New franchise openings, multi-unit agreements and growing interest define a great year for the global fried chicken icon.

WEST COVINA, Calif., Dec. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Jollibee, the global fried chicken favorite celebrated for serving America's best fast-food fried chicken, is closing out the year with major expansion milestones and a wave of franchise interest across North America. Following the official launch of its United States and Canada franchising program in March, the brand is reporting strong performance, new franchisee wins, and accelerated development in priority markets.

"This year continues a strong run of great performance," said Peter Wright, vice president of franchise development for Jollibee Group North America. "We just announced the launch of our franchising program this past March, and I've been very pleased with the amount of interest in the brand from across the U.S. and Canada."

2025 marked a major turning point for Jollibee as the company transitioned from a strictly corporate-owned model to a hybrid growth strategy backed by high-caliber franchise partners.
One of the year's most significant accomplishments was the opening of Jollibee's first-ever U.S. franchise location in Queens, New York, a milestone that signals the beginning of a new franchising era for the beloved brand.

"Our franchisee there has been pleased with the performance and is securing additional locations for more stores," Wright said. "Its exactly the kind of early success we're aiming to replicate across the system."

Jollibee also brought on a new franchisee in Staten Island and signed multi-unit development agreements in both Sacramento and Dallas-Fort Worth, reinforcing the brand's strategic push into high-growth markets.

Since launching its franchise program, Jollibee has seen outstanding demand from experienced operators eager to join the brand's next phase of expansion.

"In terms of priority markets, the New York tri-state area, the Southeast — these are the regions where we are seeing a lot of interest," Wright said. "We're also seeing strong volume from qualified franchise prospects from these same areas."

The surge is driven by Jollibee's rising mainstream appeal, cult-favorite menu and sector-leading average unit volumes. Free-standing stores average about $4.55 million in annual sales, while in-line locations average $4.62 million.*

In addition to new franchise openings, Jollibee also opened several company-owned restaurants in key U.S. markets. "Our plan is to continue securing multi-unit development agreements in target markets and build the support teams needed to fuel growth," Wright said. "That applies to both the U.S. and Canada."

This alignment between corporate and franchise development supports Jollibee's broader goal of becoming one of the world's top five restaurant companies. The brand already has more than 1,700 global locations, including over 100 in North America, and is  aiming for 500 restaurants in the region by 2030.

Jollibee's first franchise openings have also allowed the company to refine and strengthen its support model for future expansion.

"We're learning in real time what our franchisees need to thrive," Wright said. "This year helped us validate our systems, reinforce best practices and build a foundation that ensures every new franchise location delivers the same joyful experience our brand is known for."

Every U.S. restaurant — corporate and franchise — is held to the brand's rigorous Food, Service and Cleanliness (FSC) standards, which 100% of stores achieved in 2024. Franchisees also receive comprehensive training, real estate and development support, and operational resources to help maintain the gold-standard guest experience Jollibee is recognized for worldwide.

As Jollibee prepares for the year ahead, the brand is focused on accelerating multi-unit growth, entering new markets and welcoming partners aligned with its high standards and strong community reputation.

"This year was just the beginning," Wright said. "We're building tremendous momentum, and the interest we're seeing confirms that Jollibee is poised for major franchise expansion across North America. 2026 is set to be a very exciting year."

About Jollibee Group
Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC), also known as the Jollibee Group, is one of the world's fastest-growing restaurant companies, with a mission to deliver great-tasting food, bringing the joy of eating through its 19 brands with over 10,000 stores across 33 countries.

The Jollibee Group's portfolio includes nine wholly owned brands (Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Smashburger and Tim Ho Wan), five franchised brands (Burger King, Panda Express, Yoshinoya, Common Man Coffee Roasters, and Tiong Bahru Bakery in the Philippines), and ownership stakes in other key brands like The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (80%), Compose Coffee (70%), SuperFoods Group that operates Highlands Coffee (60%), and bubble tea brand Milkshake (51%). The Company also has membership interests in Tortazo, LLC, along with Chef Rick Bayless, for Tortazo in the U.S. and has recently invested in Botrista, a leader in beverage technology.

The Jollibee Group's global sustainability agenda, Joy for Tomorrow, underscores its commitment to sustainable business practices across food safety, employee welfare, community support, good governance, and environmental responsibility, among others. These focus areas are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

The Jollibee Group has been recognized as the Philippines' Most Admired Company by the Asian Wall Street Journal, named one of Asia's Fab 50 Companies, and listed among Forbes' World's Best Employers and Top Female-Friendly Companies. The Company is also a three-time Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award recipient and featured in TIME's World's Best Companies and Fortune's Southeast Asia 500 List.

To learn more about Jollibee Group, visit www.jollibeegroup.com.

*Annual gross sales is derived from 71 reporting locations open for all of 2024 (70 corporate and 1 franchised; 33 free-standing and 38 in-line). Annual gross sales for free-standing ranged from $1,731,944 to $8,752,538 with an average of $4,552,103 (14/42.4 % exceeded avg). Annual gross sales for in-line ranged from $2,047,256 to $9,906,004 with an average of $4,626,370 (16/42.1% exceeded avg). Some outlets have earned this amount. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance that you'll earn as much.  See Item 19 of the JBM LLC FDD.

Chad Cohen
Mainland
786-417-5769
ccohen@hellomainland.com

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SOURCE Jollibee Group