This Filipino Fast Food Chain Has Got The Whole World Buzzing

Biting into fried chicken from Jollibee tastes like home.

Jollibee classics: Spicy Chickenjoy, rice and gravy. Photo by author’s brother, Blake Puzon.

Imagine waiting in line for six hours to get your hands on some fried chicken.

Well, that’s exactly what folks did when Filipino fast food joint Jollibee opened its first location in Vancouver, Canada.

The fast food chain first opened in the Philippines in 1975 and currently has more than 1,400 locations worldwide. Its iconic menu of fried chicken (rightly named Chickenjoy), Filipino spaghetti with hot dogs, burgers and peach mango pies have gained a cult following across the globe.

While Jollibee is a massive corporation, what differentiates it from competitors like McDonald’s or Wendy’s is that it roots its brand identity in cultural nostalgia.

No brand brings Filipinos together like Jollibee.

People lining up in Vancouver’s pouring rain to get their hands on some ChickenJoy. Photo by author’s friend, Kyle Cruz.

The Brand Brings People Home

“It feels like home. It’s a big deal for us. We’ve been eating this since we were little.” — Nylette, Vancouver resident from the Philippines, in an…