Filipino-Canadians hungry for a genuine taste of home lined up in large numbers early Sunday morning for the grand opening of Ontario’s very first Jollibee Canada fast-food chain.
Often referred to as the “McDonald’s of the Philippines,” the Manila-based Jollibee chain opened its first Ontario location in Toronto’s Scarborough plaza to a large crowd on Sunday morning at 7 a.m.
The chain touts around 1,300 branded locations around the world, including two locations currently operating in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The chain also plans to open new Canadian locations in Edmonton, downtown Toronto and Mississauga, Ontario in the near future.
According to the 2016 Census, there are 837,130 Filipinos that call Canada home, making it the country’s third largest Asian-Canadian population.
Jollibee’s Scarborough plaza’s menu features Jolly Crispy Chicken, Jolly Spaghetti with its signature sweet-style sauce featuring chunky slices of savory ham, ground meat, and hotdog; Palabok Fiesta, a traditional Filipino noodle dish covered in garlic sauce, crushed pork rind, shrimp, and egg; and Peach Mango Pie baked into a sweet and flaky golden-brown crust.
