El Pollo Loco

El Pollo Loco is a Mexico and California based chicken fast food chain. Launched in 1975 by Juan Francisco Ochoa as a stand alone restaurant, the chain grew within two years, expanding across Mexico by 1979.¹

Fast Facts

1. 1980: First opened in the U.S. in Los Angeles
2. Operates mainly in the Southwest and California
3. Two locations in Chicago, four in Atlanta, one in Connecticut
4. Annual Sales: $237.2 million (2005)²
5. Headquarters: Orange County, California
6. Name Translation: The Crazy Chicken
7. Stores: 333 (2006)
8. Employees: 4,254 (2005)³
9. Main dish is the pollo asado, a grilled, marinated chicken

Menu Options

What makes El Pollo Loco different from Kentucky Fried Chicken is their extensive menu of Mexican-inspired food options. When ordering their grilled chicken, the dish comes with warm tortillas and a variety of different types of salsa. Also on the menu are their signature burritos, pollo bowls, pollo salads, tacos al carbon and quesadillas.⁴

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