First Jollibee in Spain Opens with thousands queuing!

"Our entry into Spain is a major milestone in Jollibee's history and our international expansion. The heartwarming reception to our opening in Spain inspires us in our journey to bring our much-loved Chickenjoy to more countries in Europe, and is in line with our vision to become among the top five restaurant companies in the world." ~Ernesto Tanmantiong, CEO of Jollibee Group

WELCOME TO SPAIN, JOLLIBEE! Long lines stretching around the block greeted the Jollibee's debut in Spain. Thousands of customers patiently queued for a taste of Jollibee's world-famous Chickenjoy, with the line starting as early as 10 pm the previous day.

Jollibee's Jollibee Group as Homegrown restaurant brand Jollibee opened its first store in Spain at the heart of Madrid at Puerta del Sol, Calle Arenal nº4 last September 23, 2021. As the brand continues to expand its current network of more than 1,400 restaurants worldwide, including cities such as New York, Rome, London, Los Angeles, Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong. This is one of Jollibee's biggest openings in Europe, with thousands of customers greeting the opening and the queue starting at 10 pm the previous day. Jollibee Madrid is the brand's largest restaurant in Europe, with a capacity of about 200 diners, and showcases new design features, including a full-size indoor palm tree in a large two-storey dining room. 

"Our first restaurant in Madrid is an important step in our European expansion, especially as we grow Spain into one of our core markets in the region. With our delicious food, friendly prices, and warm service, we hope to continue enticing more locals to love our food just as we see in other countries across EMEAA." ~Dennis Flores, President of Jollibee Europe, Middle East, Asia, and Australia (EMEAA)

Inaugurating Jollibee's first store in Spain was Philippine Ambassador to Spain Philippe J. Lhuillier (middle-left), together with Jollibee Europe Business Head Adam Parkinson (right) and Jollibee Spain General Manager Clara Breda (left).

For the first time in Madrid, customers were able to try Jollibee's fan favorites: including its world-famous Chickenjoy that is delicately hand-breaded for a crispy exterior, cooked hotter and faster for maximum juiciness, and marinated to the bone for next-level flavor. Fans were also excited to try Jollibee Europe's emerging bestsellers, such as the new Spicy Chicken Burger, Sriracha Chicken Loaded Fries, and the popular Tropical Chicken Burger - delicately crafted with a breaded chicken breast topped with cheese, lettuce, slightly spicy Chili Ginger sauce, and a slice of pineapple for a unique twist. 

"We have worked hard to ensure we were ready to introduce the Spanish people to Jollibee, and to see it come to fruition today was a very humbling moment and a reminder of the opportunity Jollibee has in Spain and throughout Europe. To see both our loyal fans and the local community come together and enjoy the experience over some great food was amazing – it's what we are all about!" ~Adam Parkinson, Business Head of Jollibee Europe

The local Spanish community joined the celebration of Jollibee's first store in Spain. "To see both our loyal fans and the local community come together and enjoy the experience over some great food was amazing – it's what we are all about!" shared Adam Parkinson, Jollibee Europe Business Head.

The Madrid restaurant introduces Jollibee's brand redesign for European customers to Spain, aiming to create a memorable experience with bright graphics, bold wall murals, and tiles inspired by woven fabrics. Unique to the Madrid restaurant is a life-sized palm tree adorning its double-height central dining space – something not seen in any other Jollibee restaurant in the region. 

"After seeing the reception to the opening, I can say that all the work we have been doing for over a year to bring Jollibee to Spain has been worth it. We are confident that Jollibee will become a meeting point for different generations who want to try new experiences and taste our menu with unique flavors". ~Clara Breda, General Manager of Jollibee Spain

To ensure a safe experience for customers, the restaurant features take-out pick-up areas, digital kiosks to facilitate transactions, and hand-washing stations. 

To learn more about Jollibee Group, visit www.jollibeegroup.com.

About Jollibee Group 

Jollibee Group is one of the fastest-growing Asian restaurant companies in the world. It operates in 33 countries, with over 5,800 stores globally with branches in the Philippines, United States, Canada, the People's Republic of China, United Kingdom, Italy, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Egypt, Panama, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, India, and now Spain.  

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, and PHO24 in the Philippines; Dunkin' 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 50% ownership in a joint venture established to operate and expand Yoshinoya in the Philippines. Yoshinoya is one of the largest and most recognized Japanese restaurant brands globally and is the company's first-ever Japanese food chain.  

Jollibee Group, through its subsidiary Jollibee Worldwide Pte. Ltd. (JWPL) owns 100% 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 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, in line with its mission of serving great tasting food and spreading the joy of eating to everyone.