The Fried Chicken Chain In Just 14 US States That Offers Spaghetti On Its Menu

Spaghetti is a dish you expect to see on the menu at your favorite Italian spot, not at a fast food restaurant. Yet, a sweet and savory spaghetti is a signature item at Filipino fried chicken chain Jollibee, and one of its many unique offerings. The chain has been making inroads in the U.S. with its blend of American and Filipino flavors, but is still located in just 14 states.

A big part of Jollibee's growing U.S. success is its Chickenjoy Fried Chicken, which can hold its own against the other fried chicken heavyweights. The bone-in chicken has earned praise for its crisp and crunchy hand-breaded coating and juicy, succulent chicken soaked in a secret recipe marinade. It can be ordered original or spicy and comes with brown gravy for dipping. Larger six- or 10-piece orders are served in a KFC-like bucket featuring the smiling bee mascot that sports a chef's hat.

Perhaps more well-known than Jollibee's hits-all-the-right-notes fried chicken, however, is its trademark Jolly Spaghetti. The Filipino-style spaghetti, which can be ordered as a chicken side or on its own, has a sweet tomato sauce made with banana ketchup, garlic and onion, ground beef, and sliced hot dogs, topped with shredded cheese. The dish is a beloved Filipino comfort food, and part of what Christmas dinner looks like in the Philippines, where the banana ketchup used to make it is a staple. In fact, the ketchup is also the reason why bananas are so important to Filipino barbecue.

Jollibee opened its first U.S. outlet in California in 1998, two decades after its founding in the Philippines, where it's the largest fast food chain. California is home to the most Filipino-Americans and also the state with the most Jollibees by far. Its significant presence in the state makes sense, because, for many years, Filipino-Americans and Filipino immigrants were Jollibee's U.S. customer target. Luckily, they've expanded beyond that in recent years, with more Americans discovering the fusion appeal of their food.

Jollibee customers looking for standard American fast food will find more than the Chickenjoy, including chicken sandwiches, chicken tenders, burgers, and fries. Similarly, Jolly Spaghetti is just one of the Filipino-style foods on the menu. Palabok Fiesta is another traditional dish made with rice noodles topped with garlic sauce and sautéed pork, shrimp, and egg, and there's Burger Steak, bun-free hamburgers covered with mushroom gravy. The Aloha Chicken Sandwich and Angus Aloha Burger are tropical twists on the regular sandwiches with a grilled pineapple ring added to the toppings and Aloha Dressing, which is similar to honey-mustard.

There's Filipino flair in the desserts and specialty drinks, too. Jollibee offers two hand pies: peach mango and vibrantly-colored ube, a purple yam with a mild sweet flavor that's more than an average purple sweet potato. Beverages include the signature Pineapple Quencher, lychee and passion fruit iced teas, and the Dragon Fruit Sunset. Whether you're here for the spaghetti, or branching out, the chain's variety of fare will delight your taste buds.