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Queues started to form inside the Jollibee restaurant during its opening in Burjuman on Wednesday. Image Credit: Supplied

Dubai: Asian fast-food giant Jollibee opened its biggest restaurant in the UAE on Wednesday, to further strengthen the brand’s position in the Middle East market.

The fast-food franchise from the Philippines, founded in 1978, had earlier opened two outlets inside the food courts in Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates.

The latest store is the chain’s first standalone restaurant in the UAE.

Hugely popular among Asians and famed for its family-friendly atmosphere, Jollibee has a network of more than 750 stores in the Philippines and several outlets scattered abroad, including the United States, Singapore and Hong Kong.

The latest store opening  in Burjuman created quite a stir, with Jollibee’s fans queuing up outside the restaurant by lunchtime.

“I passed by there around 1pm today and saw the crazy long queues at the parking lot,” said one expatriate from the Philippines.