A Jollibee franchise location opened August 7 in Roseville, California — the first unit delivered under a 24-unit franchise development agreement that spans Northern California, Nevada, and Texas, signaling a meaningful shift in how the Filipino-American QSR brand is scaling its U.S. presence.
The Franchise Team
The development agreement is led by franchisees Sanjive Datta, a multi-unit franchise operator, and Ajay Chopra, an entrepreneurial executive with nearly 30 years of experience building companies. They are joined by Operating Partner Paul Avila, who brings multi-unit leadership experience across major QSR brands. The trio plans to open next locations in Fort Worth and the Sacramento area, then target a pace of two to three new restaurants annually beginning in 2028.
The Roseville opening deepens Jollibee's roots in a region where it first landed in 1998 with a Daly City restaurant — its original U.S. foothold. A Downtown San Francisco company-operated location opened recently as well, meaning the brand is now building Northern California density through both corporate and franchised channels simultaneously.
What the Numbers Say
For operators evaluating franchise opportunities in competitive QSR expansion markets, Jollibee is leading with unit economics: the brand cites an average unit volume of $4.9 million across its North American system. With more than 100 locations across North America and a pipeline that extends to Florida, New York, and the broader Northeast, the brand is positioning itself as a credible multi-unit platform rather than a novelty concept.
Recognition is reinforcing that case. USA TODAY named Jollibee "Best Fast-Food Fried Chicken in America" for the third consecutive year in July 2026, and the brand landed on the 2026 TIME100 Most Influential Companies list among the top ten in Food & Drink — the kind of mainstream visibility that tends to lower franchisee acquisition costs and shorten grand-opening ramp times.
"Roseville is an exciting milestone for Jollibee as we continue to bring our one-of-a-kind dining experience to more communities across the country," said Beth Dela Cruz, President of Jollibee North America. "This opening reflects the momentum behind our franchising program and the strength of the experienced operators joining us in our mission to spread joy through great-tasting food, warm service and meaningful guest experiences."
What Operators Should Watch
For the broader restaurant franchising landscape, the Jollibee model is worth studying. The brand is deliberately targeting experienced multi-unit operators — not single-unit entrepreneurs — and pairing them with comprehensive training and field support. Its menu anchors, including Chickenjoy fried chicken, chicken sandwiches, and Peach Mango Pie, give franchisees differentiated product stories in a crowded fried-chicken segment where standing out is increasingly difficult.
The parent company, Jollibee Foods Corporation, operates more than 10,700 stores across 33 countries under 20 brands, giving North American franchisees the supply chain and operational infrastructure of a global enterprise behind a brand that still reads as discovery-driven to many American consumers. That combination — scale backstage, novelty front-of-house — is a genuine competitive edge as the brand targets six priority U.S. states. Industry professionals tracking global foodservice brands entering the U.S. market will find Jollibee's franchise ramp a useful case study in phased regional rollout.
Information on Jollibee's franchising program and application requirements is available at jollibeefoods.com/franchising.
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.
