El Pollo Loco is Officially ‘Abuela Approved’ with New Head Abuela in Charge Bringing Her Wisdom to TikTok

COSTA MESA, Calif., June 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, El Pollo Loco, Inc. (“El Pollo Loco” or “Company) (Nasdaq: LOCO), the nation’s leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant chain, announced a first-of-its-kind “Abuela Approved” campaign, featuring a newly appointed ‘Head Abuela in Charge,’ here to authenticate the restaurant’s cuisine and bring sass and laughs to TikTok.

El Pollo Loco recognizes the generational gap is narrowing and there is a unique bond between grandparent and grandchild. In fact, the number of Americans living in a multigenerational household with three or more generations has nearly quadrupled over the past decade ^.1. The content featuring Abuela is about acknowledging these dynamics and spreading joy and wisdom with a heavy dose of relatability.

“El Pollo Loco is a brand rooted in family love. In fact, the very core of the El Pollo Loco menu was inspired by a family fire-grilled chicken recipe brought north from Mexico and this connection to heritage sets the tone for everything we do as a brand,” says Chief Marketing Officer Andy Rebhun. “Welcoming our ‘Head Abuela in Charge’ to the El Pollo Loco familia is a lighthearted nod back to our roots and ultimately seeks to entertain followers. It’s an exciting next step in how we engage with new and existing fans on TikTok.”

Through a series of videos directed by Yubicela Brito, El Pollo Loco’s Abuela will act as chief authenticator, giving her sassy, comedic commentary and stamp of approval, or disapproval, on everything from buzzworthy pop culture moments, hot TikTok trends and of course, El Pollo Loco’s lineup of mouthwatering L.A. Mex cuisine that gives Abuela’s home cooking a run for her money. The content series kicked off today with Abuela’s TikTok debut and will continue to rollout on the platform throughout the summer.

“TikTok is an incredibly exciting medium for El Pollo Loco to explore and experiment with. It has proven to be a fantastic tool for engaging and fostering connections,” says Director of Digital, Social & Public Relations Patrick Benson. “There is so much creativity we’re able to infuse into our profile when we embrace the experiences of our fans.”

To stay current on the latest from El Pollo Loco’s Head Abuela in Charge, follow @ElPolloLoco on TikTok. To find a restaurant near you visit ElPolloLoco.com.

About El Pollo Loco
El Pollo Loco (Nasdaq:LOCO) is the nation’s leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant with a mission to bring people together around food, family, and culture in the communities it serves. El Pollo Loco is renowned for its handcrafted L.A. Mex food, an innovative blend of traditional Mexican cuisine and better-for-you eating, that Los Angeles is known for. Since 1980, El Pollo Loco has successfully opened and maintained more than 480 company-owned and franchised restaurants in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and Louisiana while remaining true to its Mexican-American heritage. El Pollo Loco continues to grow and evolve, nourishing connections to tradition, culture, and one another through fire-grilled goodness that makes us feel like familia. For more information, visit us at ElPolloLoco.com.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Rosie Herzog 
Edible, Inc. 
[email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e210f3c5-cbf0-4445-9446-70088a16b656