- El Pollo Loco will open its first New York City restaurant next year in Queens.
- The majority of the chicken chain’s locations are in California, although it has been expanding.
- El Pollo Loco’s stock has climbed more than 40% over the past year.
El Pollo Loco has closed three development agreements for a total of 15 restaurants in the New York area over the next five years, the company announced on Tuesday. The first location is expected to open in Queens in mid-2027.
Founded in Mexico in 1975, El Pollo Loco opened its first U.S. restaurant in Los Angeles. The majority of its locations are still concentrated in California, but its footprint has grown to more than 500 restaurants across 10 states. It is best known for its bone-in grilled chicken, although its menu has expanded.
CEO Liz Williams wants to make El Pollo Loco into a national chain. To expand outside its Southwestern stronghold, El Pollo Loco will open restaurants on the East Coast and then move its way back to the West, she said…