Pollo Tropical

I like this place! I mean, it’s not my favorite place in town, but it’s pretty good and I usually don’t feel awful about eating there health-​wise (Depending on what I get). The only issue I have is that it’s kind of hit or miss. Sometimes, the food is great and everything comes out hot and fresh; other times, not so much. There have certainly been days when the chicken was so dry I ended up tossing it in the bin because it had obviously sat out under a heat lamp for a very long time. However, when it’s good, well, it’s so good that I keep coming back. I’d say that it’s ⁷⁰⁄₃₀ good days to bad days. Still, I wish there was one of these in my home town. I don’t doubt it would do well.

Maravilha! What an improvement in service and ambience over the University location! Congratulations, we’ll be satisfying our Brazilian taste there often!

A great addition to this area! First you can’t miss Pollo Tropical. It’s a bright Aqua building that stands out by 436 near Howell Branch Rd. other restaurants are hidden by The City of Casselberry signage regulations which restrict sign height and size. For instance did you know that Arby’s, Starbuck’s, and Dunkin Donuts are yards away?
I visited for the first time and all employee’s are on their best behavior. We ordered and took our table number to the table of our choosing where we were served. The sauce bar was really nice. I loved the curry. But the bar could have been a little cleaner. We liked eating with real utensils… until…it was time to do the dishes. Yes! You are expected to sort your utensils, plates, disposables like at Panera which doesn’t appeal to me at all.

I live right near his location and usually have a good experience. Food is fine. Customer service, however, leaves a bit to be desired.
My rant (September 2015):
Today’s experience has left a bad taste in my mouth regarding their service.
First, it took my cashier 10 minutes to key in my order correctly until he finally sought help from who I presume was the manager on duty (Amanda?). Got my receipt, only to notice that my cashier put «cheese on the side» instead of «no cheese» as I asked. The issue there is that I was charged $ 0.50 extra for that «cheese on the side». I informed them of the issue, and they refunded me the $ 0.50. But my troubles did not end there. I ordered 2 chicken avocado wraps. After the 15 mins it took for them to place my order properly, I proceeded to wait another 10 minutes for my food. After that 10 minutes went by, an associate comes to me and says, «Sorry, we’re out of avocado. Do you want something else?» Irritated, I replied «No, thank you. How do I go about receiving my refund?» Another 5 minutes… finally my refund. I spent 25 – 30 minutes at this location and left with nothing. Unreal.

Let’s get real — this is a fast food restaurant. However, the food here is reasonably priced, served in generous portions, and a somewhat (noticed how I threw that word in there) healthier option than a hamburger and fries. Plus the grilled chicken here is the bomb!
This new (bright light blue) Pollo Tropical popped up in a matter of a month or two. The parking lot was full when we pulled in at lunchtime but the line moved swiftly. We put in our order but sadly they were out of the waffle fries (hubby wanted these). He chose a different side instead and made our way to the seating area. One thing we noticed that was different from other PTs (and we’ve been to quite a few) is that they placed the table number on a table in advance of us sitting down (normally you take your own table number to the table of your choosing). There were also an abundance of employees, which can be expected for a new opening, so perhaps the table assignment was something being done to keep employees busy. The staff was in full force, so there was excellent service.
The food arrived and I couldn’t wait for my grilled chicken! My husband decided to splurge with the mojo roast pork. Like the chicken, it was perfectly cooked, juicy, and flavorful. I enjoyed my ¼ chicken with a side of rice and beans, which are nothing special. My husband got the Caribbean corn soufflé (fancy word for corn casserole, but sweet and delicious). We also ordered a side of fried yucca which is one of our favorite sides. It’s not the healthiest option but it is worth every unheathly drop. Be sure to check out the sauce bar while you’re here — cilantro garlic and spicy poyo poyo are our go-​to sauces. Another thing we like here is the real dishes and silverware when dining in. It seems like something so simple but at a fast food restaurant, but it really does make your food visually more appealing.
We typically visit another PT in the area nearer to our home, but we may come back to this location if we are in the area. We are fans of this chain and will keep coming back!