There’s no denying that Jollibee has been having a tough time recently following the “Jolly Towel” mishap. Memes abound, and the famous fast-food chain has been taking jabs left and right.
But if any other food brand knows better not to beat the bee down, it’s got to be Jollibee’s fellow classic chicken store from our childhoods: Tom Sawyer Chicken.
“While we at Tom Sawyer’s love celebrations, we do not wish to celebrate over someone else’s misery,” the classic fast-food store wrote in its online show of support on Friday, June 4.
“So, in bee-half of all fellow lovers and purveyors of great fried chicken, Tom Sawyer’s expresses its support to our esteemed competitor’s quest to find the truth behind the current issue.”
Brought to the Philippines in the 1980s by Chef Eli Aurelio, Tom Sawyer’s Old Fashioned Crispy Chicken has been a staple destination for Tagaytay travelers until they mellowed right at the turn of the millennium. They got back to the game in the early 2010s, with a new location in Tiendesitas, but their classic crispy chicken — and the values that made them a class act today — stays the same.
The statement of support, which has been shared more than 16,000 times as of writing, was seen as a symbol of empathy for other food brands to follow.
And that’s exactly what happened over the weekend. An outpour of support from other chicken chains, like Monster Wings, as well as from celebrities, ambassadors, and long-time patrons including those from Angeline Quinto, Mikey Bustos, Maja Salvador, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, and Anne Curtis flooded everyone’s news feeds. Renowned chef JP Anglo also posted a photo of “the fried chicken that always gives him joy.”
“I Love You Sabado” indeed!
