In a rapidly evolving quick-service restaurant (QSR) landscape, success is no longer determined solely by menu innovation or marketing muscle; it’s about being everywhere your customers are. For Jollibee, the beloved global brand known for Chickenjoy, chicken sandwiches, dessert pies and a unique mix of other flavors, that means mastering not just what’s served but where it’s served.
Recognizing the unique real estate ecosystems of North America, Jollibee is deploying a multifaceted strategy to optimize restaurant placement across urban centers, suburban corridors, food courts, airports and beyond. This flexible, highly selective real estate approach is helping the brand make good on its bold ambition to help Jollibee Group become one of the top five restaurant companies in the world.
“We’ve been intentional about establishing a presence across all types of markets— super urban, urban markets, suburban regional markets, etc., to have that increased accessibility to the brand,” said Beth Dela Cruz, president of Jollibee Group North America. “We also strategically choose high-traffic super-regional and regional malls as high-impact locations that maximize and bring the brand closer to our customers.”
It’s not a one-size-fits-all model. Instead, Jollibee leverages a portfolio of restaurant formats from inline and endcap units to food court kiosks and standalone drive-thrus. This flexible approach allows franchisees to succeed in a variety of market types, from Times Square in New York City to suburban hubs in Texas and California.
"We utilize various restaurant formats, including food court locations, which can also be adapted for airports,” Dela Cruz said. “We have prototypes for downtown, end-cap spaces and free-standing restaurants, allowing us flexibility in different locations."
This adaptability has been a key driver of Jollibee’s successful push into general population markets across the United States, a move that goes beyond the brand’s Filipino roots. With a menu that includes everything from burgers, noodles and award-winning fried chicken to its signature peach mango pie, Jollibee has broad cross-cultural appeal, and smart location selection is crucial.
Jollibee’s emphasis on flagship visibility is no accident. High-profile restaurants in locations like Times Square and downtown Chicago serve not only as revenue generators but also as branding engines.
“We’re building restaurants that serve as billboards for the brand,” Dela Cruz said. “Our main efforts right now are focused on making Jollibee more accessible to everyone.”
Jollibee doesn’t rush into leases for the sake of speed, either. “We are highly particular about where we put our restaurants,” Dela Cruz said. “We are willing to wait for better locations just to ensure that it is the right location.”
This strategy is supported by road shows and engagement efforts with landlords and developers to build awareness and educate partners about the power of the Jollibee brand.
Whether it’s a 700-square-foot mall unit or a 3,000-square-foot drive-thru, Jollibee’s restaurant designs are engineered to balance efficiency with brand experience.
“Our menu is more diverse than other QSR brands,” Dela Cruz said. “From an operations standpoint, that can be more complicated but it welcomes more people in. We aren’t just serving one craving.”
Jollibee’s restaurant formats are supported by strong economics. In 2024, Free-standing stores averaged annual sales of approximately $4.55 million, while in-line locations averaged $4.62 million — with some in-line locations even surpassing $9 million annually.* The initial investment ranges from $2,131,495 to $4,888,004 for a free-standing restaurant and from $1,635,461 to $3,246,560 for an inline restaurant.
As the brand continues to expand toward several hundred North American locations by 2028, Jollibee is staying focused on quality over quantity when it comes to real estate. The brand is actively looking for experienced franchise partners with a minimum net worth of $5 million and at least $2 million in liquid capital — people who can recognize great opportunities and grow with the brand.
With a strategic real estate playbook and flexible prototypes in hand, Jollibee is poised to capture a wide array of markets, from bustling transit centers and urban enclaves to family-friendly suburban neighborhoods.
“We believe our restaurants themselves are billboards,” Dela Cruz said. “They’re powerful statements of our brand’s strength and growing popularity.”
By meeting customers wherever they are, and doing it with purpose, Jollibee is proving that strategic location planning is as essential to franchising success as a delicious plate of award-winning fried chicken.
Interested in learning more about Jollibee’s franchise opportunity? Visit https://www.jollibeefoods.com/franchising to start your journey.
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*Annual gross sales are derived from 71 reporting locations open for all of 2024 (70 corporate and 1 franchised; 33 free-standing and 38 in-line). Annual gross sales for free-standing ranged from $1,731,944 to $8,752,538 with an average of $4,552,103 (14 / 42.4 % exceeded avg). Annual gross sales for in-line ranged from $2,047,256 to $9,906,004 with an average of $4,626,370 (16 / 42.1% exceeded avg). Some outlets have earned this amount. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance that you’ll earn as much. See Item 19 of the JBM LLC FDD.
Jollibee
SPONSORED
Jollibee's adaptive real estate strategies for sustainable franchise growth are demonstrated in its expansion from bustling city centers to suburban hubs and non-traditional venues.
