El Pollo Loco

El Pollo Loco

Flame-grilled chicken meals & Mexican entrees
Not Ranked

Initial Investment

LOW: $427,850
HIGH: $802,350

Change in Units

Fund Your Franchise with Guidant

Guidant Financal Learn how to invest your IRA or 401k into a franchise. ($50k min)

Promoted Opportunities

Company Profile

Founded

1975

Franchising Since

1980 (36 Years)

Corporate Address

3535 Harbor Blvd., #100 Costa Mesa, CA 92626

CEO

Steve Carley

About El Pollo Loco

In 1975, Juan Ochoa opened a roadside chicken stand in Guasace, Mexico, he called El Pollo Loco. Ochoa served chicken the same way his mother did, hand-marinating using an old family recipe and flame-broiling. The stand quickly grew in popularity, and over the next four years, Ochoa’s family opened 85 restaurants in Northern Mexico. The chain moved into the United States in 1980 with the first restaurant opening in Los Angeles.

Over the years, El Pollo Loco has added tacos, burritos and salads to its menu, all featuring the Ochoa family’s chicken. In 1995, the chain entered into a joint venture with Foster’s Freeze to offer soft-serve treats at El Pollo Loco restaurants.

Financials

Financial Requirements

Initial Investment

$427,850 - $802,350

Net-worth Requirement

$1,000,000

Liquid Cash Requirement

$300,000

Ongoing Fees

Initial Franchise Fee

$40,000

Ongoing Royalty Fee

4%

Ad Royalty Fee

4-5%

Franchise 500® Rank History

Highest Rank: 131

Lowest Rank: 400

  • 2006 - 400
* Not all years were ranked

Units (Locations)

Where Seeking Franchisees:
Franchisor is seeking new franchise units in the following regions/states:
See List

Operations & Franchisor Support

Training Onsite: 2 weeks

Training at headquarters: 6 weeks

Additional Training: At certified training stores

Ongoing Support
Purchasing Co-ops
Meetings
Toll-Free Line
Grand Opening
Internet
Security
Field Operations

Marketing Support
Ad Slicks
National Media

Number of employees required to run: 25

Related Franchises

KFC Corp.

KFC Corp.
Buffalo Wild Wings

Buffalo Wild Wings
Church's Chicken

Church's Chicken
Chester's

Chester's
Wingstop Restaurants Inc.

Wingstop Restaurants Inc.
Zaxby's Franchising Inc.

Zaxby's Franchising Inc.
Bojangles' Restaurants Inc.

Bojangles' Restaurants Inc.
Golden Chick

Golden Chick

Related Articles

How El Pollo Loco Churns Out New Menu Items Crazy Fast

How El Pollo Loco Churns Out New Menu Items Crazy Fast

El Pollo Loco's executive chef spills on crafting dozens of new menu items a year and transforming the chain from a fast-food joint into something more.
Kate Taylor
Kate Taylor
With Investors Hungry for Fast-Casual Chicken, El Pollo Loco Makes Strong Public Debut

With Investors Hungry for Fast-Casual Chicken, El Pollo Loco Makes Strong Public Debut

Shares of the Mexican-style chicken franchise were off to a strong start on their first day of trading.
Kate Taylor
Kate Taylor
Don't Choose a Franchise Until You've Talked to People Who Already Own It

Don't Choose a Franchise Until You've Talked to People Who Already Own It

Some lessons you shouldn't learn the hard way, like how a company treats the owners of its franchises.
Tom Scarda, CFE
Tom Scarda, CFE
This Latest Food Mashup May Have Gone Too Far

This Latest Food Mashup May Have Gone Too Far

The world's a strange place. A place where self-driving cars came before a hotdog-hamburger food combo and Cheetos Chicken Fries.
Entrepreneur Staff
Entrepreneur Staff
Be Your Own Boss: Insights From 3 Successful Franchisees

Be Your Own Boss: Insights From 3 Successful Franchisees

Want to shake things up and set out on your own? Here, business owners share their personal insights, explaining why – and how – they took the plunge themselves.
Entrepreneur Partner Studio Staff
Entrepreneur Partner Studio Staff

Disclaimer

The Franchise 500 is not intended to endorse, advertise, or recommend any particular franchise. It is solely a research tool you can use to compare franchise operations. Entrepreneur stresses that you should always conduct your own independent investigation before investing money in a franchise.

Updated: November 5th, 2014

Reprints & Licensing
Update Your Listing
Submit New Listing
Skip Advertisement This ad will close in 15 seconds...

Regions/States List

More Franchise Rankings

Top Low-Cost Franchises

100 franchises for under $60,000

Top Homebased/Mobile Franchises

These 100 businesses can be managed from home

Fastest-Growing Franchises

These companies have shown rapid unit expansion over the last two years

Top New Franchises

The top 75 companies that began franchising in the last five years

Top Global Franchises

200 North American franchisors seeking international franchisees

For reprints and licensing questions, click here.

Franchise Categories

Automotive
Business Services
Children's Products and Services
Education
Financial Services
Food
Health Care
Home Improvement
Hotels & Motels
Maintenance
Personal Care
Pet Businesses
Recreation
Retail
Service Businesses
Tech Businesses
Training

Previous Years Rankings

2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
Update Your Listing »
Submit New Listing »