Jollibee, the Filipino fast-food chain known for its fried chicken, burgers, and sweet spaghetti, was born out of a demand for American fast food in a postcolonial Philippines. To differentiate itself, the chain adjusted flavors to suit the local palate, influenced by a long history of Indigenous, Chinese, and Spanish settlement that “demands maximum levels of sour, sweet, salty, and umami.”
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Now, the chain has more than 1,700 stores across the globe and is set on reshaping the American palate in a uniquely Filipino way. Yasmin Tayag talks with her colleague Ellen Cushing over a shared meal.