Best Eats + Restaurants

Fast Food for Your Busy City Life

Save money and time by going to these reliable fast food chains in the Philippines.

By: Peter Parcon | July 21, 2016
Share this article
facebook-logo facebook
twitter-logo twitter

The emergence of American-style fast food restaurants has had a significant influence on the culinary landscape of the Philippines. While these quick service restaurants are similar to the turo-turo eateries, where you point at the food you want to order, spread across the archipelago, they offer better ambiance and a different food selection compared to your neighbourhood carenderia or eatery.

The popularity of fast food restaurants in the Philippines was further enhanced with the establishment of major malls around the country. The following are four of the most popular fast food restaurants in the Philippines.


Jollibee




famous fast food in Philippines

Jollibee Palo Leyte Branch



Jollibee is a home-grown Filipino fast food chain with hundreds of branches nationwide. In fact, it also has branches in some major cities in other countries with a large Filipino community. Jollibee is among the most recognizable brands in the country and they have been serving quality food to the masses since Tony Tan Caktiong first opened an ice cream parlor in 1975.



famous fast food in Philippines

Dining Area at Jollibee Palo Leyte Branch




famous fast food in Philippines

Chickenjoy with Rice



Jollibee serves the typical fast food fare with a Filipino twist. Its most popular menu item, which is also its flagship product, is the Chickenjoy. Other rice meals of the store have likewise proven to be popular in this rice-eating country. Their burgers in different variations are also best-sellers.

Since many of the branches of Jollibee are open 24 hours a day, anytime would be the best time to visit the store. However, it should be noted that due to its popularity, it is expected to be quite full during lunch and dinner time. Because of this, it is advisable to go the store just before the lunch or dinner rush. The price range of the menu items of Jollibee is from PhP29, for their regular burgers, up to PhP440 for an 8-piece Chickenjoy Bucket meal. While most Jollibee stores located outside malls have parking space for its customers, it may not be easy to find a slot during the lunch and dinner rush.


To know alternative stores to fast food, read Getting to Know the Convenience Stores in Manila.


Chowking




famous fast food in Philippines

Chowking Lucena Branch



Chowking prides itself as the “pioneer in Asian quick service restaurant concept in the Philippines.” Its founder Robert Kuan opened the first Chowking store in 1985. The concept proved to be popular among Filipinos, who have taken a liking for Chinese food. Seven years after, the store opened its first branches in the Visayas and Mindanao area before establishing its 100th store in 1996. In the same year, Chowking opened its first international store in California, USA.



famous fast food in Philippines

Chowking dining area




famous fast food in Philippines

Chinese-Style Fried Chicken Lauriat



Similar to Jollibee, Chowking infused the Filipino taste into its dishes, which draw its inspiration from Chinese cuisine. The store offers a number of Chinese-inspired dishes, including wonton mami, pancit canton, Chinese-Style Fried Chicken Lauriat, Pork Chao Fan, siopao, and beef wonton mami, among others. The prices of the menu items at Chowking range from PhP41, for the regular Chunky Asado Siopao, to PhP490, for the Chicken Family Pack. Majority of Chowking stores outside malls offer parking space for its customers, but there may be instances when it will not be easy to find a slot, particularly around lunch and dinner. The best time to visit any Chowking store is just a bit earlier than when offices and schools have their break time.


McDonald’s




famous fast food in Philippines

McDonald’s drive thru



McDonald’s is a well-known American quick service restaurant that entered the Philippine market in 1981. George T. Yang was the man responsible for bringing the Golden Arches chain (Golden Arches is the restaurant’s symbol) to the country. The first store of the company is still open in its original location in Morayta, Manila. The company opened its first few stores outside of Luzon in 1992, with the establishment of stores in Cagayan de Oro City and Cebu City.



famous fast food in Philippines

McDonald’s UP Town Center Branch




famous fast food in Philippines

BFF Mix Bundle



McDonald’s offers all-American fast food items also with a Filipino twist. Aside from the usual burgers and fries, the store also offers rice meals, including the Chicken McDo with Rice, Sausage Platter, and Longganisa with Rice, among others. The price range of the menu items at McDonald’s is from PhP29, for the Apple Pie,up to PhP609, for the BFF Bundle for Four.

Similar to other fast food restaurants in the Philippines, the store offers parking spaces for its customers. However, it may be a struggle to find a slot during the breakfast, lunch, and dinner rush.


KFC




famous fast food in Philippines

KFC in San Isidro



KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is another American quick service restaurant that has piqued the taste buds of Filipinos. The company started offering its fried chicken infused with the 11 secret herbs and spices of Colonel Sanders way back in 1940 and began selling franchises in 1952. In the Philippines, Manuel Agustines acquired the sole franchise of the company in the country in 1994.

KFC offers different variations of chicken on its menu. There are even instances when the store would offer menu items for a limited time period, such as the KFC Double Down Burger and Double Down Dog. Aside from chicken, the store also offers brownies, spaghetti, mashed potatoes, and mushroom soup, among others. The prices of the menu items at KFC are between PhP54, for the Spaghetti, and PhP579, for its Regular Bucket Meal. The chain also frequently has movie tie-ups such that their meals are served in cups, boxes, and buckets with movie themes.



famous fast food in Philippines

KFC dining area




famous fast food in Philippines

KFC Double Down Dog



Since KFC is one of the most popular quick service restaurants offering chicken as its main product, the stores are expected to be filled nearly to the brim during lunch and dinner. Because of this, it is advisable to visit the stores before or after these times. Most of the stores of the company are located in major malls around the country, which means suitable parking space is available unless there is a major sale in the mall. In this case, it may not be easy to find a slot in the parking area of the mall.

All fast food or quick service restaurants typically have a similar ambience. The in-house music is usually the jingle of the company or any upbeat music to enhance the dining experience of their customers. The service is fast to ensure all customers are accommodated with reasonable waiting time. The staff goes through sufficient training to allow them to provide the best service to their customers.

The establishment of quick service restaurants in the country has met the demand of professionals for a quick way to dine and keep up with the fast pace of life in the city. Fast food chains also spell good food after a long day at work, when people just want to rest and enjoy their meals without having to spend whatever energy they have left. Furthermore, these fast food stores also usually offer different variations in their menu as well as other deals and promos every month to ensure that their customers will always have something new to look forward to in their next visit.


What is your favorite fast food restaurant? Tell us about it on the comments section below.

(All photos are from establishments’ official websites and Facebook pages.)

Prices and menu may vary in different store branches. Prices may change without prior notice.


Also Read...
Newsletter Banner
author
About Peter Parcon
After leaving spending 16 years of his professional life in the academe, Peter decided to try his luck in the world of online freelancing. For the past eight years, he has been creating content for clients all around the world. He can work on just about any topic - from tattoos to technology and food to finance. He dreams of visiting every island in the archipelago some day.
Learn more stories on:
Location Tags:
Disclaimer: All articles in the Consumers Magazine of Yoorekka are for general information and entertainment purposes only. Although careful research has been made in writing them, Yoorekka does not make any warranty about the completeness and accuracy of all information presented in our articles. Our content is not intended to be used in place of legal, medical, or any professional advice.
MORE STORIES AROUND THE PHILIPPINES
Follow Us On:
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Instagram
Home
Advertise
About Us
Privacy Policy
Register My Store
HTML Sitemap
Submit My Favorites
XML Sitemap
Terms and Conditions
FAQ Page
Copyright 2013 - 2024 ShoppersGuide Marketing Inc. All Rights Reserved
This website uses cookies to enhance the user experience. For more information please see our privacy policy