Jollibee to Open Record-Setting 28 Stores in North America in 2021
Jollibee’s openings in North America continue to draw long lines of customers eagerly waiting for a taste of the brand’s Chickenjoy. In photo: San Antonio, Texas Opening
Setting its sights on 2021, popular fast-food chain Jollibee will add 28 stores to its North American network, 19 in the U.S. and 9 in Canada. The 2021 expansion will mark Jollibee’s largest-ever addition to its North American store network in company history.
2020 was previously the brand’s most aggressive year yet. In 2020, Jollibee safely and successfully opened 16 stores across North America amid the pandemic. Before year’s end, Jollibee opened 4 new stores, led by openings in San Antonio, Texas; San Diego, California; and Delano, California in the U.S. and a location on the historic Yonge Street in Toronto, Canada. In total, these December openings bring Jollibee’s U.S. network count to 48, and 14 for Canada for a total of 62 stores in North America.
Though the pandemic has delivered challenges across the restaurant industry, Jollibee has persevered by focusing on off-premise channels apart from dine-in. At the onset of the pandemic, the brand encouraged its customers to experience the joy of Jollibee from the comfort and safety of their own homes via call ahead pick-up, take-out, and drive-thru. By April, Jollibee announced the launch of its nationwide delivery service via DoorDash.
“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. “Make no mistake though, we would not be weathering these hard times without the support of our customers.
They’ve showed up for us, and now we want to show up for them. 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 for them and their families.”
In late December 2020, Jollibee opened its first location in San Antonio, Texas. Located at 5033 NW Loop 410, this also marks Jollibee’s first store in south-central Texas as the brand has 3 other stores across the greater-Houston-area. The first customer arrived as early as 4 AM, and was followed by a long line of cars snaking around the block for the rest of the day. Texas plays a key role in Jollibee’s U.S. expansion strategy. As the second-largest city in the state, San Antonio represents a major milestone for the brand and is a sign of Jollibee’s continued growth in the U.S.
Jollibee also opened its 21st store in California located at 8436 Mira Mesa Boulevard in San Diego, with over 5,000 customers served in its first 5 days of opening. The new location marks the brand’s return to Mira Mesa and a concerted effort to build up its store network in the San Diego area which is home to a sizable Filipino community. The new store is situated in the area’s biggest retail hub, near Mira Mesa Mall and in close proximity to the University of California San Diego, the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and Scripps Memorial Hospital.
Jollibee’s opening in Yonge Street, Toronto was greeted by huge fanfare from the community and exceeded sales targets. Located at 334 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario, the area is often referred to as the ‘Times Square of Toronto’ as it is a major retail hub with heavy pedestrian traffic.
To provide a safe environment for customers and store team members amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the dining rooms of all of these stores will remain closed until further notice. Each store will offer a mix of alternative channels for receiving food, including call ahead and pick-up, take-out, drive-thru, and delivery services.
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