Fast food restaurants are everywhere in Canada. They swarm every city of it. Today, it is rare to see a town in Canada that does not have any fast-food chain hanging around. Every town, even the small ones you go might have one or more of it. In Vancouver alone, there are 26 outlets of McDonald’s. it has one of the highest numbers for a city in entire Canada. In the country, there are a whooping 1,448 McDonalds’ location across it, and that is just one brand of fast-food restaurant. Brands like Dairy Queen, Burger King, Chipotle, and more are starting to pick their pace in Canada’s fast-food popularity world.
Right now, the largest fast-food chain in Canada is Tim Hortons with its 4,268 locations across the country followed by Subway with 3,148 location. This is not really surprising since Timmy’s is originated from Canada. With the growth of the fast-food industry in Vancouver what is the harm if we add another one in the city? One that is unique and fairly new to international branch in the western hemisphere. It is one of the most popular fast-food chain in Asia. One that rivals even McDonalds there.
Jollibee Foods Corporation is a Filipino fast-food chain that is becoming popular worldwide. Reviews of the fast-food are all over social media. Right now, Jollibee has seventeen locations here in Canada and there first location of it here is in Winnipeg last 2016. Surprisingly, there is none here in Vancouver yet. It is sad, the only we could try Jollibee’s yummy foods before is if we drive south to Seattle USA or do a 14-hour long drive east going to our neighboring province Alberta, in the city of Calgary. Other big Canadian cities such as Toronto, Edmonton, and Regina have their own store already. I don’t know about you, but as a Vancouverite, I get jealous when I see someone from other city in social media having something that you can’t get from your own city.
However, Vancouver is planning to have one of its own. According to an online writer Meagan Gill, Vancouver Jollibee will be opening its door at 833 Granville Street. It is close to the intersection of Granville and Robson Street in the center of Downtown Vancouver. Although the exact date of opening is not publicize yet, the renovation of the area is already completed and expected to be having its opening in middle of summer or in the late ber Months of this year. Not only that, but there are also other restaurants that will be opening this year including an Alberta-based beer hall restaurant Craft Beer Market will at 1795 Beach Avenue Downtown Vancouver, or Menya Itto, the most famous restaurant in Japan some say, will be opening one of its doors at 1479 Robson Street.
The hype is everywhere for this new fast-food restaurant that is soon to come. However, what is Jollibee? How did it began? In 1975, a man named Tony Tan Caktiong and his family decided to open a Magnolia ice cream parlor in Cubao, Quezon city in the Philippines. On a later date they began to serve not only ice cream, but also hot foods and beverages. As the ice cream parlor progress, they noticed that their food options are becoming more popular than their signature cold treats. Management consultant Manuel C. Lumba advised the family to change their strategy, and so they did. From an ice cream parlor, it became a fast-food restaurant and renamed as Jollibee.
Jollibee experienced a rapid growth in the Philippines. It made seven outlets just in a year with its first branch opened in Santa Cruz, Manila. The fast-food restaurant became so popular not only in the capital, but also in every provinces of the Philippines as it spread like wildfire in the country. It was able to stand its ground against the introduction of McDonald’s in the Philippines in 1981. You know McDonald’s is a powerhouse when it comes to fast-food industry and to be able to withstands that is almost impossible. However, Jollibee not only survived, but it also rivaled the famous American fast-food company.
Jollibee continued to expand and set up its outlet both in the country and abroad. There first branch outside the country was in Taiwan, in 1986 which is now close. However, Jollibee grew its popularity in Asia, and it spread as far as middle east and after, Europe. Now, it also being introduce in America.
Jollibee’s products have its own uniqueness to it. It is a combination of a western and exotic Filipino style cuisine, a brilliant idea that gave birth to delicious food products we can savor and consume. At first, they would seem to look familiar since the products are disguise in western motifs. However, once you sink your teeth onto it, unfamiliar flavours that most people had never tried before will cover your mouth and leave you in awe with its delicious goodness.
The most popular product of Jollibee by far would probably be the Jollibee Chickenjoy. Other people say that the product is better than other products of some fast-food chains, I am not saying what the names are. Jollibee Chickenjoy marination and seasoning ingredients are secret recipes that only several people know. Even employees do not know what is in it. In 2019, Chickenjoy was cited as the best-seller fast-food brand in every market in the world. This meal can be ordered in several ways, you can order it in bucket, in a value meal, or you can order with Jolly Spaghetti which is a Filipino style spaghetti with sweet tomato sauce, hotdogs, and cheese as toppings.
There are also other products such as the Yumburger with its another version the Hawaiian Yumburger, and the Palabok, an extremely popular Filipino food containing rice noodles, shrimps, and palabok sauce. The most famous dessert of the restaurant is probably the peach-mango pie. With its good combination of crispy shell outside, and the gooey and chunky mixture of mango and peach filling inside, there was no doubt that the product became a popular treat in its new branches, with the reviews of youtubers saying that they like it the most.
Jollibee, and other brands such as Tim Hortons, chipotle, Jordan sushi, Coco bubble tea, FKC, Starbucks Nando’s and more are a proof of how diverse we truly are now here in Canada and this is a good way to say that every ethnic group of people in this country is well respected and appreciated.