Her Kids Threw A Jollibee Party For Her 60th Birthday, 'At First, Ayaw Ko, But It Was Fun!'

In the Philippines, when someone reaches the age of 60, there's a joke that they have finally gained dual citizenship—being a Filipino and a senior citizen! And what fun it is to be a senior citizen here, with all the perks, discounts, and privileges as long as you bring your ID (and don't forget the booklet!)

So, when it was April Sumugat's mom, Mayette's, turn to be 60 in 2017, they wanted to throw a memorable birthday for her. While others might have chosen lavish parties and invited the whole clan, April and her siblings, Christine and Oliver, thought of giving their mom a birthday party at the fast-food restaurant known for making kids happy—Jollibee.

"I remember it started as a joke," April, who is the business analyst for Summit Media titles including Smart Parenting, shared, "but eventually, we entertained the idea and went to the physical store to ask for party packages." She shared that their mom is not really a party-goer, but she likes celebrations. "That's when we decided to have a Jollibee party for her," she said.

Their dad, Venancio, was working overseas at the time, so when they consulted their mom about their idea, she was also skeptical about it. "She thought that it was so childish, and she was worried about what her co-workers would think of her," April said.

However, Mayette consulted her siblings, and they were able to convince her!

60th birthday party in Jollibee—yay or nay?

1. Convenience

For April, throwing a Jollibee birthday party for their mom's 60th was highly convenient. They chose a branch near their home, so even though there was a typhoon on the actual date, they still had a huge turnout from the attendees.

Mayette recalled, "Although it was raining heavily, I was able to celebrate my birthday with my relatives and my children."

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2. Value for money

"The package we availed amounted to just P10k, which includes almost everything except for the cake, which cost them around P2k. The package comprised of 1-pc ChickenJoy, Jolly Spaghetti, Jolly Crispy Fries, Drink, and Sundae, as well as loot bags, party hats, balloons, invitations, game prizes, message board, Jollibee mascot, and a Jollibee gift for the celebrant."

"Para sa mga adults at sa mga hindi naka-experience ng birthday party nung kabataan nila, celebrating it in Jollibee is a chance for them to remember their happy memories as a kid." —April Sumugat

They chose the JolliTown party theme, and the package was already good for 50 people. During the party, they informed the staff that they might need to add more food, just in case. 

April noted, "This was in 2017, and I believe the rates may have gone up, and loot bags and mascot are now optional, unlike before when they were included by default, and rates were cheaper."

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3. Fun experience

For April, she vividly remembers the picture-taking moments their family and her mom's friends had with the Jollibee mascot and the games they enjoyed playing together.

Mayette shared the same sentiments, "At first, I thought it might be for children only. But when I celebrated it on that day, I didn't expect any different activities from the Jollibee personnel. However, all of the visitors enjoyed it, despite the heavy rain."

READ ALSO: 3 Jollibee Tipid Hacks from Smart Parenting Village Moms Starting at P11,334

'Highly-recommended'

As someone who had experienced birthday parties in various fast-food restaurants, April is confident in recommending throwing birthday parties for adults in Jollibee. She mentioned that the food is unquestionably good for its price too.

"Also, for me, birthday parties at venues like Jollibee and McDonald's should not be limited to kids only. I mean, you only celebrate your birthday once every year, so why not make the most out of it? Have lots of fun celebrating it, especially with your loved ones!"

She added, "Para sa mga adults at sa mga hindi naka-experience ng birthday party nung kabataan nila, celebrating it in Jollibee is a chance for them to remember their happy memories as a kid. It may light a fire in their hearts, at baka 'magising' nila yung batang version nila, and who knows? The new core memories may help them live longer and happier lives."

For her part, Mayette said, "It was the happiest birthday I've ever had." As a practical mom, she's particularly happy with how much they were able to save for such a fun celebration. "It's not very expensive to celebrate your birthday, whether it's the first, 18th, or 60th birthday."

She concluded, "We danced, we laughed. Jollibee embraced me, and he even gave me prayers!"