Filipino fast-food chain Jollibee, known for its crispy fried chicken, has a date for its first Dallas-area location. The chain will open a restaurant in Plano at 1016 Preston Rd., in a former Pollo Tropical space, on Thursday, August 20.

Jollibee takes a homey approach to its fried chicken, which they serve with steamed rice and a side of gravy. You can buy it as a meal; with choice of sides such as mashed potatoes or corn; or in a bucket that has a red, KFC-like exterior.

Jollibee West Plano is their third store in Texas and their 45th store in the U.S. Texas is a priority market. According to a release, they chose West Plano for its diverse population and food scene, and its convenient location in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area.

Their menu features a mashup of Western comfort food and Asian flavors including:

• Chickenjoy: Jollibee's fried chicken is delicately hand-breaded to be crispy on the outside, with a marinade that makes it juicy on the inside. It comes with a side of gravy.
• Jolly Spaghetti: Theirs features a signature sweet-style sauce with chunky slices of savory ham and hotdog, and topped with a sprinkle of cheese.
• Peach Mango Pie: A fried pie served in a hand-held sleeve, filled with Philippine mangoes in a light crispy crust.
• Chicken Sandwich Deluxe: Only available in the U.S, this chicken sandwich is made with a hand-breaded chicken breast on a brioche bun with garlic aioli sauce, lettuce, and tomatoes.

Jollibee is the largest fast food chain brand in the Philippines, with more than 1,400 stores in its home country, and more than 240 international branches including in the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Macau, Brunei, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Italy, and in the United Kingdom.

They opened their first U.S. store in 1998 in Daly City, California, and now operate 45 stores in the states of Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Washington, and Virginia of the United States, and 10 stores in Canada.

While the pandemic has complicated restaurant openings in 2020, Jollibee has continued to safely and successfully open stores across the country, including Houston, Chicago, and two locations across New Jersey.

Maribeth Dela Cruz, President of Jollibee Group North America, Philippine Brands, says in a release that they look forward to serving Dallas-area customers.

"We want our fans in West Plano and across the country to know that we're putting them first and are abiding by the recommended sanitation and social distancing precautions to keep them safe," Dela Cruz says.

Hours at the Jollibee West Plano will be 8 am-10 pm daily.

On opening day, services will temporarily be limited to call-ahead pick-up and drive-thru only. Looking forward, the brand plans to introduce home delivery via Doordash and walk-in take-out to customers. The store's dining room will remain closed until further notice.