The chickenhearted concatenation is beating Wall Street’s expectations and expanding its paper to see items that entreaty to younger consumers.
By Jonathan Small | edited by Dan Bova | Aug 12, 2026
El Pollo Loco has each correct to spell a small loco complete its second-quarter numbers. Liz Williams became CEO successful March 2024 pinch a three-year turnaround scheme focused connected marque consciousness and unit-level economics. Heading into twelvemonth three, the concatenation is moving up of pace, according to Nation’s Restaurant News.
Second-quarter same-store income roseate 3.9%, beating Wall Street’s expectations. Restaurant publication separator deed 19.5%, up from 18.6% a twelvemonth earlier and adjacent the apical of Williams’ original 18% to 20% target range, moreover pinch rising nutrient costs moving against her.
A batch of that comes down to caller paper items. Loco Tenders sewage new, younger customers to effort the marque for the first time, and performed particularly good successful snacking and late-night orders. Loaded Quesadillas, launched successful June, added a value-priced action nether $10. A caller lineup of java drinks, including horchata, iced java and acold foam, is aimed astatine filling an day slot Williams says the marque has been missing.
The concatenation is besides expanding faster than planned, pinch 18 to 20 caller restaurants expected this year, astir double past year’s pace. In June, Idaho became the 10th authorities to spell Loco.
Jonathan Small is simply a bestselling author, journalist, producer, and podcast host. For 25 years, he... Read more
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