The Deal
Jollibee is deploying a multi-channel limited-time offer tied to DreamWorks Animation's Forgotten Island, a theatrical release distributed by Universal Pictures opening September 25, 2026. The North American promotion runs September 16 through October 31 at all Jollibee locations, making it one of the chain's broadest stateside activations to date. The partnership layers meal bundling, collectible merchandise, co-branded apparel, experiential retail, and a loyalty-linked sweepstakes into a single campaign window — a format increasingly favored by quick-service operators seeking to drive repeat traffic around entertainment IP.
Meal Architecture and Pricing
Three Forgotten Island-branded bundles anchor the program. The 2-piece Box Meal pairs two pieces of Chickenjoy, steamed rice, gravy, a Peach Mango Pie, and a Calamansi Lemonade — a new limited-time beverage built around calamansi citrus, native to the Philippines. The Chicken Sandwich Box Meal substitutes the sandwich for fried chicken and adds regular fries. The 6-piece Bucket Bundle, positioned as a group-share format, includes six pieces of Chickenjoy and three Calamansi Lemonades. Each individual box meal includes one blind-box bracelet charm from an eight-piece collectible set; the bucket bundle includes three charms and three sticker sheets. Customers can add a blank chain bracelet for $2 with a qualifying in-store meal purchase. Select locations will also offer a Calamansi Lemonade Freeze, an ice-blended variant. No price points for the meal bundles were disclosed in the announcement.
The collectible mechanism — a blind-box foil pack with standard character charms plus a rare "Golden Bucket" variant — mirrors tactics used by competitors in the QSR segment to extend dwell time and generate social sharing. For Jollibee, which operates more than 1,800 stores across 16 countries and holds the top QSR position in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Brunei, the North American market remains a growth priority. Entertainment-IP tie-ins are a proven accelerant for brand awareness in markets where the chain is still building household penetration.
Apparel, Experiential, and Loyalty Levers
Beyond the menu, Jollibee is monetizing the collaboration through a co-branded streetwear line. A t-shirt retails at $35 and a hoodie at $75, both available September 16 through October 31 via the Jolly Merch Shop. A windbreaker, also at $75 and inspired by the film's retro 1990s aesthetic, launches October 2 exclusively through Complex Shop, adding a streetwear-adjacent retail channel that extends the brand's reach beyond its own foodservice footprint.
Immersive store takeovers themed to the film's fictional island of Nakali are planned at three locations: Manhattan's East 42nd Street outpost, Torrance, California, and Daly City, California — all markets with significant Filipino-American populations. The experiential format is designed to convert foot traffic from film-goers into loyalty program sign-ups. Jollibee Rewards members can enter a sweepstakes offering tiered prizes, from branded merchandise and domestic travel packages to a grand-prize trip for two to Palawan Island in the Philippines.
"This partnership is a wonderful reflection of Jollibee's heritage and our commitment to creating memorable, happy moments around great food," said Luis Velasco, Senior Vice President and Marketing Head at Jollibee North America. The film itself features a predominantly Filipino and Filipino-American voice cast — including Grammy and Academy Award-winner H.E.R., actress Liza Soberano, and Tony Award-winner Lea Salonga — a cultural alignment that Jollibee is leaning into as it courts both diaspora consumers and mainstream QSR audiences. The broader strategy reflects what Food & Beverage Magazine has tracked as a rising operator playbook: pairing culturally specific menu innovation with mainstream entertainment IP to simultaneously reinforce core identity and expand addressable market. For context on how QSR chains are structuring limited-time offers to drive loyalty enrollment, see our analysis of LTO strategy in fast food and the growth of Filipino cuisine in North American foodservice.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
