Canadian waits in line 70 hours to get a taste of Filipino fast food

SCREEN CAPTURE

John Haworth, right, was the first customer to place his order at Jolibee's in Edmonton, Canada.

The grand opening of Edmonton, Canada's first Jolibee, the Filipino fast-food franchise challenging McDonald's and KFC in the US and Canada, became a bicultural celebration of fried chicken and sweet spaghetti.

After 70 hours of waiting outside in Edmonton, Canada's cold and rain, Jordan Haworth finally was able to get a bite of his first Jollibee chicken. He got in line Tuesday and placed a lawn chair near the entrance so he'd be first in line when the doors opened Friday (Aug. 16).

He wasn't disappointed. “It’s so good,”Haworth said, adding it was worth the wait. “You bite into it and it is crispy, it’s good. You got the salt and it’s juicy as you chew it. Remains in there a little bit, keeps the flavor the entire time.”

Jolibee, which attracts recent immigrants from the Philippines is developing a loyal following in the US and Canadian markets.

Unlike the hundreds of Filipino canadians who flocked to the opening, Haworth had never tasted Jolibee's offerings before Friday. He had heard about Jolibee from his mother who had visited the Philippines. 

By the time the outlet opened its doors at 7 am, The line waiting behind Haworth was 300 people long.

The first 50 customers had the chance to get one year’s worth of chicken if they purchased $25 worth of food. This is not only the first Jollibee to open in Edmonton but Alberta as well. Haworth, who is an event organizer in Edmonton, took advantage of the offer and ordered $50 worth of food.

This fanfare for Jollibee — home of crispy fried chicken, sweet spaghetti, mango pies  and the ever-present hamburger — is not a new phenomenon. When the popular franchise arrived in Scarborough, Ont., last year, the grand opening attracted thousands. The previous record for waiting for a Jolibee opening was in Manhattan where its first customer waited 20 hours.

The 36th person in line was Jonald Alfafara, who had worked at a Jolibee franchise when he was in collge. He got in line Wednesday to make sure he was among the first 50 customers.

“We’ve been waiting for this to come,” he said. “Try it, try everything. My favourite is the burger steak, the spaghetti, the chicken, of course. And the Jolly hotdog and yum burger.”

SCREEN CAPTURE

Filipino Canadians couldn't wait to get a taste of the Philippines.
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