Featuring its iconic Chickenjoy Fried Chicken, Chicken Sandwiches and Peach Mango Pies, the new Sterling Heightsrestaurant marks the global brand’s first in The Wolverine State.
WEST COVINA, Calif. — Jollibee, the global restaurant brand dubbed “the best chain fried chicken in America” by food authority Eater.com, celebrated the grand opening of its first Michigan location on Friday, January 12, 2024. The buzzworthy opening day attracted thousands of excited customers who wanted to be among the state’s first to get their hands on Jollibee’s mouth-watering Chickenjoy fried chicken, Chicken Sandwiches and Peach Mango Pie dessert. This restaurant marks Jollibee’s debut in the Wolverine State, conveniently serving the Detroit metropolitan area via their Sterling Heights location at 44945 Woodridge Drive, in front of the Lakeside Mall.
“Bringing our unique, signature flavors and the ever-iconic Chickenjoy to Sterling Heights is a momentous milestone for us,” said Maribeth Dela Cruz, President, Jollibee Group North America. “We’ve been eagerly planning our debut in Michigan for years, and we are beyond thrilled to see the turn out on opening day. It’s been wonderful to share the joy of the Jollibee brand and food with this vibrant community, and further expand our footprint in North America.”
Dedicated Jollibee fans began lining up for Friday’s anticipated opening as soon as 9PM the night before. Among them was Sterling Heights native, Faiz Marro, who braved a winter storm and waited a whopping 12 hours to get his hands on a coveted piece of Chickenjoy. “I am so excited to be here—my Filipino friends have spoken so much about the brand, and as soon as I found out they were coming to Michigan, I had to go out and try it,” said Marro. “I am probably most excited to try the Chickenjoy because I have heard it’s amazing, but I also want to get my hands on all of the other favorites, like the Adobo Rice and Peach Mango Pie.”
Many devoted customers braved the bitter cold and snowy temperatures that hit the area throughout the weekend in order to get their hands iconic Jollibee dishes. In addition to the long lines with eagerly awaiting fans, Jollibee’s drive-thru was also buzzing from morning until the late evening with carloads of hungry customers from near and far wrapped around the store. However, Michigan residents persevered through the storm accompanied by festive tunes, merch giveaways and an appearance by the dancing Jolly Bee himself. Overall, the energy was aplomb with optimism as Jollibee’s cheerful staff welcomed a host of curious newcomers to the brand, including college students from the University of Michigan, families and locals from the area’s many surrounding neighborhoods.
For those planning to visit Jollibee’s first location in Michigan, here’s everything you need to know:
- Address: 44945 Woodridge Drive, Sterling Heights, MI 48313
- Hours of Operation: 9AM – 10PM, seven days a week.
- How To Order: Customers can dine-in, order take-out, or use the convenient two-lane drive-thru service. Online ordering will debut in the coming weeks.
- What To Order – Jollibee’s most popular menu items include:
- Chickenjoy: Jollibee’s signature fried chicken. Each piece is delicately hand-breaded to be crispy on the outside, cooked with precision to be juicy on the inside, and marinated to the bone for next-level flavor.
- Chicken Sandwich: This sandwich features a crispy, juicy chicken breast fillet, spread with umami mayo, and served on a toasted brioche bun. Find out why this newly launched sandwich has been lauded for its “intense crunch” by The Takeout, and discover how the umami flavor profile and signature Jollibee seasonings meld together to create a perfect chicken sandwich offering.
- Spicy Chicken Sandwich: A spicy version of the original chicken sandwich features sriracha mayo and fresh jalapeños for added crunch and heat.
- Peach Mango Pie: Make sure to leave room for this mouth-watering dessert made with peaches and real Philippine mangoes enveloped in a light and crispy crust.
Jollibee’s first Michigan location is the 71st store in the United States. To further the brand’s mission on becoming one of the world’s top-five restaurant chains, Jollibee is rapidly growing its fan-base among North American audiences by offering great-tasting food at a great value that is always served with joy.
Follow Jollibee at @jollibeeus on Facebook, @jollibeeus on Instagram, and @jollibeeusa on TikTok to get updates on Jollibee’s upcoming store openings and other exciting announcements and events, including new product launches and special promotions.
About Jollibee Group
Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC, also known as Jollibee Group) is one of the fastest-growing restaurant companies in the world. Its mission is to serve great-tasting food and bring the joy of eating to everyone through its 18 brands with over 6,800 stores across 34 countries including the Philippines, United States, Canada, the People’s Republic of China, United Kingdom, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, and Australia.
The Jollibee Group has eight wholly owned brands (Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Smashburger); four franchised brands (Burger King, Panda Express, and Yoshinoya in the Philippines, and Tim Ho Wan in certain territories in China); 80% ownership of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf; 60% ownership in the SuperFoods Group that owns Highlands Coffee; and 51% ownership of Milksha, a popular Taiwanese bubble tea brand. JFC also has a business venture with award-winning Chef Rick Bayless for Tortazo, a Mexican fast-casual restaurant business in the United States.
The Jollibee Group, through its subsidiary Jollibee Worldwide Pte. Ltd. (JWPL) owns 90% participating interest in Titan Dining LP, a private equity fund that owns the Tim Ho Wan brand. The Jollibee Group has a joint venture with the THW Group to open and operate THW restaurants in Mainland China. Recently, the Jollibee Group has signed an agreement to establish a joint venture company that will own and operate Tiong Bahru Bakery and Common Man Coffee Roasters in the Philippines.
The Jollibee Group has launched its global sustainability agenda dubbed Joy for Tomorrow, which aims to strengthen the company’s commitment to sustainable business practices. The agenda centers on the key pillars of Food, People, and Planet, and consists of 10 focus areas namely: food safety, food quality, nutrition & transparency, employee welfare, farmers livelihood, community support, good governance, packaging & recycling, waste reduction, and energy & water efficiency. Each focus area sets goals and initiatives that contribute and align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
The Jollibee Group was named the Philippines’ most admired company by the Asian Wall Street Journal for ten years. It was also honored as one of Asia’s Fab 50 Companies and among the World’s Best Employers and World’s Top Female-Friendly Companies by Forbes. The company is also a two-time recipient of Gallup’s Exceptional Workplace Award, making it the only Philippine-based company to receive the distinction.
To learn more about Jollibee Group, visit www.jollibeegroup.com
Source: Jollibee Foods Corporation