If you grew up in Miami, chances are you’ve found yourself at a Pollo Tropical drive-thru, windows rolled down, hoping your “Tropichop” bowl loaded up with chopped grilled chicken, black beans, and white rice, would hit just right. For many of us (myself included), Pollo is more than fast food. It’s a rite of passage through the youth of Miami. A taste of abuela’s kitchen on a budget. A lifeline after high school sports practice or a late-night party in Kendall. But lately, according to longtime customers, something is off — the price, that is.
Scroll through Reddit or talk to just about any Miami local, and you’ll hear the same sentiment: “We miss the old Pollo Tropical.” Longtime customers claim that the chicken, which was always juicy, smoky, and packed with flavor, now sometimes, and at certain locations, borders on dry. But one of the biggest recent changes — and the one that’s really got people talking — is the platter situation. A Reddit post about the platter change is going viral this week, and some loyal customers aren’t happy.
What used to be a complete meal of grilled chicken with rice, beans, and maybe even a roll, now comes with…just chicken. That’s right: the sides are extra, tacked on à la carte for about 75 cents each…