El Pollo Loco tests five new menu items in 60 restaurants to enhance culinary innovation and customer variety.
Quiver AI Summary
El Pollo Loco, a leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant chain, has announced the testing of five new menu items in around 60 locations in California and Utah until late April 2026. This initiative showcases the brand's dedication to flavor innovation and enhancing customer choice. The new offerings include various bold entrées and beverages, such as Honey Chipotle BBQ chicken, Loco Tenders™, Loaded Quesadillas, a Crispy Grilled Chicken Sandwich, and Horchata Coffee Drinks. The company emphasizes culinary innovation as a key focus for 2026, aiming to gather customer feedback and better meet evolving tastes. El Pollo Loco plans to introduce eight additional new menu tests later in the year.
Potential Positives
- El Pollo Loco is testing five new menu innovations across approximately 60 restaurants, showcasing its commitment to culinary innovation and flavor exploration.
- The company plans to introduce a mix of bold entrées, handhelds, and beverages, catering to evolving customer cravings and enhancing guest variety.
- El Pollo Loco's focus on customer feedback in developing new menu items reflects a strong customer-centric approach to product development.
- The brand's ongoing initiatives, including eight additional menu item tests scheduled for 2026, indicate a proactive strategy to stay relevant and competitive in the fast-casual dining market.
Potential Negatives
- Testing new menu items may indicate existing offerings are not meeting customer expectations, prompting a need for change.
- The market tests are limited to only approximately 60 restaurants, which could suggest a cautious approach rather than a confident rollout of new products.
- The statement emphasizes feedback incorporation, which might imply prior launches did not adequately align with customer preferences.
FAQ
What new menu items is El Pollo Loco testing?
El Pollo Loco is testing Honey Chipotle BBQ chicken, Loco Tenders™, Loaded Quesadillas, Crispy Grilled Chicken Sandwich, and Horchata Coffee Drinks.
Where are the El Pollo Loco menu tests taking place?
The market tests are occurring at approximately 60 locations in California and Utah.
When will the menu innovations be available?
The tests will run from now through late April 2026, after which customer feedback will guide future offerings.
What is the goal of El Pollo Loco's new menu innovations?
The goal is to expand flavor exploration, enhance guest variety, and accelerate culinary innovation in 2026.
How can customers stay updated on El Pollo Loco's menu tests?
Customers can check local El Pollo Loco restaurants or follow the brand on Instagram for the latest updates.
Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated summary of a press release distributed by GlobeNewswire. The model used to summarize this release may make mistakes. See the full release here.
$LOCO Revenue
$LOCO had revenues of $121.5M in Q3 2025. This is an increase of 0.93% from the same period in the prior year.
You can track LOCO financials on Quiver Quantitative's LOCO stock page.
$LOCO Hedge Fund Activity
We have seen 74 institutional investors add shares of $LOCO stock to their portfolio, and 70 decrease their positions in their most recent quarter.
Here are some of the largest recent moves:
- WILLIAM BLAIR INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC removed 842,027 shares (-71.9%) from their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $8,807,602
- PORTOLAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC removed 751,012 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $7,284,816
- GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC added 502,378 shares (+93.9%) to their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $5,254,873
- FUND 1 INVESTMENTS, LLC added 491,184 shares (+193.4%) to their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $5,137,784
- HILLSDALE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC. added 211,900 shares (+59.0%) to their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $2,216,474
- FIRST EAGLE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC removed 194,000 shares (-26.2%) from their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $2,029,240
- SEI INVESTMENTS CO added 188,735 shares (+924.6%) to their portfolio in Q4 2025, for an estimated $1,974,168
To track hedge funds' stock portfolios, check out Quiver Quantitative's institutional holdings dashboard.
$LOCO Price Targets
Multiple analysts have issued price targets for $LOCO recently. We have seen 2 analysts offer price targets for $LOCO in the last 6 months, with a median target of $12.75.
