Starting October 15, Jollibee is rolling out two limited-time honey garlic items at participating locations across the U.S. and Canada: Honey Garlic Bone-In Fried Chicken and a Honey Garlic Chicken Sandwich. The move marks the brand's latest flavor innovation since USA TODAY named it "Best Fast Food Fried Chicken in America" three years running.

The New Items

Both products center on a signature sweet-and-savory glaze hand-dipped over Jollibee's fried chicken, finished with crispy fried garlic bits. The bone-in option is available in 2-piece combo, 6-piece, and 10-piece bucket configurations. The sandwich builds on that same glaze, layering a thick fried chicken breast fillet with fresh cucumber slices on a toasted brioche-style bun. "With our new Honey Garlic Fried Chicken and Chicken Sandwich, we're delivering the perfect balance of familiar comfort and bold flavor innovation," said Luis Velasco, Senior Vice President and Marketing Head, Jollibee North America.

Why Operators Should Watch

For QSR operators tracking fried chicken sandwich competition, Jollibee's entry into the honey garlic flavor space reflects a broader industry pattern: chains are differentiating on sauce and glaze profiles rather than protein format alone. The sweet-savory combination—long dominant in Asian foodservice—is gaining momentum across mainstream American fast food, giving brands with authentic flavor heritage a positioning advantage. Jollibee's parent, Jollibee Foods Corporation, operates over 10,700 stores across 33 countries under 20 brands, providing the supply chain scale to support limited-time rollouts at this scope.

Ordering and Loyalty

Both items are available in-store, via drive-thru, and through the Jollibee App for pickup and delivery. The launch is also integrated with Jollibee Rewards, the brand's free loyalty program, giving operators a clear read on how LTO items drive digital engagement and repeat visits. As beverage and food brands increasingly tie LTOs to app-based loyalty ecosystems, Jollibee's approach here aligns with an industry-wide shift toward using limited menu drops as loyalty acquisition tools rather than standalone traffic drivers. The Jollibee Group also holds stakes in The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Compose Coffee, and bubble tea brand Milksha, underscoring its broader appetite for beverage-adjacent growth alongside its core chicken business.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.