Jollibee Foods Corp.’s (JFC) Smashburger on Monday said it opened its first store in downtown Chicago and Washington D.C. in the United States as part of its push to expand the burger joint brand in North America.
The openings are part of the company’s plan to launch 25 new stores under Jollibee Group’s expansion plan in North America and in keeping with its vision of becoming one of the top five restaurant companies in the world.
“Smashburger has achieved noteworthy business improvement, and these store openings are a testament to the brand’s growth momentum in the region,” Ernesto Tanmantiong, president and CEO of JFC, said.
According to Tanmantiong, the new stores in 2020 and 2021 are generating two to three times the average of other stores. The company wants to open 25 new stores and renovate a substantial number of older stores this year.
“Smashburger’s financial performance is expected to continue improving markedly in the months ahead and we anticipate that these two openings will further contribute to its continued turnaround, leading to its profitability,” Tanmantiong said. The new store in Chicago is located at 360 North Michigan Avenue. This high visibility location on the historic corner of Michigan Avenue and Wacker in the LondonHouse Chicago building will serve as a flagship location for future expansion of the Smashburger brand in the greater Chicago area.
“Chicago has one of the best food scenes in the United States, which is why we are so thrilled to be bringing our signature burgers, sides and shakes to the Chicago Loop—the stunning heart of the city, buzzing with life and exciting attractions,” Carl Bachmann, Smashburger president, said.
“We are happy to finally open in Chinatown D.C. area and make Smashburger the go-to place for both mouthwatering burgers and delicious breakfast for families of all ages in this community.”
The company’s Washington D.C. store was opened last July.
Jollibee now fully owns Smashburger after its wholly owned subsidiary Bee Good! Inc. acquired in December 2018 Smashburger Master LLC’s remaining 15-percent stake in SJBF LLC, the former parent company of the burger joint operator.
Image courtesy of smashburger.com