When people think of chain restaurant spaghetti, places such as Olive Garden are the first to come to mind, with long since fallen corporations such as Buca di Beppo also holding space in the memories of many. However, there is a non-Italian fast food chain on the block that is pulling to the forefront with spaghetti in ways that many did not expect.
Meet Jollibee, a fast food chain that originated in the Philippines. While Filipino and Italian food may not necessarily be a combination that first comes to mind, Jollibee is actually quite famous for its unique spaghetti. What sets it apart from the competition is simple: The chain’s spaghetti sauce is noticeably sweet. Sweet spaghetti sauce may sound counterintuitive, but it is a flavor profile that is actually common in the Philippines. Spaghetti dishes can be commonly found at a variety of Asian fast food chains, including Hong Kong’s Cafe de Coral. However, Jollibee’s slightly sweet spaghetti is the first to really make it big in the rest of the world.
What makes Jollibee’s Jolly Spaghetti special
Initially founded in 1975, Jollibee actually started as an ice cream business. However, hot meals were introduced a few years later and the idea stuck, turning the chain into the fast food corporation that is recognized internationally today. Jollibee is known for two dishes: fried chicken and spaghetti, which it calls Chickenjoy and Jolly Spaghetti. The combination is already unusual, but the spaghetti specifically became the target of worldwide fascination due to its unique flavor profile. Internet foodies flocked to the nearest Jollibee to try the sweet-style spaghetti sauce, complete with ground beef and hotdog chunks. The result is a spaghetti sauce with a taste and texture that cannot be found elsewhere.
A big part of what made Jolly Spaghetti successful outside of Asia is that it appealed to the Western palate while still being a new spin on a classic dish. When paired with recognized dishes including Jollibee’s Chickenjoy fried chicken or its delicious fast food mashed potatoes, it’s easy to see why Jollibee continues to expand throughout the world.
