El Pollo Loco is taking its fire-grilled chicken into New York, securing a lease for its first restaurant in Queens and agreeing to three development deals covering 15 restaurants across the New York area over the next five years. The first location is targeted to open in mid-2027, marking the California-based chain’s entry into the East Coast market and another step in its effort to build a broader national footprint.
The expansion comes alongside changes to El Pollo Loco’s leadership team. Damon Thomas has been appointed Chief Operating Officer after holding senior operations roles at Shake Shack and Raising Cane’s, while Tara Hinkle joined the company as chief development officer in July. Hinkle brings nearly two decades of franchising, development and operational planning experience, including leadership roles with The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Taco Bell and Starbucks.
New York development will be led by one longtime El Pollo Loco franchise partner and two new franchise partners. The company said the expansion builds on three consecutive quarters of positive same-store sales growth, improved restaurant economics and continued progress under its transformation plan. The brand currently operates more than 500 company-owned and franchised restaurants across 10 states, with New York becoming its 11th state once the planned locations open.
Entering a new region also requires franchise organizations to give operators access to consistent information as development progresses. Gorilla Dash offers a Resource Library feature that can help teams organize reference materials, operating resources and other information needed across an expanding network. For franchise businesses entering new markets, a centralized information structure can support teams as they navigate different locations and development stages.
For El Pollo Loco, the New York agreement gives the brand a substantial development pipeline in one of the country's largest restaurant markets. The Queens lease provides the first physical foothold, while the additional 14 planned restaurants create a longer-term path for franchise-led growth. The company said it expects to provide more location, franchisee and opening details as East Coast development moves forward.
