The fast-casual burger chain recorded 7.0% same-store sales growth in the second quarter of 2026, marking another sign that its ongoing turnaround strategy is beginning to gain traction. The improvement comes as the brand works to strengthen restaurant operations, digital ordering, value offerings and the overall customer experience.
The latest performance is particularly notable because Smashburger has been undergoing a major reset after several years of weaker performance. Its parent company, Jollibee Foods Corporation, has been pushing the brand toward a more scalable and predominantly franchised business model while also working to restore its identity and improve restaurant economics.
The numbers behind the turnaround
The second-quarter results show that the improvement is not limited to one metric.
Company-owned Smashburger restaurants recorded 13.1% growth in restaurant-based sales, according to the Jollibee Group update cited by InsiderPH. Even more striking, delivery sales at company-owned locations increased 40.8%, helped by stronger execution across third-party digital ordering platforms.
Customer sentiment also improved across several measures, including hospitality, order accuracy, speed of service, food quality, food safety and perceived value. Smashburger also reported record-high net promoter scores, suggesting that the operational changes are beginning to translate into stronger customer feedback.
The development follows an earlier turnaround milestone.
In April 2026, Jollibee Group said Smashburger’s company-owned same-store sales had moved from negative mid-teen growth at the beginning of its Summer of Smash campaign rollout in 2025 to positive double-digit growth by March 2026. The company attributed the improvement primarily to higher transaction volumes and stronger consumer response to its refreshed positioning and value offerings.
What changed at Smashburger?
The brand’s recovery has been built around a relatively simple strategy: get back to what made Smashburger competitive while making the restaurants easier and more consistent to operate.
Over the past 12 to 24 months, the company has focused on improving third-party delivery visibility, pricing, restaurant leadership, employee training, hospitality, service speed and order accuracy.
Smashburger has also been simplifying and sharpening its menu strategy.
Industry publication QSR Magazine reported in March that the chain was working to rebuild its brand identity after a period in which its positioning had become less distinct. Leadership has been attempting to reconnect the company with its original focus on high-quality burgers while improving execution across the business.
That strategy remains visible in Smashburger’s current product approach. In July 2026, the company introduced a streamlined summer lineup centered on new smash burgers and shakes while emphasizing operational consistency, flavor and value.
The Jollibee connection
For Filipino consumers, Smashburger’s story is particularly interesting because the chain is part of the global portfolio of Jollibee Foods Corporation.
Jollibee has been increasingly focused on international growth while shifting selected businesses toward more asset-light, franchise-led models.
That strategy also applies to Smashburger. Jollibee’s latest financial disclosure said the group incurred ₱239 million in transition-related costs in the second quarter, including store closure and lease termination costs connected to the ongoing turnaround of Smashburger and Yonghe King toward predominantly franchised models.
So while Smashburger’s sales are improving, the turnaround is not finished.
The brand is simultaneously trying to improve individual restaurant performance, strengthen customer loyalty and reshape its store portfolio.
A turnaround — but not a victory lap yet
The latest numbers are encouraging, but they should not be interpreted as proof that all of Smashburger’s problems have disappeared.
Jollibee Group’s Q2 results show that Smashburger’s improvement is occurring alongside broader portfolio optimization. The group specifically cited ongoing transition costs associated with Smashburger, meaning the company is still spending and restructuring as it works toward its longer-term model.
That distinction matters.
A 7% same-store sales increase indicates that existing restaurants are generating stronger sales than a year earlier, but sustainable profitability depends on more than sales growth. Restaurant-level margins, labor costs, food costs, delivery economics, franchise performance and store productivity will ultimately determine whether the turnaround can last.
Still, the direction is clearly more positive than it was a year ago.
Why this matters for Jollibee
Smashburger is more than another restaurant brand in Jollibee’s international portfolio. Its performance provides an important test of Jollibee’s ability to acquire, restructure and scale international brands.
The company is simultaneously pursuing international expansion and portfolio optimization, with franchising playing an increasingly important role in its strategy.
Jollibee’s overall Q2 2026 results were strong: consolidated revenue increased 10.7% year over year, system-wide sales rose 14.2%, and same-store sales increased 2.7%. North America was among the stronger international markets, with Smashburger posting its 7% same-store sales growth.
That gives Smashburger’s recovery a larger significance: the burger chain is becoming part of a broader international growth story for the Philippine food giant.
What comes next?
Smashburger’s next challenge is turning its recent momentum into consistency.
The company says it plans to continue strengthening dine-in and traditional takeout channels, improve operational execution and reinforce its quality-focused value proposition.
Earlier in 2026, Jollibee Group also said Smashburger planned to add 10 to 12 new stores during the year, including locations in airports and universities, while highlighting early traction from newer franchised locations.
The bigger question now is whether the recent sales gains can survive beyond promotional campaigns and translate into stronger long-term restaurant economics.
For now, the signs are encouraging.
Smashburger isn’t simply selling more burgers. It is attempting to prove that a brand that once lost some of its identity can rebuild its relevance — and the latest numbers suggest customers are starting to notice.
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