A Filipino fast-food chain known for its “crispylicious” fried chicken, sweet spaghetti and mango pies opened its first location in Saskatchewan on Sunday.
The opening of Jollibee’s new location, at 2830 Quance St. in Regina, had people lining up for hours.
“It’s so worth the wait,” said Jason Marx, who waited 19 hours to try the menu. “I would do it again in a heartbeat, for even longer.”
Jollibee may be a new brand to Canadians but it’s a heritage brand in the Philippines.
“It is a tradition in many Filipino families because it is actually where they celebrate a lot of family milestones, whether it be a graduation, a baptism… birthdays,” said Maribeth Dela Cruz, president of Jollibee Foods Corp. North America.
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“It has a special place in their heart. It’s beyond a taste of home — it’s also reliving fond memories of really good milestones in their life.”
Expanding into Saskatchewan aligns with Jollibee’s mission of becoming one of the top five restaurant companies in the world.
A recent focus on Canada is attributed to the rising Filipino population in Canada. According to Statistics Canada’s 2016 census, the Philippines was the No. 1 country of birth of recent immigrants to Canada.
“It’s one of the fastest-growing immigration populations in the city, if not the fastest.”
Garcia, who attended the grand opening event in Regina, said she was happy to see Jollibee in the province.
“It’s now joined the Filipino community here in Saskatchewan,” Garcia said. “In the Philippines, we take our families to Jollibee and we love the mascot, the bee, and to find the bee here in Regina, it’s a source of pride and it’s a taste of home.”
Jollibee says it plans to expand further into Saskatchewan. The company is eyeing a location in Saskatoon and possibly a second in Regina, said Dela Cruz.
The first Jollibee store in Canada opened in Winnipeg in 2016. The city has since gotten a second restaurant.
The franchise also has stores in Calgary and Edmonton and four in Toronto.