Smashburger Builds Momentum Through Product Innovation and Value Platform

Key Highlights

• Same-store sales turnaround: Improved from negative mid-teen levels at campaign launch to positive double-digit growth by March 2026, driven by higher transactions
• Strong sales momentum: Company-owned stores delivering high-teens growth in transactions and average daily sales
• Product and value driving demand: Growth supported by a strengthened innovation pipeline and the $4.99 value platform
• Brand relevance strengthening: New partnership with the Colorado Rockies for the 2026 Major League Baseball season, expanding reach in high-engagement environments
• Franchise expansion progressing: 10–12 new stores planned for 2026, including airports and university locations
• Early success in new formats: Recently opened franchised store in North Carolina showing strong initial performance, with continued traction in high-traffic non-traditional locations

Metro Manila, Philippines, April 14, 2026 – The Jollibee Group today shared a business update on its Smashburger brand, highlighting strong commercial momentum following the successful launch of the Summer of Smash campaign in the third quarter of 2025. Same-store sales for company-owned stores have significantly improved from negative mid-teen levels at the start of the campaign rollout to positive double-digit growth by March 2026, driven by higher transaction volumes.

Smashburger has also delivered strong gains in average daily sales for company-owned stores, driven by stronger consumer response to its refreshed brand positioning and value offerings.

“We’re seeing a clear shift in consumer response, with higher transaction volumes reflecting improved relevance in our menu innovations and value offerings,” said Jim Sullivan,

Smashburger CEO. “Our focus has been simple: serve delicious food people genuinely enjoy, offer value they can feel, and make every visit reliably good. That’s what earns repeat visits—and that momentum shows up in stronger store performance.”

Driving transaction growth

Recent trends show Smashburger performing in the high-teens in transactions and average daily sales growth in company-owned stores, boosted by a strong product innovation pipeline and amplified by the introduction of its $4.99 value platform. Menu enhancements included the return of the fan-favorite Colorado Smash, alongside the successful launch of new offerings such as All-Angus Big Dog selections, customizable Loaded Sides, and rotating limited-time offer (LTO) shake varieties like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Shake and Mint Oreo Shake. Product quality has also received external recognition, with Smashburger ranked #1 among seven chain restaurants for the best smashburger cheeseburgers by Eat This, Not That!

Strengthening brand relevance

Smashburger is building brand relevance and stronger ties to local markets through targeted sports and experiential partnerships. For the 2026 Major League Baseball season, Smashburger was named the Official Smashburger of the Colorado Rockies, marking the brand’s first official restaurant partnership with a Major League Baseball team.

The collaboration reinforces Smashburger’s positioning as an iconic American burger brand while enhancing fan engagement through market-level activations, including in-stadium visibility, ticket-based promotions linked to Rockies home runs, and in-restaurant programs across Colorado. These initiatives support broader efforts to increase brand awareness, customer engagement, and traffic in high-attendance, experience-driven environments.

Expanding franchising

Franchise expansion is also progressing well, with Smashburger planning to open approximately 10-12 new stores in 2026, supporting continued network growth across both traditional and non-traditional formats. This includes recently awarded sites in key non-traditional locations, with five at airports and one at a university.

A traditional franchised store that opened in Huntersville, North Carolina, in February 2026 has delivered strong early performance, indicating healthy customer demand. Non-traditional franchised formats continue to perform robustly, benefiting from captive, high-traffic environments such as sports arenas, airports, and universities. These formats offer attractive returns for franchisees, which is driving increased franchise interest.

“The sustained improvement in Smashburger’s performance reflects disciplined execution and a clearer value proposition in a competitive market,” said Richard Shin, CEO of Jollibee Group International. “The strong results we’re seeing across franchise formats, particularly in non-traditional locations, reinforce the brand’s scalability and support our asset-light growth strategy within the Jollibee Group’s international portfolio. With improving same-store sales and a growing base of high-performing franchise formats, Smashburger is strengthening its role as a scalable, asset-light growth platform within the Jollibee Group’s brand portfolio.”