EL POLLO LOCO INC FRANCHISE AGREEMENT
El Pollo Loco franchises operate quick-service restaurants that specialize in fire-grilled, Mexican-style chicken and related food products and services. The business model involves licensing the company's proprietary System, including trademarks, recipes, building designs, and operational standards, to franchisees who pay initial fees, royalties, and advertising contributions. The target market is consumers in the competitive fast-food and quick-service restaurant industry seeking flavorful, grilled meals.
Franchise Costs
5% royalty + 5% ad fund (4% in LA DMA) + approx $1,600/mo fixed fees (POS/IT support, software, LMS, reporting, digital boards, security, pest control)
How EL POLLO LOCO INC FRANCHISE AGREEMENT Compares
Key Insights
- Higher investment than 84% of Fast Casual franchises
- Top 10 largest franchise system in Fast Casual
- One of the lowest SBA loan default rates in Fast Casual
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Royalty | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
EL POLLO LOCO INC FRANCHISE AGREEMENT Current | $794K – $2.7M | $40K | 5.0% | 328 |
| Tropical Smoothie Cafe | $300K – $721K | $35K | 6.0% | 1,371 |
| TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFÉ | $300K – $721K | $35K | 6.0% | 1,371 |
| FIREHOUSE SUBS RESTAURANTS (UNIT) | $405K – $1.6M | $20K | 6.0% | 1,249 |
| Zaxby's | $1.4M – $3.8M | $35K | 6.0% | 826 |
| Qdoba | $548K – $1.3M | $40K | 5.0% | 652 |
Fast Casual Average 107 franchises | $532K – $1.2M | $39K | 5.6% | – |
* Comparison based on latest FDD filings. Investment ranges from Item 7, fees from Item 5. Showing top 5 of 107 Fast Casual franchises by location count.
Locations & Growth
Outlet Growth Over Time
Total outlets at end of each year
Geographic Distribution (2025)
Outlets by state across the United States
SBA Loan History
Historical SBA 7(a) loan data for EL POLLO LOCO INC FRANCHISE AGREEMENT franchisees (2010 – 2025)
Loans by Year
SBA 7(a) loan activity over time
* Data sourced from SBA 7(a) FOIA loan records. Default rate calculated from charged-off loans.
Franchisee Contacts
315 franchisee contacts on file from official FDD filings.
| Name | SBA Loan |
|---|---|
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
John Smith ABC Franchise LLC | $350,000 2023 · Active |
315 Contacts Available
Unlock all EL POLLO LOCO INC FRANCHISE AGREEMENT franchisee contacts with verified contact information
Due Diligence
Litigation (Item 3)
Territorial/development rights disputes (Bryman franchisees), breach of non-solicitation clause (same franchisees), and trademark infringement/breach by former franchisee (MIK Food).
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
System Health (Item 20)
Franchise system changes reported in the most recent fiscal year
Frequently Asked Questions
The total initial investment to open a EL POLLO LOCO INC FRANCHISE AGREEMENT franchise ranges from $793,750 to $2,685,500. This includes a franchise fee of $40,000. Ongoing royalty fees are 5.0% of gross sales.
Unlock Full FDD Access
Download EL POLLO LOCO INC FRANCHISE AGREEMENT's complete FDD plus 1,700+ other franchise documents — all with one plan.
Secure checkout with Stripe · Cancel anytime
Also includes FDDs for
More Food & Beverage Franchises
Subway
Food & Beverage
MCDONALD'S
Food & Beverage
DUNKIN'
Food & Beverage
DOMINO'S PIZZA
Food & Beverage
Burger King
Food & Beverage
AFC
Food & Beverage