When the first Jollibee in Philadelphia opened on Friday morning, the Filipino fried chicken chain drew a crowd, with some of its devoted fans waiting in line starting in the early hours of the morning.
Jollibee is launching in Northeast Philadelphia at 7340 Bustleton Ave., marking its debut in Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Business Journal reported.
The offer for free chicken likely helped draw a crowd.
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The Philadelphia location has been in the works for close to two years. Luis Velasco, the company's senior vice president of marketing, told PBJ.com that despite the fanfare accompanying its grand openings, many of the comments Jollibee sees on social media are suggestions about where to open next. Philadelphia was a location that kept coming up — and the city may see more Jollibees pop up in the future.
For the uninitiated, here's a look at what all the Jollibee buzz is about:
What is Jollibee?
Jollibee is a Filipino fast-food chain that is looking to expand rapidly in the U.S. It was founded in the Philippines in 1978 and has since grown to over 1,500 stores in 17 different countries. It has a loyal following and Velasco said the brand has seen up to 5,000 people wait in lines at grand openings of its new locations.
It has a goal of opening 500 stores across North America in the next five to seven years.
PBJ.com answers more questions about Jollibee, including what you'll find on the menu.
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