6 Facts About Jollibee Every Fan Should Know

You can get burgers and fries at a ton of different fast-food restaurants across the country. But if you're looking for something a bit different — and a bit more exciting — than your average hamburger, Jollibee might be the fast-food restaurant you've been searching for. Locations of this Filipino fast-food company can be found in many urban areas in the United States, offering its wide range of dishes for diners to indulge in.

Whether you're a Jollibee regular or you've never been before but are curious about trying it, there's probably a lot you don't know about the brand. We're taking a closer look at some of the most interesting Jollibee facts so you can get the 411 on what this company is all about. Grab some Chickenjoy or a plate of sweet spaghetti (yes, you read that right), and learn about what sets Jollibee apart from the competition. It just might become your new favorite fast food joint.

Jollibee isn't exactly a new company — it's been making waves in the fast-food scene since the 1970s. That being said, many Filipino fast-food restaurants were established earlier. But Jollibee's wild success, spanning continents, is certainly unique. Tony Tan Caktiong, founder of Jollibee, opened a couple of ice cream shops as a young man. Unfortunately, he wasn't making enough money selling ice cream, so he added some savory items to the menu. This was the beginning of Jollibee as we know it.

The name wasn't always Jollibee, either. Originally, Caktiong named his restaurant Jolibe. However, when he really started to invest in marketing, he was advised to make the name a little more approachable, leading to the addition of an extra "l" and "e." Who could have guessed that a couple of small ice cream shops would turn into the massive company this fast-food giant is today?

The United States is considered by many to be the home of fast food — in fact, the U.S. eats more fast food than any other country, and it's home to some of the oldest fast-food chains. But it still took about two decades before Jollibee finally made its way from the Philippines to North America. The first Jollibee location landed in North America in 1998, and at the time, there wasn't much brand recognition. The company focused on targeting Filipino expats who craved the fast food they had enjoyed in their home country. But as more and more locations opened up in North America, brand recognition grew, and Jollibee is now a widely recognizable brand even among those without any ties to the Philippines.

North America still represents a small sliver of Jollibee's market. Out of over 1,700 stores globally, just over 100 are located in North America. As a result, if you want to get a taste of this chain's food for yourself (without making the trip to Southeast Asia), your best bet is to head to a major city with a Jollibee location.

One thing Jollibee is known for is the fact that it serves such a wide variety of dishes. However, just about every restaurant has a signature dish, and at Jollibee, that dish is Chickenjoy. It's nothing too unexpected for a fast-food restaurant — after all, it's just fried chicken, right? But the combination of the extra-crispy breading with the especially tender and well-marinated chicken itself is a delicious one that customers keep coming back for.

The bucket of Chickenjoy is arguably the best way to enjoy this fast-food delicacy, but there are other options for fried chicken if you tend not to like the bone-in variety. The chicken tenders and chicken sandwiches are also worth checking out if you're craving that crispy breading. We particularly love the chicken sandwiches, which come in spicy, bacon-adorned, and pineapple-topped varieties. Whatever kind of chicken you're craving, it's a must-try menu item at this popular fast-food chain. Before you go, make sure you read up on the differences between Filipino and Korean fried chicken.

Craving a dessert after a particularly filling fast-food meal? Sure, ice cream may be your first thought, but there's something about a fast-food pie that really just hits the spot. Although there are countless fast-food pies to try from your favorite joints, we think that in many ways, Jollibee's rises above the rest. It's no wonder, then, that the chain's peach mango pie is considered legendary by many. 

The combination of peach and mango may not seem natural to many Americans, but it really works in this pie. There's plenty of sweetness, of course, from both the peach and the mango, but the mango also adds the right amount of acidity — an element you won't encounter in many American fast-food pies. The next time you're at Jollibee and you're craving a dessert, you should absolutely give it a try.

Go to most American fast-food restaurants, and you'll see the same few dishes on the menu. There are several burgers to choose from, of course, along with a few chicken sandwiches and fries. Sure, you might find a fried fish sandwich, tater tots, or even onion rings, but those are outliers at most fast-food chains. Jollibee, on the other hand, offers a much wider range of different dishes to choose from, so there really is something for just about anyone who enters a Jollibee location.

We've already covered Chickenjoy, Jollibee's fried chicken, but there are also burgers and even burger steaks, which are served with a side of rice. The chain's Jolly Spaghetti is a particularly beloved option, with its clever addition of sliced hot dogs and sweet spaghetti sauce made with banana ketchup (yes, it's absolutely worth a try). Don't forget the palabok fiesta, a traditional Filipino dish of noodles, shrimp, eggs, pork, and a deeply delicious garlic sauce. Can't decide what to order? The Perfect Pairs portion of the menu lets you select a Chickenjoy piece along with another dish, making it ideal if you want to try more than one item during your visit. Who doesn't love having so many different fast-food options?

One thing that Jollibee does really well is sweet and savory dishes — that's why the spaghetti is always one of our go-tos. But if you're looking for even more of that delicious sweet and savory combo that Jollibee pulls off so well, you might want to check out the chain's Amazing Aloha Burger. On its face, it looks like any other fast-food burger. But look beneath the bun, and you'll find a thin ring of pineapple that gives this burger just the right hint of sweetness and tang. Sure, you can find burgers topped with pineapple at some higher-end gourmet burger chains, but it's rare to find it at a fast-food joint in the U.S.

In addition to that slice of pineapple, this burger is topped with lettuce, bacon, and melted cheese. The Aloha dressing adds another level of complexity, with yet another savory-sweet note that pairs well with the salty patty and sweet pineapple ring. This burger is a step up from most fast-food burgers you'll encounter at the drive-thru.