Who Owns El Pollo Loco?

Juan Francisco Ochoa opened the first El Pollo Loco in 1974 as a roadside stand in Guasave, a small city in Sinaloa, Mexico. His concept was simple: chicken marinated in a proprietary blend of citrus juices and spices, butterflied, and flame-grilled to order. The recipe traced to his mother's kitchen.

Growth inside Mexico was rapid, and in 1980 Ochoa opened the first US restaurant on Alvarado Street in Los Angeles, where the flame-grilled product stood apart from fried chicken chains. Denny's acquired the US operation in 1983.

The brand changed hands repeatedly over the next two decades. TW Services bought Denny's and took El Pollo Loco with it; Flagstar followed, then private equity owners Trimaran Capital and later Freeman Spogli in 2005. Freeman Spogli repositioned the menu toward fresher bowls, salads, and grilled items and expanded beyond its Hispanic customer base.

The 2014 IPO returned the chain to public markets under its own name. The subsequent decade brought full store remodels, drive-thru and digital expansion, delivery partnerships, and a gradual shift toward franchising. By the end of fiscal 2025, the system had grown to 503 domestic restaurants plus eight licensed Philippine locations.