Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Vancouver Friday morning to wait for a sample of a popular restaurant chain that originated in the Philippines.
It was the grand opening of the first first-ever Jollibee in British Columbia.
The Filipino fast-food restaurant on Granville Street opened its doors at 9:00 a.m., as large crowds of eager fans lined up around the block. Some dedicated supporters started to line up as early as 8:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Leh McKeen told Global News she devoted her day to waiting in line. “Four hours and it’s worth it,” she said.
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The chain is known for its famous fried chicken, sweet-style hotdog spaghetti, and several assortments of pies.
Jollibee is the largest chain of its kind in the Philippines, operating nearly 1,200 stores, with more than 1,400 locations worldwide, including 24 in Canada.
More than 158,000 people of Filipino origin live in British Columbia, according to the 2016 Census, with the city having the second-largest Canadian-Filipino population in the country — making the expansion a hotspot for residents in the province.
“Canada is a key market for us including the entire North America. Just really expanding our footprint here is pretty significant,” Maribeth Dela Cruz, Jollibee North American President explained.
Currently, the Vancouver store is only accepting takeout orders with a maximum order limit of $75, but plans to launch dine-in, online orders, and delivery in the coming weeks.
Jollibee Vancouver is open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.