In 1975, Tony Tan Caktiong and his family opened a Magnoliaice cream parlor in Cubao, Quezon City.[9][10] The outlet later began offering hot meals and sandwiches. When the food items became more popular than ice cream, the family decided to convert the ice cream parlor into a fast food restaurant, which became the first Jollibee outlet in 1978.[11] Management consultant Manuel C. Lumba advised the family on the change in strategy.[9] Jollibee was initially named "Jolibe", but changed its name to "Jollibee".[12]
Jollibee experienced rapid growth.[16] The chain was able to withstand the entry of McDonald's into the Philippines in 1981 by focusing on the specific tastes of the Filipino market.[17][example needed] The first provincial Jollibee outlet opened in Mabalacat.[18]
The first overseas Jollibee opened in Singapore in 1985 at the Katong Shopping Centre;[19][20] that location closed only a year later[21] (since returned in 2013[22]). In the same year, Jollibee opened branches in the Middle East and Guam.[23][24] Jollibee continued to expand and set up outlets both within the country and abroad.[25]
Jollibee first entered Europe in 2018 with the opening of a branch in Milan, Italy.[28]
Products
A piece of Chickenjoy alongside palabok, a traditional Filipino noodle dishTwo pieces of Chickenjoy, the chain's core product; along with gravy, Burger Steak and a serving of rice in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Jollibee offers American-influenced fast food items and casual Filipino fare. Among the establishment's best sellers are the Yumburger, the house hamburger first introduced during their early days of operation;[29] the Chickenjoy, a fried chicken meal, introduced in the 1980s, with regular and spicy versions;[30] and Jolly Spaghetti, a sweet Filipino spaghetti that includes a beef sauce with pieces of hot dog and ham.[25] In 1995, Jollibee introduced the Burger Steak to its menu.[31] At its international locations, Jollibee also offers localized products, such as chili chicken in Vietnam and nasi lemak in Brunei.[12] Jollibee serves Coca-Cola products in Luzon and Visayas and Pepsi products in Mindanao and its overseas markets.[citation needed]
Chickenjoy
The Chickenjoy is a crispy fried chicken meal.[32] The meal can be ordered with several sides, including rice and gravy, fries, buttered corn, and spaghetti.[33][34]
Yumburger
Cheesy Yumburger
The Yumburger (also spelled as Yum Burger, or Yum!), one of the first products sold by Jollibee, is a hamburger containing a beef patty topped with mayonnaise.[29][35][36][37][38] In The Daily Telegraph, Michael Deacon described the Yumburger as "a slim, floppy, somewhat damp hamburger slathered with a strangely sweet mayo" in his three-star review of a Jollibee location in London.[38]
In 2017, Jollibee introduced the Aloha Yumburger.[39] That same year, an advertising video on YouTube about the Yumburger went viral in the Philippines.[40] A 2019 Yumburger commercial about love on Father's Day was the subject of memes.[41][42] Merchandise depicting the Yumburger was released in 2018 as a collectible toy set with the Jolly Kiddie Meal.[43][44]
As of May 2019[update], Jollibee operated over 1,300 stores, with 1,150 in the Philippines and 234 in foreign markets.[46] Jollibee has locations in Southeast Asia, East Asia, the Middle East, North America, Europe, and Oceania.[47] Outside of the Philippines, Vietnam and the United States are the biggest markets for Jollibee; with 200 outlets in the former as of 2024[48][49] and 100 outlets in North America (plus Canada) as of 2024.[50]
The 100th Jolibee store in North America, in Surrey, BC, Canada[58]
Marketing and advertising
Customer base
Outside of the Philippines, Jollibee's customer base varies by region. In the Middle East, Jollibee's primary market are overseas Filipino workers, while in Vietnam it is the local population. Vietnam has the most franchises outside of the Philippines, with over 100 locations.[12]
Introduced in 1980, Jollibee is a large anthropomorphicbee mascot dressed in a red blazer, shirt, and chef's hat.[59] Jollibee's design is based on Mickey Mouse.[12] The mascot was designed to epitomize Filipino optimism. Tony Tan, Jollibee's founder, has compared the mascot's character to the Filipino working class, stating that the bee "hops around and produces sweet things for life, and is happy even though it is busy".[60] Jollibee developed additional mascots, some of which were featured in Jollitown, a children's show aired in the Philippines.[12]
On April 13, 2008, Jollibee premiered Jollitown, a children's television show. The premiere was timed to coincide with Jollibee's 30th anniversary. The show featured several characters, including Jollibee, Yum the scientist, Twirlie the star performer, Hetty the cheerleader, and Popo the gym coach. The show aired aired Sundays at 9:30 a.m. on GMA Network.[63] On July 17, 2011, Jollitown moved to ABS-CBN for its fourth and fifth seasons, airing Sundays at 9:00 a.m. On July 20, 2013, the show moved back to GMA Network for its sixth season until it ended on October 12.
Web advertising
In November 2018, the 23 original Kwentong Jollibee videos on its YouTube channel reached a total of 64 million views.[64] After nearly two years the total views had risen to 405 million, with 567,000 subscribers, in July 2020.[65]
^The JFC states that its date of incorporation was on January 28, 1978,[13] while the Philippine Stock Exchange lists the date of incorporation as January 11, 1978.[14]
^Tsang, Sau Yin (November 29, 1984). "Filipino joint venture steps into the fast food war". The Business Times. Retrieved July 3, 2024. Jollibee, which has so far been operating only in Manila... ...The first Jollibee outlet in Singapore will be located at Roxy Square in Katong.
^ abcdefValcobero, Jennifer (October 3, 2016). "Jollibee opens 18th branch in CDO". SunStar. Archived from the original on August 15, 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2021. Every mascot represents the best-sellers of Jollibee. They have Mr. Yum for its burger, Hetty for spaghetti, Popo for french fries, Twirlie for sundaes and Jollibee for Filipino dishes.
