JOLLIBEE Foods Corp.’s flagship store at London’s West End was greeted with hundreds of customers lined up on its opening day.
“It is heartwarming to see the long lines of customers at Jollibee’s London West End opening,” Jollibee President and Chief Executive Officer Ernesto Tanmantiong said in a statement on Saturday.
Customers were said to have flocked the store, with some lined up for seven hours before store hours. Around 300 were already in line by the time Jollibee opened doors.
Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom Antonio M. Lagdameo attended the opening and the ribbon-cutting ceremony, along with Jollibee Europe Business Head Adam Parkinson.
“Opening the restaurant now, during the first week Londoners can dine inside, was a fantastic moment of celebration for our community of Jollibee lovers and our amazing team,” Mr. Parkinson said.
Opening day sales for the West End branch breached records from recent Leeds, Leicester City, and Liverpool openings.
Jollibee West End’s menu will include an exclusive product, Tropical Chicken Burger, which is made with brioche bun with fried chicken breast, pineapple, cheese, lettuce, and Asian ginger chili sauce.
The company also debuted the new Spicy Chicken Burger, which is now available in all of its branches in the United Kingdom and Europe.
The store opening is part of Jollibee’s efforts to open 50 stores in five years across Europe. Jollibee is planning to launch six more stores in the UK before the year ends.
On Friday, shares of Jollibee at the stock exchange went up by 0.34% or P0.60 to close at P177.60 each. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte