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El Pollo Loco Q4 sales decline 3% in Los Angeles, rise 1.8% elsewhereEl Pollo Loco Q4 sales decline 3% in Los Angeles, rise 1.8% elsewhere

Home market of Los Angeles suffers Q4 same-store sales declines amid virus-related restrictions and unemployment, while units outside city post gains

Ron Ruggless, Senior Editor

January 13, 2021

3 Min Read
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El Pollo Loco Holdings Inc. says its fourth-quarter earnings will reflect a COVID-19 pandemic restaurant performance that’s a “tale of two cities” in its business, company CEO Bernard Acoca said Wednesday.

The Costa Mesa, Calif.-based fast-casual brand, which presented at the virtual 23rd ICR Conference, on Tuesday release preliminary same-store sales for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 30. They showed a systemwide decrease of 0.2%, with an increase of 1.8% at franchised restaurants mostly outside pandemic-beleaguered Los Angeles but a decline of 3% at the company stores, which are predominantly in the city.

Trends in Los Angeles, which is home to 73% of the company-owned restaurants, began softening in the third quarter, Acoca said, “primar...

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About the Author

Ron Ruggless

Senior Editor, Nation’s Restaurant News / Restaurant Hospitality

Ron Ruggless serves as a senior editor for Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN.com) and Restaurant Hospitality (Restaurant-Hospitality.com) online and print platforms. He joined NRN in 1992 after working 10 years in various roles at the Dallas Times Herald newspaper, including restaurant critic, assistant business editor, food editor and lifestyle editor. He also edited several printings of the Zagat Dining Guide for Dallas-Fort Worth, and his articles and photographs have appeared in Food & Wine, Food Network and Self magazines. 

Ron Ruggless’ areas of expertise include foodservice mergers, acquisitions, operations, supply chain, research and development and marketing. 

Ron Ruggless is a frequent moderator and panelist at industry events ranging from the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference to RestaurantSpaces, the Council of Hospitality and Restaurant Trainers, the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executives Group, local restaurant associations and the Horeca Professional Expo in Madrid, Spain.

Ron Ruggless’ experience:

Regional and Senior Editor, Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality (1992 to present)

Features Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1989-1991)

Restaurant Critic and Food Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1987-1988)

Editing Roles – Dallas Times Herald (1982-1987)

Editing Roles – Charlotte (N.C.) Observer (1980-1982)

Editing Roles – Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald (1978-1980)

Email: [email protected]

Social media:

Twitter@RonRuggless

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ronruggless

Instagram: @RonRuggless

TikTok: @RonRuggless

 

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