In a rapidly evolving quick-service restaurant (QSR) landscape, success is no longer determined solely by menu innovation or marketing muscle; it’s about being everywhere your customers are. For Jollibee, the beloved global brand known for Chickenjoy, chicken sandwiches, dessert pies and a unique mix of other flavors, that means mastering not just what’s served but where it’s served.
Recognizing the unique real estate ecosystems of North America, Jollibee is deploying a multifaceted strategy to optimize restaurant placement across urban centers, suburban corridors, food courts, airports and beyond. This flexible, highly selective real estate approach is helping the brand make good on its bold ambition to help Jollibee Group become one of the top five restaurant companies in the world.
“We’ve been intentional about establishing a presence across all types of markets— super urban, urban markets, suburban regional markets, etc., to have that increased accessibility to the brand,” said Beth Dela Cruz, president of Jollibee Group North America. “We also strategically choose high-traffic super-regional and regional malls as high-impact locations that maximize and bring the brand closer to our customers.”
It’s not a one-size-fits-all model. Instead, Jollibee leverages a portfolio of restaurant formats from inline and endcap units to food court kiosks and standalone drive-thrus. This flexible approach allows franchisees to succeed in a variety of market types, from Times Square in New York City to suburban hubs in Texas and California.
"We utilize various restaurant formats, including food court locations, which can also be adapted for airports,” Dela Cruz said. “We have prototypes for downtown, end-cap spaces and free-standing restaurants, allowing us flexibility in different locations."
This adaptability has been a key driver of Jollibee’s successful push into general population markets across the United States, a move that goes beyond the brand’s Filipino roots. With a menu that includes everything from burgers, noodles and award-winning fried chicken to its signature peach mango pie, Jollibee has broad cross-cultural appeal, and smart location selection is crucial.
Jollibee’s emphasis on flagship visibility is no accident. High-profile restaurants in locations like Times Square and downtown Chicago serve not only as revenue generators but also as branding engines.
“We’re building restaurants that serve as billboards for the brand,” Dela Cruz said. “Our main efforts right now are focused on making Jollibee more accessible to everyone.”
Jollibee doesn’t rush into leases for the sake of speed, either. “We are highly particular about where we put our restaurants,” Dela Cruz said. “We are willing to wait for better locations just to ensure that it is the right location.”
This strategy is supported by road shows and engagement efforts with landlords and developers to build awareness and educate partners about the power of the Jollibee brand.
Whether it’s a 700-square-foot mall unit or a 3,000-square-foot drive-thru, Jollibee’s restaurant designs are engineered to balance efficiency with brand experience.
“Our menu is more diverse than other QSR brands,” Dela Cruz said. “From an operations standpoint, that can be more complicated but it welcomes more people in. We aren’t just serving one craving.”
Jollibee’s restaurant formats are supported by strong economics. In 2024, Free-standing stores averaged annual sales of approximately $4.55 million, while in-line locations averaged $4.62 million — with some in-line locations even surpassing $9 million annually.* The initial investment ranges from $2,131,495 to $4,888,004 for a free-standing restaurant and from $1,635,461 to $3,246,560 for an inline restaurant.
As the brand continues to expand toward several hundred North American locations by 2028, Jollibee is staying focused on quality over quantity when it comes to real estate. The brand is actively looking for experienced franchise partners with a minimum net worth of $5 million and at least $2 million in liquid capital — people who can recognize great opportunities and grow with the brand.
With a strategic real estate playbook and flexible prototypes in hand, Jollibee is poised to capture a wide array of markets, from bustling transit centers and urban enclaves to family-friendly suburban neighborhoods.
“We believe our restaurants themselves are billboards,” Dela Cruz said. “They’re powerful statements of our brand’s strength and growing popularity.”
By meeting customers wherever they are, and doing it with purpose, Jollibee is proving that strategic location planning is as essential to franchising success as a delicious plate of award-winning fried chicken.
Interested in learning more about Jollibee’s franchise opportunity? Visit https://www.jollibeefoods.com/franchising to start your journey.
-----
*Annual gross sales are derived from 71 reporting locations open for all of 2024 (70 corporate and 1 franchised; 33 free-standing and 38 in-line). Annual gross sales for free-standing ranged from $1,731,944 to $8,752,538 with an average of $4,552,103 (14 / 42.4 % exceeded avg). Annual gross sales for in-line ranged from $2,047,256 to $9,906,004 with an average of $4,626,370 (16 / 42.1% exceeded avg). Some outlets have earned this amount. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance that you’ll earn as much. See Item 19 of the JBM LLC FDD.
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