For many franchise brands, growth is measured by how many franchise agreements are signed each year. At Jollibee, success is measured just as much by the opportunities the company declines.
As the global quick-service restaurant brand accelerates its North American expansion, the franchise development team has embraced a deliberately selective approach. Rather than casting a wide net, Jollibee is building a small network of experienced, high-performing multi-unit operators who share the company's long-term vision for growth, hospitality and operational excellence.
That philosophy is reflected in the brand's comprehensive qualification process, which typically takes about 90 days from initial inquiry to the signing of a multi-unit development agreement.
"The first step is qualifying a prospective franchisee and making sure they have the financial resources and the requisite experience of both developing new restaurants and operating at a high level, and that there are shared values and vision," said Peter Wright, vice president of franchising for Jollibee Group North America.
For Wright and his team, that initial assessment is only the beginning.
The qualification journey intentionally moves through several stages, allowing both parties to evaluate whether the relationship is the right fit before making a long-term commitment.
"Once that part has been determined, the process really goes through the following steps: request for information, discovery call, we review an application and business plan, they will attend a panel interview with the leadership team, attend a Discovery Day, and then we begin a negotiation and finalize a multi-unit development agreement," Wright said.
Wright is quick to note that Jollibee is looking beyond resumes filled with restaurant experience. The company wants operators who understand what it takes to build multiple restaurants while consistently delivering exceptional guest experiences.
"They need to align with our values," Wright said. "We look at [candidates] both qualitatively and quantitatively. Have you successfully developed multiple units, and do you operate existing concepts at a high level? Have you won awards for outstanding operations? But really it's about making sure you are motivated to bring the great taste of Jollibee to new markets."
Experienced restaurant operators often arrive with impressive portfolios, established infrastructure and access to capital. Those qualities are essential, but they are not enough on their own.
Jollibee is specifically recruiting developers capable of building 10 or more restaurants over time, making each franchise relationship a significant long-term partnership. Because of that, the company evaluates candidates through the lens of operational consistency rather than simply financial capacity.
"Our average unit volumes are very attractive to developers," Wright said. The company’s 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document reports average annual gross sales of $4.91 million for freestanding restaurants in 2025 and $5.07 million for in-line restaurants.*
Those economics naturally attract experienced multi-unit operators. The challenge for Jollibee is determining which of those operators will protect the guest experience as they scale.
"Ensuring a high-quality guest experience in our stores is number one," Wright said. "What we are trying to determine with franchise prospects is if they share that same commitment and passion for excellence in service."
Many franchise systems focus on expanding the size of their franchise network. Jollibee is intentionally taking the opposite approach.
"We'd rather have a smaller number of high-quality franchisees that are truly aligned with our vision and values, as opposed to a very broad pool of franchisees," Wright said.
That strategy also complements the company's larger North American expansion plan. Rather than awarding single-unit licenses, Jollibee is granting multi-unit development rights to experienced restaurant groups that already understand site selection, staffing, construction management and operational execution.
It also creates stronger alignment between the franchisor and franchisee. Operators are investing in long-term market development, while Jollibee can dedicate substantial support resources to a focused group of development partners.
Jollibee's selectivity comes at a time when the brand is gaining significant momentum across North America.
The company recently announced that it has added three new multi-unit franchise developers in 2026, bringing its total to seven franchise groups as it works toward 330 U.S. franchise restaurants by 2030. At the same time, the company continues opening both corporate and franchise locations while targeting long-term expansion to 500 restaurants across North America.
Despite those ambitious goals, Wright says the company has no interest in compromising its standards simply to accelerate development.
"The bottom line is that it's about quality, not quantity," Wright said. “We have growth plans to continue to build the business in North America, but it's more important that we are selecting the right franchisees to help us grow. That's more important than hitting a specific development number.”
For Jollibee, saying "no" today is part of ensuring stronger system performance tomorrow.
"We know we will achieve our development goals," Wright said. “But we need to be selective about who we award franchise development rigths.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/jollibee.
*According to Item 19 of the 2026 JBM LLC Franchise Disclosure Document, freestanding restaurants open for the full 2025 calendar year reported average annual gross sales of $4,907,120, while in-line restaurants averaged $5,074,194. Some outlets have earned this amount. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance that you will earn as much.
