El Pollo Loco: Loco Tenders Put Pricing Power To The Test

El Pollo Loco is executing a successful 'Taco Bell-ification' strategy, driving higher average checks and resilient traffic. LOCO's menu innovation—especially bowls, salads, and Baja Tostadas—has boosted same-store sales and restaurant-level margins above long-term targets. Systemwide traffic grew 0.6%, the average check rose 5.2%, and the restaurant-level margin reached 19.2%, supporting robust EBITDA and cash generation.