Global Fried Chicken Chain, Jollibee,To Launch Its First Store in Wales on July 24

• Jollibee, founded in the Philippines and known for delicious crispy fried chicken, is excited to launch its first restaurant in Wales

• The new store will open in Cardiff on Saturday 24th July at 10 am, welcoming chicken-lovers, fast-food fans and Jollibee devotees

• The opening is in line with Jollibee’s plans to have at least 50 stores across the UK by 2025

Jollibee, the home of crispy fried chicken known as Chickenjoy, announces the launch of its first restaurant in Wales, opening in the capital, Cardiff, on Saturday 24th July. The restaurant chain, which has close to 1500 locations around the world, is famous for its exceptionally crispy and deliciously juicy fried chicken.

The new restaurant is located on the corner of Queen Street and Charles Street, in the city’s prime pedestrianised area between St David’s destination shopping and the city railway station. The impressive two-story corner building is painted in a deep purple, with one side of the building covered in a wall mural in line with the brand’s colourful new store design.  The restaurant will be open 10 am – 10 pm daily, with a seating capacity of 124. The brand expects to see queues of fans waiting for the doors to open at 10 am on its first day, determined to get their fried chicken fix.

 Founded in the Philippines in 1978, the chain has a cult following and has seen hundreds of eager fans lining up at their store openings from London, New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Rome, Milan, Dubai, Vietnam, Hong Kong to Singapore. Following the fantastic success of previous store launches in cities across the UK, the brand now sets its sights on winning over the people of Cardiff with its unique menu. By 2025, Jollibee intends to open over 50 stores in the UK, with further expansion plans in Italy and Spain.

Jollibee’s new restaurant in Cardiff promises to offer truly tasty, high-quality food and a one-of-a-kind experience to everyone who comes through the door, all at an affordable price point.

“Opening our first Jollibee in Wales is part of our continued commitment to expand across Europe and bring our delicious crispy fried chicken to more people around the world.”

Ernesto Tanmantiong, CEO of Jollibee Group

Jollibee is world-renowned for the delicious taste of its distinctive menu and exceptional standard of service. The menu features a unique take on fast-food classics such as their signature “Chickenjoy®” which is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside; “Jolly Spaghetti”, made with a sweet-style sauce, loaded with cheese and hot dog slices; and the Tropical Chicken Burger that is topped with bacon and a slice of pineapple. Hand-breaded in-store by Jollibee’s team, the brand’s take on fried chicken has earned them global fame, with a range of delightful dipping sauces including Asian Ginger Chilli Sauce and Sriracha Mayonnaise.  Jollibee has also just launched a range of new menu items which will all be available at the Cardiff restaurant: the Spicy Chicken Burger, Sriracha Chicken Loaded Fries, Chicken Wrap, and the summer exclusive Peach and Mango Drink.

“With people returning to restaurants and relishing face-to-face encounters, restaurants provide a great venue to make up for those special moments they may have missed during the lockdown. We also look forward to welcoming new team members to the Jollibee family and creating job opportunities in the area.”   

Dennis Flores, President of Jollibee Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia

“With a growing culinary landscape and increased demand for new cuisines, we knew Cardiff had to be one of the top in our list. We are keen to introduce our delicious menu to locals and welcome them into our cool new central location. You won’t miss the store, painted purple top-to-bottom and with a specially commissioned mural, this is not your regular chicken shop. Where else can you get crispy fried chicken with a side of sweet-style spaghetti and a mango coconut sundae for dessert! I might be biased, but I believe we have the best chicken burgers in Wales. Don’t take my word for it though – we have priced them at just £3.99 so our Cardiff customers can decide for themselves.  

Adam Parkinson, Business Head of Jollibee Europe

The opening of the restaurant will create new job opportunities for up to 50 people in Cardiff,  supporting the local economy and bringing people back to the city centre. Since April, trading figures in Cardiff have steadily grown with more people coming into work and growing confidence in the hospitality sector.

A bit of Jollibee history

Jollibee is a much-loved restaurant chain founded by Tony Tan Caktiong in the Philippines.  Tony, the son of Chinese immigrants, built up his business from humble ice cream store beginnings, then later expanded its offering to a selection of hot meals.  The brand continues to be owned by the Jollibee Group and is now the market leader in the country’s restaurant industry, with 1,492 locations around the world as of May 31, 2021. The brand has many accolades to its name, including the “best international restaurant chain” by US-based food and lifestyle website, Thrillist. Famously, the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain referred to Jollibee as the “wackiest, jolliest place on Earth” in his hit CNN food and travel documentary show, Parts Unknown. The Jollibee Group now has over 5,800 stores globally and operates in 33 countries. It owns 80% of The Coffee  Bean and  Tea  Leaf® business which is present in 27 countries, and operates Michelin-starred Tim Ho Wan in Mainland PRC. It also owns and operates Chowking, Greenwich, Red  Ribbon and Mang  Inasal in the  Philippines; Yonghe King and Hong Zhuang Yuan in the  PRC;  Smashburger in the  US, and Highlands  Coffee mostly in Vietnam. The Jollibee Group also owns the franchise of Burger King, PHO24, and Panda  Express in the  Philippines; and Dunkin’ Donuts in certain territories in the PRC.  The company is listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange.