El Pollo Loco

YIKES!
I went inside to get a quick sit down dinner. The place had been remodeled several months back and I hadn’t been there in a year or so. The place looked bad. Several people working behind the counter, but nobody came to the counter to take my order.
Finally a manager came over to the register. She didn’t say anything to us customers, look up or take orders; just stood there and waited a few minutes until a young employee (looked like a HS junior?) came back from his break or the bathroom or whatever to take orders. The couple in front of me took a long time and I think that was his confusion not theirs.
I almost left at this point while the line got longer but I thought I’ll give them a shot and practice having a good patient attitude. I had a $ 10 for whole chicken coupon. This seemed to confuse him for a while but he eventually figured it out. I gave him my credit card, which he took and swiped. I asked him to look at the back of the card. Mine says «Check ID». He looked lost. I asked if he knew what that meant. He didn’t answer but said it was ok the way we did it. I explained that I had had a card stolen before and always appreciate if they take your card to look at the back or ask for ID. (I realize this is too much work for most fast food places now.) He asked if this was to go or for here, I told him I would be eating it here.
I turned to find a spot to eat and was looking for a booth. There are 4. One had a lady in it; the other 3 were all dirty and needed to be cleaned desperately. I finally found a single seat by the window.
Since I was eating in, of course the order came in a to go container and bagged. I mentioned that I was eating here, so they said they could put it on a plate for me. I said no thanks since I’ll be taking some home anyway I already have the container and bag. After sitting and opening my To Go bag I realized that there were no plastic forks, knives or napkins. First trip back to the soft drink dispenser area for «stuff»…
After sitting down again I realized that I wasn’t given the water I had asked for either. Getting up again I went to the counter to get my water cup which is slightly larger than a shot glass (which promises lots of exercise as I will now need to get up many times to fill up my water thimble to wash down my chicken.
Finishing opening my Bag I now noticed that I didn’t get the tortillas that come with the order. I went to the counter… again… and was ignored by several employees who were busy with apparently drive through orders. The cook saw me stand there and turned away and did not call for a fellow employee to assist me.
I finally said after a few seconds, «Excuse me». No one even looked. It tried a second time a little louder, still not even a look. Third time I said it quite a bit louder. At this point the 2 employees at the drive through window (average age estimated at 16.5 years) turned around gave me a combined look of slight annoyance, overlapped with confusion such as «Who is that and what could he possibly want?» Neither approached me nor said a word, just looked at me.
Finally a manager, I assume since she was «much» older-(late 20’s) and had a different uniform came over and looked at me. Still no words uttered. Incredible! I said that I didn’t get the tortillas with my order. She reached over; grabbed 2 turned and handed them to me-​no smile-​no «I’m sorry” — «Here you go», «drop dead Mr. Customer» or anything!
I haven’t even eaten my chicken yet. I thought that this better be the best damn chicken in North America to put up with this service. I must say it was good and hot and flavorful. After I finished most of the chicken and my 46^th trip to get water I left.
Would never go back inside…

El pollo loco more like el loco service, this is the worst pollo loco restaurant I’ve ever been to, the staff are truly like chickens with their heads cut off that’s about the most loco pollo this place gets, had to remind the drive thru woman multiple times on what my simple order was. Very rude and very slow, truly horrible, after getting my order right, drive thru woman was very rude handing me my bag of food and to top it off as soon as I got home I discovered my avocado chicken salad had no AVOCADO! Another order looked like it was made upside down and I had asked for black beans in another order that she also repeated back to me was nowhere to be found even though it was written on my receipt, never again pollo loco, never again. Do yourself a favor and take your business to Taco Bell next door you won’t be sorry you wasted your time,

I love love love this restaurant! Their «Double Chicken Avocado Salad» is under 500 calories and is so wonderful. I tried to duplicate it at home and it was good but not as good as theirs. I love their customer service too. They were a little late in getting us our order so they made amends and gave us a little extra. We’ve been coming to this location for 10 years, we’re always happy.

I stopped eating here because it has become so slow and dirty. Hard to trust what’s going on in the kitchen when the customer area — including restrooms — are filthy.

If you cannot keep your menus up to date on your web site and you don’t have prices on your menu outside, you don’t have ½ the things we tried to order no cheese? This restaurant is the worst pollo loco when the manager was asked what’s going on she had attitude galore. No Thanks I live down the street purchase regularly but I won’t be coming back. And try hiring people who know how to take an order.

