El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc
NASDAQ:LOCO
El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. engages in the development, franchising, licensing, and operation of quick-service restaurants under the name El Pollo Loco. The company is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California and currently employs 4,626 full-time employees. The company went IPO on 2014-07-25. The firm's menu features its signature product, citrus-marinated fire-grilled chicken, as well as a variety of Mexican, and Los Angeles (LA)-inspired entrees that it creates from its chicken. The company serves individual and family-sized chicken meals, a variety of Mexican and LA-inspired entrees and sides, as well as proteins like shrimp. Its entrees include Chicken Avocado Burrito, Pollo Fit entrees, chicken tostada salads, and Pollo Bowls. Its Creamy Cilantro dressings and salsas are prepared fresh daily, allowing its customers to create their favorite flavor profiles to enhance their culinary experience. The firm operates approximately 480 restaurants, which consists of approximately 189 Company-operated and 291 franchised restaurants. Its restaurants are located in California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Louisiana.
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. engages in the development, franchising, licensing, and operation of quick-service restaurants under the name El Pollo Loco. The company is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California and currently employs 4,626 full-time employees. The company went IPO on 2014-07-25. The firm's menu features its signature product, citrus-marinated fire-grilled chicken, as well as a variety of Mexican, and Los Angeles (LA)-inspired entrees that it creates from its chicken. The company serves individual and family-sized chicken meals, a variety of Mexican and LA-inspired entrees and sides, as well as proteins like shrimp. Its entrees include Chicken Avocado Burrito, Pollo Fit entrees, chicken tostada salads, and Pollo Bowls. Its Creamy Cilantro dressings and salsas are prepared fresh daily, allowing its customers to create their favorite flavor profiles to enhance their culinary experience. The firm operates approximately 480 restaurants, which consists of approximately 189 Company-operated and 291 franchised restaurants. Its restaurants are located in California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Louisiana.
Revenue: El Pollo Loco reported Q3 revenue of $121.5 million, slightly up from $120.4 million last year.
Margins: Restaurant-level operating margins improved by 160 basis points to 18.3%, with further gains expected in 2026.
Traffic: Positive system-wide traffic growth of 1.6% in Q3, and continued strength in transactions into Q4.
Menu Innovation: New menu items like quesadilla combos and burrito bowls drove value-focused traffic, with more innovations and portable options in the pipeline for 2026.
Digital Growth: Digital business, including kiosks, rose to 27% of system sales from 20% last year; loyalty transactions up 28% year-over-year.
Unit Growth: Company opened its 500th restaurant and expects at least 10 new locations in 2025, with an accelerated pace planned for 2026.
Guidance: Q4 and full-year 2025 margin guidance reaffirmed, with strong October sales trends noted despite broader industry softness.