Here are some recent targets:
- Jake Bartlett from Truist Securities set a target price of $12.0 on 01/08/2026
- Andy Barish from Jefferies set a target price of $13.5 on 12/15/2025
Full Release
COSTA MESA, Calif., March 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- El Pollo Loco , the nation's leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant chain, today announced it is testing five new menu innovations across approximately 60 restaurants, including locations in California and Utah. These market tests, running now through late April, reflect the brand’s commitment to expanding flavor exploration, enhancing guest variety, and accelerating menu innovation in 2026.
“The ‘Let’s Get Loco ® ’ rebrand last year wasn’t just a call to action for consumers,” said Jill Adams, CMO of El Pollo Loco. “It’s also a mantra for our internal teams to push the boundaries, test the limits and deliver truly unique culinary innovation to our customers in a way that only El Pollo Loco can.”
The market test products include a mix of bold entrées, handhelds, beverages, and potential future platforms designed to meet evolving customer cravings. The items currently in‑market or entering the test phase this month include:
-
Honey Chipotle BBQ:
Our famous, citrus-marinated, fire-grilled chicken tossed in our new Honey Chipotle BBQ sauce for a sweet, smoky and slightly spicy kick. Served with our new BBQ Black Beans, Cole Slaw and King’s Hawaiian
®
Original Sweet Rolls. Available in 2 pc or 10pc meals.
-
Loco Tenders™:
Crispy 100% all white meat chicken tenders fried to perfection and seasoned in bold Mexican spices. Served with a choice of dipping sauces: Baja Lime, Pollo Loco Sauce™ or House Ranch. Also available in Classic.
-
Loaded Quesadillas:
A warm flour tortilla loaded with citrus-marinated, fire-grilled chopped chicken breast, a generous portion of melted Jack cheese that is wrapped to seal in all the flavors and grilled until toasted for maximum portability. Available in two flavors: Queso with our delicious queso blanco, crunchy tortilla strips and our signature creamy cilantro sauce, or Street Corn with corn and red peppers, crumbled cotija cheese and our signature creamy chipotle sauce.
-
Crispy Grilled Chicken Sandwich:
A crispy, breaded chicken breast filet, grilled to crispy perfection and topped with our signature Pollo Loco Sauce™ and house slaw, served on a toasted bun.
-
Horchata Coffee Drinks:
Classic Horchata with an iced coffee twist. Made with iced coffee and our sweet & creamy Mexican-style Horchata, flavored with cinnamon and vanilla, choose from the classic ChataCoffee™ or ChataCoffee™ Cream, which is topped with a delicious layer of vanilla cold foam.
“Culinary innovation continues to be a major focus for us in 2026,” said Chef Rene Pisciotti, Sr. Director of Culinary Innovation at El Pollo Loco. “These market tests allow us to explore new flavor directions, bring more variety to our guests, and ensure every item we launch incorporates their feedback and reflects what our customers are craving most.”
El Pollo Loco has also committed to eight additional new menu item tests in 2026. Specifics of these items will be announced later in the year.
To learn more about market test locations and dates, check with your local El Pollo Loco restaurant or follow El Pollo Loco on Instagram for updates.
About El Pollo Loco
El Pollo Loco (Nasdaq: LOCO) is the nation's leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant known for its craveable, flavorful, and better-for-you offerings. Named by USA Today 10 Best Reader’s Choice Awards as a “Best Restaurant for Quick, Healthy Food” two years in a row, our menu features innovative meals with Mexican-inspired flavors made daily in our restaurants using quality ingredients. At
El Pollo Loco
, inclusivity is at the heart of our culture. Our community of over 4,000 employees reflects our commitment to creating a workplace where everyone has a seat at our table. Since 1980, El Pollo Loco has successfully expanded its presence, operating more than 500 company-owned and franchised restaurants across nine U.S. states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Washington. The company has also extended its footprint internationally, with licensed restaurant locations in the Philippines. For more information or to place an
order
, visit the Loco Rewards
app
or
ElPolloLoco.com
. Follow us on
Instagram
,
TikTok
,
Facebook
, or
X
.
CONTACT
:
DeVries Global
[email protected]
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2fa7e670-1704-43d4-8afc-2f77b4c2cf36