Dirty restaurant messed up my order needed avacado on the side I’m allergic thank goodness I opened my food and checked before they had a me ambulanced out of there. new enchiladas dish was gross. The job includes reading the order and placing it. I’ve never worked fast food but it seems like u read what it says then comply…

Love this place. The food is great the salads r awesome and service is good too. Pricing is moderate but can get expensive in a Lil group of 3. There should be more location around in my opinion.

im so disappointed in my lunch today, I ordered a Mexican, chicken, ceasar salad. after waiting in the drive through for over 25 minutes, I get to the window, the guy asks what kind of dressing I want, I say ceasar, that’s what I ordered, I get back to work, its a different dressing other the ceasar. and thank god I was paying attention, because I was chewing a piece of chicken that had a pretty good size bone in it. I paid $ 11 for a salad that sucked. ill never go back. that’s sad too, cause you guys have the best tasting chicken, and you used to be my favorite

I was looking for a quick bite yesterday in Modesto and saw this place across the shopping center. I am trying to eat Paleo for a while to drop to the tonnage I put on last year. Anyway, I figured I could could get a piece or two of chicken or a salad. I went with the grilled chicken salad combo-​$ 7.99 with a small size drink. The salad wasn’t huge but big enough. I wasn’t expecting much here and it met my expectations. The portion of chicken breast meat was smallish and tasted very salty. The creamy cilantro dressing was more like a ranch with bits of green stuff-​I guess cilantro-​mixed. I was starving so i shoveled the thing down after removing the tortilla strip crunchies on top. The brewed iced tea was really good-​they had 2 unsweetened types. Black tea and Mango tea. Service was friendly here. I would not get this particulat item again but would try one of the chicken combo dishes with white meat next time. Lesson learned.

Went in there only once I have some good chicken tacos I was recommended to eat. They were food I liked them but they were not what I expected. They were a bit flavorless. If it wasn’t for the condiments it would have been a dull taste. Today my co worker went in to get a salad he was satisfied with yesterday, but I guess today’s it was not so great…

When one is a retiree on a limited budget dining out choices are severely restricted. Fine dining outings are reserved for a few very special occasions. One, however; can eat out inexpensively and rather well.
My wife and I can eat very well without breaking the bank at our neighborhood El Pollo Loco. The food is outstanding and the portions are very generous.
The meal costs us less than any of the other fast food restaurants and is far healthier.

The chips were stale, the burritos were cold, the guacamole was a liquid. They gave me the wrong order. The tables were not cleaned off. The meat was cold and the tortillas were falling apart. Everything was bland and dry. The inside of my chicken was pink. I am never coming here ever again and I would never recommend this to any of my friends or family.

Probably one of the better fast food places but the other one is better. Pretty clean and overall ok. They do have good chicken thou will come back

Pretty clean for a fast food place… minus they were out of toilet liners, gross. I really enjoy their chicken taco salads usually go through the drive through not a fan of indoor dining at fast food places. Overall good somewhat healthy fast food.

It must be good if there’s a line. I always get the chicken tacos because I love their marinade. Taco truck style with cilantro and onion toppings. I shouldn’t jinx myself but I think this may be the only chain that hasn’t screwed up on an order. Yep you read it right you always get what you order. I wish it was closer to home but maybe it’s good that I don’t live around the corner.

Take out from there last Wednesday night. I am Gluten Free (for health reasons). They have a Gluten Free Menu. I have eaten here before with no problems.
When I started to order I identified being GF. The cashier didn’t know what to do. I showed him their GF menu on the Internet. He took my order and made sure I’d be ok.
I asked the cashier to speak to the cook to be cautious with my meal after touching food that would make me sick. The cook laughed. Cashier told him again. He looked like he got it.
After eating my dinner it wasn’t long before the problem started. I was sick until 1:30am. Until my medication kicked in.
I contacted corporate through email. I asked to be called. I received an email back with a canned answer that they would notify the store. Sorry and here’s a $ 5 coupon for next time you eat there. Next time? I was sick for 5 days and you couldn’t call me on the phone? I did send an email back stating I wanted a phone call and there was no way I would eat there again. I wasn’t looking for a handout. An apology and follow up that their crew would be trained properly was all I wanted.
I’d like to say I love the chicken and I’m bummed that I cannot eat here anymore. The food is good. They are not Gluten Free!!!

I really love the food here, but damn is the service slow! Literally took over 30 minutes to get our meal. I’m still gonna go though because I like the food. They have healthier options too which is nice if you’re watching your figure.

This is such good healthy eating! Love the grilled chicken & beans. Just tried the stuffed chicken & avocado quesadillas & wow, they are delicious! Clean restaurant inside too!

The food was as good as I would expect for El Pollo Loco, but they didn’t have any of the cilantro dip you would normally get with chicken wraps, only the cilantro salad dressing which isn’t nearly as good for dipping.
Also, why is the 2 chicken wrap combo gone? It used to be a $ 5 combo deal, now it isn’t even a regular combo… Plus, the El Pollo Bowl isn’t on the $ 5 combo list either, WTF, that is just loco!

I actually really like this place, I think their food is good for a fast food place, BUT I had a really horrible expierence last night! I understand that places are allowed to make mistakes but I made 3… THREE trips to this place, that was super annoying!
1. I order my food drive home, start eating my chicken breast I look down only to find out it is RAW… completly raw. I make a phone call and return my food.
2. Had them remake EVERYTHING, drive back home
3. get home open the bags and my salad has no dressing, my hot sauce is missing, 3 of my items were not in the bag. Really??? are you freaking kidding me?! Drive back and they have it waiting for me. Its gonna be awhile until I eat here again… Not cool!!!