El Pollo Loco (Spanish for “The Crazy Chicken”) is the nation’s leading quick-service restaurant chain focusing on flame-grilled chicken and other meals inspired by Mexico. Founded in the 1970s in Guasave, Mexico, El Pollo Loco’s astounding success comes from the unique way it prepares its fresh, award-winning “pollo” which is marinated using a distinct recipe passed down through generations consisting of herbs, spices, and citrus juices. After marinating, the chicken is flame-grilled, carefully cut by hand and served fresh off the grill.
The signature citrus-marinated fire-grilled chicken prepared by El Pollo Loco is prepared every day using open flames while also incorporating whole tomatoes, avocados, serrano peppers, and cilantro to create delectable salsas, guacamole, and various dressings all prepared from scratch. The El Pollo Loco kitchen is a showcase of Mexican cooking process and customers are welcome to watch as the grill masters prepare the great tasting food.
El Pollo Loco is known for its healthier alternatives when compared to typical food on the go, all of which is served in a colorfully contemporary restaurant environment. El Pollo Loco’s distinctive menu with healthier alternatives is aimed at a broad range of customers across a wide variety of socio-economic backgrounds.
Today, El Pollo Loca has over 400 restaurants located in states like California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, and Utah. Most restaurants consist of a free-standing building featuring a convenient drive-thru service that ranges in size from 2,200 to 3,000 square feet. Each restaurant is able to accommodate around fifty to seventy people.