It is no secret that Jollibee, the beloved Filipino fast-food chain, has been rapidly expanding its store network in the United States. With the reopening of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf brand in New York through franchisee Hudson River Coffee and Tea, the company is well on its way to becoming one of the top five restaurant companies in the world. Maribeth Dela Cruz, President of Jollibee North America, has stated that North America will be a key market for the company as they plan to penetrate markets where there is already a large concentration of Filipino Americans. This list includes countries with Jollibee franchises, but excludes other brands owned by the company. Recently, the Tanasbourne Village shopping center directory listed Jollibee as one of its tenants.
If it opens there, it would be the first location in Oregon. Despite its cult following, the chain has not yet opened a location in the Portland area. The first branch was opened in Cubao, Quezon City in 1975 as a Magnolia ice cream shop. This year, Jollibee will open 28 stores across North America, including one in Times Square, one in downtown Chicago and the first Jollibee in downtown Vancouver. According to reports from The Washington Times and The Wall Street Journal, Jollibee had two locations in Taiwan and one in Brunei back in 1990, along with 58 locations in the Philippines.
In 1995, there were five locations in Brunei, two in Jakarta, Indonesia and one in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. So is there a Jollibee in Boston? Unfortunately not yet. But with Jollibee's rapid expansion across North America, it may not be long before Bostonians can enjoy their favorite Filipino fast-food dishes!.
