Jollibee's Orlando Grand Opening on January 18 Draws Thousands of Joyful Customers, as Carloads of Fans and First-Timers Swarm to Brand's First Two-Lane Drive-Thru in the U.S.
WEST COVINA, Calif., Jan. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Jollibee, the joyful restaurant brand recently named "the best chain fried chicken in America" by Eater, celebrated the grand opening of its first location in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday, January 18, 2023. The highly anticipated opening day attracted thousands of excited customers who wanted to be among the city's first to get their hands on Jollibee's mouth-watering Chickenjoy fried chicken, Chicken Sandwiches and Peach Mango Pie dessert. Primely located at 11891 East Colonial Drive in East Orlando, the new restaurant not only marks Jollibee's premiere in The City Beautiful, but it's also home to the global brand's first two-lane drive-thru service in North America.
Featuring its iconic Chickenjoy Fried Chicken, Chicken Sandwiches and Peach Mango Pies, new Orlando restaurant marks global brand's fourth in The Sunshine State and its 62nd in the U.S.
WEST COVINA, Calif., Jan. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Jollibee, the joyful restaurant brand recently named "the best chain fried chicken in America" by Eater, celebrated the grand opening of its first location in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday, January 18, 2023. The highly anticipated opening day attracted thousands of excited customers who wanted to be among the city's first to get their hands on Jollibee's mouth-watering Chickenjoy fried chicken, Chicken Sandwiches and Peach Mango Pie dessert. Primely located at 11891 East Colonial Drive in East Orlando, the new restaurant not only marks Jollibee's premiere in The City Beautiful, but it's also home to the global brand's first two-lane drive-thru service in North America.
"Not only are we thrilled to finally bring our Chickenjoy and other signature menu items to both our loyal fans and newcomers who call Orlando home, but we also are so excited to open our first two-lane drive-thru service in all of North America in this wonderful city," said Maribeth Dela Cruz, President, Jollibee Group North America. "The new two-lane drive-thru is a milestone for Jollibee, as it allows us to conveniently serve our customers, reach everyone faster, and get them their favorite Jollibee treats in no time."
Jollibee's biggest fans began showing up at around 8:00 PM Tuesday evening, where they camped out over 13 hours ahead of Wednesday's 9AM opening. Among them was Jasmine Hong, who waited in her car with a group of friends throughout the night to be the restaurant's first official drive-thru customers.
"We all go to the University of Central Florida, and we are all excited to try the food at Jollibee," said Hong of her and her friends. "We have heard a lot of good things and cannot wait any longer to try the famous Chickenjoy and Peach Mango Pie—I heard it's all really, really good."
Jollibee's drive-thru was buzzing from morning until midnight as carloads of hungry customers from near and far wrapped around the store throughout the day. Jollibee's cheerful staff welcomed a host of curious newcomers to the brand, including more college students from the nearby University of Central Florida campus, and families from the area's many surrounding neighborhoods.
"I got in line about nine hours ago and my family and I have always loved Jollibee ever since I was a kid," said Arren Huckleberry, an Orlando resident. "I moved here for school about five years ago and it is so nice to have a local Jollibee—it feels like a little piece of home away from home. I am excited that this is all finally happening."
For those planning to visit Jollibee's first location in Orlando, here's everything you need to know:
- Address: 11891 East Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32826
- Hours of Operation: 9AM – 10:30 PM, seven days a week.
- How To Order: Customers can pick up their orders to-go or enjoy the convenience of the two-lane drive-thru service beginning on opening day. Dine-in, online ordering, and delivery will be available in the coming weeks.
- What To Order – Jollibee's most popular menu items include:
- Chickenjoy: Jollibee's signature fried chicken. Each piece is delicately hand-breaded to be crispy on the outside, cooked with precision to be juicy on the inside, and marinated to the bone for next-level flavor.
- Chicken Sandwich: This sandwich features a crispy, juicy chicken breast fillet, spread with umami mayo, and served on a toasted brioche bun. Find out why this newly launched sandwich has been lauded for its "intense crunch" by The Takeout, and discover how the umami flavor profile and signature Jollibee seasonings meld together to create a perfect chicken sandwich offering.
- Spicy Chicken Sandwich: A spicy version of the original chicken sandwich features sriracha mayo and fresh jalapeños for added crunch and heat.
- Peach Mango Pie: Make sure to leave room for this mouth-watering dessert made with peaches and real Philippine mangoes enveloped in a light and crispy crust.
Jollibee's new Orlando restaurant joins the brand's three existing Florida locations – Jacksonville, Tampa and Pembroke Pines – and marks its 62nd store in the U.S. On a mission to become one of the world's top-five restaurant chains, Jollibee is rapidly growing its fan-base among North American audiences– from fried-chicken lovers to those who simply seek a deliciously new and different dining experience – by offering great-tasting food at a great value that is always served with joy.
Follow Jollibee at @jollibeeus on Facebook, @jollibeeus on Instagram, and @jollibeeusa on TikTok to get updates on Jollibee's upcoming store openings and other exciting announcements and events, including new product launches and special promotions.
Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC, also known as Jollibee Group) is one of the fastest-growing restaurant companies in the world. It operates in 34 countries, with over 6,300 stores globally with branches in the Philippines, United States, Canada, the People's Republic of China, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Egypt, Panama, Malaysia, South Korea, India, and Australia.
Jollibee Group has eight wholly owned brands (Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Smashburger); five franchised brands (Burger King, Panda Express, PHO24, and Yoshinoya in the Philippines, and Tim Ho Wan in certain territories in China); 80% ownership of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf; 60% ownership in the SuperFoods Group that owns Highlands Coffee and PHO24; and 51% ownership of Milksha, a popular Taiwanese bubble tea brand.
Jollibee Group, through its subsidiary Jollibee Worldwide Pte. Ltd. (JWPL) owns 90% participating interest in Titan Dining LP, a private equity fund that ultimately owns the Tim Ho Wan brand. It also has a joint venture with the THW Group to open and operate THW restaurants in Mainland China. Jollibee Group also has a business venture with award-winning Chef Rick Bayless for Tortazo, a Mexican fast-casual restaurant business in the United States.
Jollibee Group was named the Philippines' most admired company by the Asian Wall Street Journal for ten years. It was also honored as one of Asia's Fab 50 Companies and among the World's Best Employers and World's Top Female-Friendly Companies by Forbes. In 2020, Gallup awarded the Jollibee Group with the Exceptional Workplace Award, making it the first Philippine-based company to receive the distinction.
Jollibee Group has grown brands that bring delightful dining experiences to its customers worldwide, thus spreading the joy of eating to everyone. To learn more about Jollibee Group, visit www.jollibeegroup.com
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SOURCE Jollibee
