El Pollo Loco

Name: El Pollo Loco

Type of Food: Mexican focused on grilled chicken

Interesting Fact: On July 31, 1995 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.

History: It all started in 1975, in the small town of Guasave on Mexico’s Pacific Coast a roadside chicken stand named El Pollo Loco (pronounced “L-Po-yo Lo-co” and Spanish for “The Crazy Chicken”) by Juan Francisco Ochoa. Its signature menu item was (and remains) unique– fresh, natural chicken marinated in a special recipe of herbs, spices and citrus juices passed down from the founding family. News of El Pollo Loco spread rapidly throughout Northern Mexico. By 1979, El Pollo Loco restaurants could be found in a variety of Northern Mexico cities. Shortly after, news of the delicious marinated chicken traveled across the border into the United States. In 1980, people lined up around the block as the first American El Pollo Loco opened on Alvarado Street in Los Angeles. It quickly expanded and by 1991, there were 200 El Pollp Loco locations.  In 1998, El Pollo Loco added self-serve salsa bars in its restaurants, allowing customers the opportunity to personalize menu selections with El Pollo Loco signature salsas, including  its famous House Salsa, Spicy Chipotle Salsa, Avocado Salsa and Pico de Gallo. Other El Pollo Loco favorites include made-to-order signature grilled burritos, The Original Pollo Bowl®, Pollo Salads, Tacos al Carbon, quesadillas, Chicken Tortilla Soup and more. Headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, El Pollo Loco, Inc. is a privately held company owned by Trimaran Capital Partners and company management. 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.

Website: www.elpolloloco.com

View the menu: here

Find your local El Pollo Loco: here

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