It started out as an ice cream shop

In 1975, 22-year old Tony Tan Caktiong, who would later be the president and CEO of Jollibee Foods Corporation, opened 2 Magnolia Ice Cream shops – 1 in Cubao and 1 in Quiapo. By popular demand, he added sandwiches and hot meals to the menu which soon became more popular than the ice cream.  Finally, in 1978, Tan Caktiong transitioned his businesses into fast-food restaurants. Prior to opening his ice cream shops, Tan Caktiong had studied chemical engineering. If he didn’t transition to the food industry and adapt his food business, we may never have the Chickenjoy that we enjoy today. Today, Jollibee is a global brand with over 9,500 stores in 32 countries, known for its Chickenjoy, Yumburger, and Jolly Spaghetti.

Its name used to be spelled as “Jolibe” 

In 1978, Jollibee was called Jolibe. Back then, Tan Caktiong was at a loss on how to improve his restaurant’s branding and further its marketing. It wasn’t until after he met Manuel Lumba, a marketing consultant, when the establishment’s name changed to Jollibee to emphasize that it’s a combination of the words “jolly” and “bee”. The same year, Lumba came up with the fast-food restaurant’s logo – a bee similar to what we see today but not as refined.

The Jollibee mascot represents Filipinos 

Beyond just enticing customers to buy their food products with an image of a jolly bee, the Jollibee mascot was created to represent Filipinos. Filipinos are known to be some of the happiest people in the world – thus, jolly – and, like bees, Filipinos are hardworking by nature. The bees’ byproduct, honey, also represents “the sweet things in life” which Jollibee has undoubtedly attained throughout its many years in business.

It has more branches than McDonald’s in the Philippines

There’s a country in the world that has McDonald’s stores where the international fast-food giant doesn’t reign – the Philippines. While Jollibee has a whopping 1,150 stores in the country, McDonald’s only has over 600. In 1987, Jollibee also began to expand to the international market, opening its first branch overseas in Brunei. Today, the fast-food chain has more than 270 branches abroad, the latest being the one in Madrid, Spain.

There are menu items only available in Jollibee stores abroad

There areJollibee menu items that are only served at their branches abroad. Two of these are Singapore’s Nasi Lemak Chickenjoy and Brunei’s Garlic Chicken Curry. In Vietnam, they have Chilli Chicken, Roasted Chicken Pie, and Green Milk Tea. They also have Peach Pie instead of the Philippine Jollibee outlets’ famous Peach Mango Pie. Meanwhile, in some Middle Eastern countries such as Qatar and Kuwait, they have the Jolly Wrap – chicken tenders and veggies in pita bread – and Chickenjoy with kabsa or biryani rice.

What is your ideal meal after a burning hot day? Ideal meal after a freezing cold day?

What would be a good meal after a burning hot day? I dunno. A nice salad? Chicken salad with some garlic bread. A Chicken Caesar salad. Or a sandwich with some coleslaw on the side. A shawarma perhaps. Ice cream or fruit salads.

After a freezing cold day? Well let’s just say that since I life in tropical Kerala, the coldest we get is during the monsoon season when there is a heavy rainfall along with a cold breeze blowing in. On such nights I like pasta, like noodles and chicken or pork. Or some grilled chicken. Some coffee at the end.

Prompt from Journaling Prompts from The Coffee Monterz Co . Com