience double-digit sales growth across North America," said Maribeth Dela Cruz, President of Jollibee Group North America, Philippine Brands. 

"This month we will be opening long-awaited stores across Texas, California, and Ontario, Canada. We're incredibly grateful for the continued support we've received from across these regions and are thrilled to deliver a small spark of joy as we enter the holiday season."

View our continuing coverage of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

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