Fast-food chain returns to Mira Mesa, CA
Popular fast-food chain Jollibee has set its sights on 2021 and will add 28 stores to its North American network, 19 in the United States and nine in Canada.
The 2021 expansion will mark Jollibee’s largest-ever addition to its North American store network in company history as it works towards its goal of amassing 300 stores by 2024.
2020 was previously the brand’s most aggressive year yet. Already this year, the largest fast-food chain brand in the Philippines safely and successfully opened 12 stores across North America amid the pandemic.
Jollibee opened its 21st store in California on Thursday, Dec. 3, located at 8436 Mira Mesa Boulevard in San Diego. The new store marks the brand’s return to Mira Mesa and a concerted effort to build up its store network in the San Diego area which is home to a sizable Filipino community. There is an existing store in National City and the previous Mira Mesa store operated from 2007 to 2013.
The new store, which stands at 3,100-square-feet offers an outdoor patio and a drive-thru window. It is located in the area’s biggest retail hub, near Mira Mesa Mall and in close proximity to the University of California San Diego, the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and Scripps Memorial Hospital.
Before year’s end, Jollibee will open four new stores, led by openings in San Antonio, Texas, the brand’s third Houston-area store on Westheimer Road and first store in Delano, California, and a store on downtown Toronto’s historic Yonge Street, an area often referred to as the ‘Times Square of Toronto’ as it is a major retail hub with heavy pedestrian traffic.
In total, these December openings will bring Jollibee’s count to 17 new stores this year.
Though the pandemic has delivered challenges across the restaurant industry, Jollibee has been able to persevere by focusing on off-premise channels apart from dine-in. At the onset of the pandemic, the brand encouraged its customers to experience the joy of Jollibee from the comfort and safety of their own homes via call ahead pick-up, take-out and drive-thru. By April, Jollibee announced the launch of its nationwide delivery service via DoorDash.
“We have remained nimble and optimistic which has led Jollibee to defy expectations amidst an extremely difficult year and experience double-digit sales growth across North America,” said Maribeth Dela Cruz, President of Jollibee Group North America, Philippine Brands. “Make no mistake though, we would not be weathering these hard times without the support of our customers. They’ve showed up for us and now we want to show up for them. This month we will be opening long-awaited stores across Texas, California, and Ontario, Canada. We’re incredibly grateful for the continued support we’ve received from across these regions and are thrilled to deliver a small spark of joy as we enter the holiday season.”
Texas plays a key role in Jollibee’s U.S. expansion strategy. Opening its first location in San Antonio, the second-largest city in the state, represents a major milestone for the brand and is a sign of Jollibee’s continued growth in the U.S. Located at 5033 NW Loop 410, this also marks Jollibee’s first store in south central Texas as the brand has three other stores across the greater Houston area.
To provide a safe environment for customers and store team members in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the dining rooms of all of these stores will remain closed until further notice. Each store will offer a mix of alternative channels for receiving food, including call ahead and pick-up, take-out, drive-thru and delivery services.
