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Overview
El Pollo Loco, pronounced “L Po-yo Lo-co” and Spanish for “The Crazy Chicken,” is the nation’s leading quick-service restaurant chain specializing in flame-grilled chicken. Founded in Guasave, Mexico in 1975, El Pollo Loco’s success stems from the unique preparation of its award-winning “pollo,” fresh chicken marinated in a signature recipe of herbs, spices and citrus juices passed down from the founding family. The chicken is then flame-grilled, hand cut and served hot off the grill with warm tortillas, freshly prepared salsas, and a wide assortment of side accompaniments. Rounding out the menu are fresh flavorful entrées inspired by the kitchens of Mexico, including grilled burritos, Pollo Bowl® entrees, Pollo Salads, tacos, Chicken Tortilla Soup, quesadillas, and more.
El Pollo Loco opened 30 new restaurants during 2008. As of December 31, 2008, there were 413 El Pollo Loco restaurants: 247 owned by franchisees and 166 owned and operated by the company. The restaurants are located in the following U.S. states: California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Colorado, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.
Headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, El Pollo Loco, Inc. is a privately held company owned by Trimaran Pollo Partners, LLC and management. The principal investors in Trimaran Pollo Partners are funds affiliated with Trimaran Capital, LLC and Freeman Spogli & Co.
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| 1975
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In the small town of Guasave on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, a roadside chicken stand lures passer-bys with the mesmerizing aroma of fresh chicken cooking on an open grill. Called El Pollo Loco or “The Crazy Chicken,” the chicken stand features an authentic family recipe for fresh chicken marinated in special herbs, spices and citrus juices and then flame-grilled to perfection. The restaurant quickly becomes a local favorite.
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| 1975-1979 |
El
Pollo Loco’s popularity spreads rapidly as 85 restaurants
open in 20 cities throughout Northern Mexico.
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| 1980 |
News
of El Pollo Loco’s famous chicken crosses the border
into the United States. Lines form around the block as
the first American El Pollo Loco opens on Alvarado Street
in Los Angeles.
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| 1983 |
Denny’s,
Inc. purchases El Pollo Loco’s U.S. operations.
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| 1987 |
TW
Services, Inc. (later Advantica Restaurant Group, Inc.)
purchases Denny’s and El Pollo Loco.
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| 1991 |
El
Pollo Loco opens its 200th restaurant.
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| 1993 |
El
Pollo Loco expands its traditional menu and introduces
six new burritos in October. Lunch sales soar.
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| 1994 |
El Pollo Loco adds self-serve salsa bars in all restaurants.
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| 1995 |
On July 31, El Pollo Loco earns a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for building the world’s largest burrito in Anaheim, California. The burrito is 3,112 feet long and weighs two tons.
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| 1996 |
In February, El Pollo Loco introduces the original Pollo Bowl?, a tasty combination of flame-grilled chicken, Spanish rice and pinto beans topped with onions, cilantro and salsa with only 10 grams of fat.
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| 1998 |
In
October, El Pollo Loco introduces three new salsas-- Avocado,
Spicy Chipotle and Pico de Gallo-- alongside its famous
House Salsa. All are prepared fresh every day.
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| 1999 |
In
December, American Securities Capital Partners, L.P.,
a private New York-based equity investment firm, along
with company management, acquire El Pollo Loco from Advantica
Restaurant Group, Inc.
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| 2001
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Stephen E. Carley, a proven brand champion with more than 25 years of industry experience, joins El Pollo Loco, Inc. in April as president and CEO.
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| 2002 |
In
July, El Pollo Loco’s flame-grilled chicken becomes
available for the first time in a theme park environment
at Universal Studios Hollywood.
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| 2004 |
In January, the company
announces expansion east of the Mississippi as part
of a nationwide plan to increase its franchised units
by more than 70% over the next five years.
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2005
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In March, El Pollo Loco announces its “Next Generation” prototype, a new restaurant design featuring a contemporary ambience to help drive the company’s national growth.
In April, El Pollo Loco celebrates its 25th Anniversary, introducing its first-ever Loco Value Menu.
October marks the opening of El Pollo Loco’s first restaurant in Chicago.
In November, Trimaran Capital Partners, a private New York-based asset management firm, completes the acquisition of El Pollo Loco.
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| 2006 |
El Pollo Loco announces the creation of FROG (Franchise Restaurant Opening Group), a cross-functional team of restaurant professionals dedicated to supporting franchisees as the chain continues to open restaurants across the nation.
In November, El Pollo Loco opens its first East Coast location at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut.
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| 2007 |
In January, El Pollo Loco is featured on NBC-TV’s hit reality show, The Apprentice: Los Angeles. Two teams of contestants compete by creating and selling versions of El Pollo Loco’s original Pollo Bowl®.
In July, El Pollo Loco asks “What Kind of Taco Lover Are You?” and introduces two new tacos-- a crunchy chicken taco and a soft chicken taco. The tacos achieve the highest new product customer trial of any item introduced by El Pollo Loco in the past seven years.
Continuing its expansion across the nation, El Pollo Loco enters the Southeast with a newly updated restaurant featuring contemporary Mexican design with multiple textures, geometric shapes, natural wood and Aztec design elements. The interior highlights El Pollo Loco’s
fresh, citrus-marinated chicken as it cooks on the grill and features an open dining area with flexible seating and circular, self serve salsa bar.
In December, QSR Magazine recognizes El Pollo Loco’s national expansion with the “Best Regional Breakout” award in its Best of 2007 issue.
El Pollo Loco’s largest franchise partner, WKS Restaurant Corporation and Roland Spongberg, the company’s president and CEO, celebrate 20 years with El Pollo Loco and open their 50th and 51st restaurants in San Bernadino, CA and Stanton, CA. Spongberg is honored as El Pollo Loco’s Franchisee of the Year by the International Franchise Association (IFA) for outstanding contributions to the growth and development of El Pollo Loco.
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| 2008 |
In May, El Pollo Loco opened its 400th location in Chelsea, MA, fueling the chain’s national growth. Other 2008 milestones include El Pollo Loco’s expansion into Washington, Oregon, Utah and Virginia.
The application of pastiche animation in a Spanish commercial created to introduce viewers to El Pollo Loco’s Chicken Tacos earns cruz/kravetz:IDEAS (the chain’s Hispanic advertising agency) four Tellys at the 28th Annual Telly Awards.
El Pollo Loco captures national attention and kudos from environmentalists in June with the debut of a colorful, three-wheel, sub compact electric car covered in bumper to bumper messaging. A “moving billboard” for the brand, the vehicle produces 97 percent less emissions than a gas-powered vehicle and saves about 700 gallons of gas per year.
In July, El Pollo Loco captures first place in QSR Magazine’s 2008 Applied Technology Awards in the “Enduring Technology” category for implementation of the TUAU customer feedback program.
In September, El Pollo Loco debuts the Chicken Tortilla Roll, a tasty, portable entree served with a choice of dipping sauces.
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| Headquarters
Web Site
Executive Management
Media Contact
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El
Pollo Loco, Inc.
3535 Harbor Blvd., Suite 100
Costa
Mesa, CA 92626
714.599.5000
www.elpolloloco.com
Stephen E. Carley, President and CEO
Joseph Stein, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Innovation
Gary Campanaro, Senior Vice President of Finance and CFO
Karen Eadon, Senior Vice President of Marketing and CMO
Steve Sather, Senior Vice President of Operations
Jeanne Scott, Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Training
Jerry Lovejoy, Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Julie L. Weeks, Vice President of Communications
Phone: 714.599.5150
Fax: 714.599.5650
e-mail: jweeks@elpolloloco.com |
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