Founded in the Philippines more than 45 years ago, Jollibee is on a mission to become a household name in North America. Headlined by its world-famous “Chickenjoy” fried chicken and fueled by the growing interest of new international flavors and diverse menus, Jollibee is winning over the N.A. palate, one joyful customer at a time. This year marks Jollibee’s 25^th anniversary in the U.S., and now more than ever the company is ready to bring its special brand of joy to more customers in more cities from coast to coast.

Jollibee first opened its doors in the U.S. back in 1998 in Daly City, California, with a goal to bring a comforting “taste of home” to the area’s large Filipino community. While its initial strategy of entering markets where Jollibee already had high awareness resulted in modest growth, in 2005, the brand realized there was great opportunity to grow awareness and appeal among a broader audience and increase its market share in the region. 

Enter Maribeth Dela Cruz. At that time, Maribeth was already a Jollibee veteran, after starting out as a shift manager in 1986 and working her way up to various leadership roles serving the chain’s vast Philippines operations. She knew in her heart that there was a place for Jollibee in the U.S. – the brand simply needed to focus on what it does best: offering superior-tasting food at great value, paired with its warm and friendly service. Through this more streamlined approach, the brand was not only able to bolster loyalty among its core fanbase, but also entice new audiences of all backgrounds – and the rest, as they say, is history.

Today, Jollibee is a thriving challenger brand that operates 93 stores in N.A. – 66 stores spanning 13 states in the U.S. and 27 stores across 5 provinces in Canada. As it nears yet another momentous milestone – the opening of its 100^th store – Jollibee N.A. is embarking on an accelerated growth plan, with a projection of 250 stores in operation by 2027.  

Even as Jollibee looks to grow exponentially to become one of the top-five restaurant companies globally, its company values – humility to listen and learn, speed with excellence, integrity, spirit of family and fun, and customer focus – will remain at the center of its corporate culture. It is these very principles that first drew Maribeth to the company more than 35 years ago. She is passionately committed to sharing with new audiences, who have yet to discover the deliciously unique “joy of eating” that can only be found at Jollibee.

On a mission to become one of the world’s top-five restaurant chains, Jollibee operates more than 1,600 restaurants across 17 countries and is quickly expanding across North America. 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.