Way back when it first opened its doors in North America, I said: “Filipino Fast Food brand Jollibee will never make a go of it on Filipino food alone, in this market.” I was right. But I had one thing very wrong…
The chain’s claim to fame has not been its acclaimed Filipino fare alone. I quickly learned that it’s Oceania’s fave Chicken joint, as well. And it was declared America’s Best Fast Food Chicken joint – based on it’s food, if not its sales volume or the number of outlets it operates – by AllRecipes’ Ann Walczak last year.
Getting to know you…
“The global restaurant chain got its start in the Philippines, but Jollibee’s juicy, ultra-crispy fried chicken quickly made a name for itself in the US, now served in over 100 locations across North America,” AllRecipes reports. “And that’s not just the opinion of our food editors. In 2024, USA Today ranked Jollibee number one on its list of the ‘Best Fast Food Fried Chicken’, beating out heavyweights like Chick-fil-A, Popeye’s, and Bojangles.”
Now, Walczak says, it appears that Jollybee is out to win the ‘America’s Best Burger’ crown, as well. The chain is introducing not one, but three début burgers: the Angus Deluxe, the Angus Cheeseburger and the Aloha.
A cut above…
Jollybee claims its hand-crafted, 100 percent Angus burger patties are a cut above every other regular menu beefburger in the US.
“We’re confident that our trio of new premium Angus burgers will be a runaway hit with burger lovers everywhere,” said Luis Velasco, Senior Vice President and Marketing Head at Jollibee Foods Corpor-ation in North America. “Our burgers are crafted with the same passion, attention to detail, and high-quality standards that we bring to all our menu items.”
The price is also sets Jollybee burgers apart from the competition, starting $5.99.
My take
From the start, Jollybee has been careful to do its homework and take into account all aspects of the market and the competition in its North American start-up. Given its record to date, I have no trouble seconding Walczak’s proposition that the chain could end up setting a new standard for Beef Burgers in North America.
This is one ongoing Fast Food saga we’ll be following closely as it unfolds over the next few years…
~ Maggie J.