Jollibee
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Jollibee's 90-day qualification process filters out operators lacking alignment with brand standards, a discipline credited for the system's high AUVs and low closure rate.
For many franchise brands, growth is measured by how many franchise agreements are signed each year. At Jollibee, success is measured just as much by the opportunities the company declines.
As the global quick-service restaurant brand accelerates its North American expansion, the franchise development team has embraced a deliberately selective approach. Rather than casting a wide net, Jollibee is building a small network of experienced, high-performing multi-unit operators who share the company's long-term vision for growth, hospitality and operational excellence.
That philosophy is reflected in the brand's comprehensive qualification process, which typically takes about 90 days from initial inquiry to the signing of a multi-unit development agreement.
"The first step is qualifying a prospective franchisee and making sure they have the financial resources and the requisite experience of both developing new restaurants and operating at a high level, and that there are shared values and vision," said Peter Wright, vice president of franchising for Jollibee Group North America.
For Wright and his team, that initial assessment is only the beginning.
The qualification journey intentionally moves through several stages, allowing both parties to evaluate whether the relationship is the right fit before making a long-term commitment.
"Once that part has been determined, the process really goes through the following steps: request for information, discovery call, we review an application and business plan, they will attend a panel interview with the leadership team, attend a Discovery Day, and then we begin a negotiation and finalize a multi-unit development agreement," Wright said.
Wright is quick to note that Jollibee is looking beyond resumes filled with restaurant experience. The company wants operators who understand what it takes to build multiple restaurants while consistently delivering exceptional guest experiences.
"They need to align with our values," Wright said. "We look at [candidates] both qualitatively and quantitatively. Have you successfully developed multiple units, and do you operate existing concepts at a high level? Have you won awards for outstanding operations? But really it's about making sure you are motivated to bring the great taste of Jollibee to new markets."
Experienced restaurant operators often arrive with impressive portfolios, established infrastructure and access to capital. Those qualities are essential, but they are not enough on their own.
Jollibee is specifically recruiting developers capable of building 10 or more restaurants over time, making each franchise relationship a significant long-term partnership. Because of that, the company evaluates candidates through the lens of operational consistency rather than simply financial capacity.
"Our average unit volumes are very attractive to developers," Wright said. The company’s 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document reports average annual gross sales of $4.91 million for freestanding restaurants in 2025 and $5.07 million for in-line restaurants.*
Those economics naturally attract experienced multi-unit operators. The challenge for Jollibee is determining which of those operators will protect the guest experience as they scale.
"Ensuring a high-quality guest experience in our stores is number one," Wright said. "What we are trying to determine with franchise prospects is if they share that same commitment and passion for excellence in service."
Many franchise systems focus on expanding the size of their franchise network. Jollibee is intentionally taking the opposite approach.
"We'd rather have a smaller number of high-quality franchisees that are truly aligned with our vision and values, as opposed to a very broad pool of franchisees," Wright said.
That strategy also complements the company's larger North American expansion plan. Rather than awarding single-unit licenses, Jollibee is granting multi-unit development rights to experienced restaurant groups that already understand site selection, staffing, construction management and operational execution.
It also creates stronger alignment between the franchisor and franchisee. Operators are investing in long-term market development, while Jollibee can dedicate substantial support resources to a focused group of development partners.
Jollibee's selectivity comes at a time when the brand is gaining significant momentum across North America.
The company recently announced that it has added three new multi-unit franchise developers in 2026, bringing its total to seven franchise groups as it works toward 330 U.S. franchise restaurants by 2030. At the same time, the company continues opening both corporate and franchise locations while targeting long-term expansion to 500 restaurants across North America.
Despite those ambitious goals, Wright says the company has no interest in compromising its standards simply to accelerate development.
"The bottom line is that it's about quality, not quantity," Wright said. “We have growth plans to continue to build the business in North America, but it's more important that we are selecting the right franchisees to help us grow. That's more important than hitting a specific development number.”
For Jollibee, saying "no" today is part of ensuring stronger system performance tomorrow.
"We know we will achieve our development goals," Wright said. “But we need to be selective about who we award franchise development rigths.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/jollibee.
*According to Item 19 of the 2026 JBM LLC Franchise Disclosure Document, freestanding restaurants open for the full 2025 calendar year reported average annual gross sales of $4,907,120, while in-line restaurants averaged $5,074,194. Some outlets have earned this amount. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance that you will earn as much.
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