The Philippines fast food export, Jollibee, said it opened its first store in Rome, a stone's throw away from St Peter's Square in Vatican City where Pope Francis holds court. It's another step towards its goal of rivaling McDonald's and KFC on the world stage.
Jollibee recently opened in Liverpool, in the United Kingdom, The Beatles' hometown. It also offered a Nasi Lemak Chickenjoy in Singapore, giving its signature offering a hawker twist with coconut rice and dried fish.
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On its first day, Jollibee Roma sold 4,000 pieces of Chickenjoy. Spaghetti and Yum Burger also sold by the "thousands," the company said.
“Opening our first Jollibee store in the historical city of Rome, especially in a location that is just an 8-minute walk from the Vatican City, is a milestone for us in the Jollibee family," said Jollibee Group CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong.
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Jollibee has 1,400 stores across the globe and plans to open 338 new ones, notwithstanding the COVID-19 pandemic.