Filipino Chain Jollibee Opens In Hell's Kitchen This Month

HELL'S KITCHEN, NY — Asia's largest fast food chain is set to open its first Manhattan location in October, the company announced Monday.

Jollibee will open its highly-anticipated Hell's Kitchen restaurant on Eighth Avenue between West 39th and West 40th streets on Saturday, Oct. 27. To celebrate the chain's 40th anniversary, the first 40 customers at the restaurant will win free Chickenjoy — the chain's signature fried chicken dish — for a year.

"We are excited to finally open our doors in the heart of bustling Manhattan, which is not just a center of business and finance, but a major cultural and entertainment hub that receives millions of visitors from around the world each year," Jose Miñana, Jollibee Foods Corporation’s (JFC) Group President for North America, said in a statement. "The diversity of the food culture and the fast pace of living here make it perfect for our new Jollibee store location."

The Hell's Kitchen location will be Jollibee's second restaurant in New York. The first location opened in Woodside, Queens.

Jollibee is the largest fast food restaurant in Asia with more than 1,300 locations across the world. Two of its most recent North American openings in the Toronto areas drew huge crowds that results in hour-long waits, according to a company press release.

"We hope that the people of Manhattan will come and experience for themselves why people line up for a taste of Jollibee," said Maribeth dela Cruz, Vice President and General Manager for JFC North America, said in a statement.

Photo courtesy Elton Lugay