EDITOR’S REVIEW: JOLLIBEE Singapore – A whole lot of Joy

Since Filipino fast food joint Jollibee opened its first store in Singapore earlier in March, the queues at the 6th floor of Lucky Plaza in Orchard Road has been non stop and we understand most customers stand in line for at least 1 1/2 hours to have a taste of the fast food offerings.

Many Filipinos grew up with the 35 year old Jollibee and opening the store here in Singapore has catered to the growing Filipino population here, bringing a flavour of home and comfort to them here.

The largest fast food chain in the Philippines, Jollibee currently operates a network of some 780 stores in the Philippines.  It intends to open its 800th outlet there to celebrate its 35th anniversary this year.  We understand that Jollibee ranks top Quick Service Restaurant with the number of outlets in the Philippines. America’s McDonalds pales in comparison with half the number of stores, ranking third there.   Joining its most recent outlet overseas in Singapore are 92 other outlets in USA, Vietnam, Brunei, Jeddah, Qatar and Kuwait.

Jollibee first started off as an Ice Cream Parlour by Tony Tan Caktiong and his family.  The management a family-oriented business. Jollibee was named Employer of the Year award winner from the Personnel Management Association of the Philippines. It was also given a Top 20 Employer in Asia citation from the Asian Wall Street Journal.

In Singapore, Jollibee has a total staff strength of 83 to date. 61 of the 83 are Singapore nationals and permanent residents.

Serving in Singapore is a smaller selection compared to what is available in the Philippines.   You still can get its signature dishes including the Jollibee Chickenjoy, Yumburger, Jollibee Spaghetti, Jolly Hotdog and Burger Steak.   Gusto ko lumafang!

Jollibee Chickenjoy

Jollibee’s answer to fried chicken is crispy on the outside while inside is tender and juicy.  Comparable, if not better for some, to Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Crispy chicken.

Jollibee Chickenjoy is available in various options.   1 piece Chickenjoy with rice ala carte S$2.80, 1 piece Chickenjoy Value Meal with drink S$3.80, 2 pcs Chickenjoy with rice ala carte S$5.60 and 2 pieces Chickenjoy value meal with drink S$6.60.

Yumburger

These burgers are made with 100% pure beef patty and comes in three options – Cheese, TLC, and Double Yumburger with TLC.Yumburger with Cheese is served with cheese and Jollibee’s special burger dressing in a soft bun.  Yumburger with TLC is made with beef patty served with mayo, a slice of tomato, crispy lettuce and creamy cheese in a soft bun while Double Yumburger with TLC has two slices of beef patty.  The burger offer simple pleasures, whilst the patties feel ostensibly smaller compared to its  competitors McDonalds and Burger King here in Singapore.

Yumburgers with cheese value meal S$4.40, Yumburger with TLC value meal S$4.90, Double Yumburger with TLC value meal S$6.00 and Aloha value meal S$6.60.  Value meals include drinks and fries.

Jolly Crispy Fries are also available separately at S$1.90 for regular and S$2.75 for large servings.

Jollibee Spaghetti

If sweet is your thing, you will enjoy the Jollibee Spaghetti.  The sweet style spaghetti sauce include chunks of savoury ham and sausages and ground beef served over noodles and topped with lots of  cheese.  I personally enjoyed this dish but some may find it strangely sweet.   The Jollibee Spaghetti sells at S$3 for ala carte and S$4 for the value meal that comes with a drink.  A more filling meal would cost you S$6.60 which includes 1 piece of Chickenjoy with the Spaghetti value meal.

Desserts

Complete your Jollibee experience with the Chocoloate Sundae S$1.50 or the soft-serve Cone Twirl S$0.70

Jollibee is located at the 6th floor, Lucky Plaza in Orchard Road and operates daily from 9am to 9pm.   It has a seating capacity of 300. We have to settle with what is available at Jollibee in Singapore. Definitely have to visit the Philippines to try its other signature dishes. Must try the Champ, Palabok, Hash brown burger, Tuna pie and a Peach mango pie. Jollibee Singapore will be slowly including more dishes into the menu depending on the market demand here.

A joyful experience indeed. I noticed smiling happy faces of patrons as they walked out of Jollibee after what seems like a happy meal.  Panalo! Masarap!

June Macasaet, Filipino model & winner of Manhunt International 2012 was in Singapore. During our interview with him, we asked him to recommend some of the dishes from Jolliibee.  Check out the video below.

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Adrian Editor

Adrian Eugene Seet, editor of SUPERADRIANME.com, has long shared his passion for travel, destinations, and air travel. His childhood love for exploration has evolved into a thriving career, with his engaging content inspiring others to discover new cultures. Taiwan is his new-found favourite destination, and he dreams of visiting the Andes. Adrian's work is driven by his curiosity for travel trends and a commitment to lifelong learning.

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