Pollo Campero in Kentucky?

There is supposed to be a franchisee of Pollo Campero, a Central-American fried chicken restaurant, in Kentucky somewhere. As a franchisee, its location isn't on the company website, and searches on Yahoo YP are fruitless, even when trying cities other than Louisville (I've tried Lexington, Cincinnati, Ashland, Bowling Green, Paducah).

I wondered if maybe they were at the flea market off exit 28 on I-64, to the east of Louisville. When I was last at the place, I remembered being surprised at the number of Latinos there, making it a likely spot.

Barring that, anyone actually been to one? WHat was it like?

[Robin Garr]

There is supposed to be a franchisee of Pollo Campero, a Central-American fried chicken restaurant, in Kentucky somewhere. As a franchisee, its location isn't on the company website, and searches on Yahoo YP are fruitless, even when trying cities other than Louisville (I've tried Lexington, Cincinnati, Ashland, Bowling Green, Paducah).

I wondered if maybe they were at the flea market off exit 28 on I-64, to the east of Louisville. When I was last at the place, I remembered being surprised at the number of Latinos there, making it a likely spot.

Barring that, anyone actually been to one? WHat was it like?

I think you're confusing this story with Rosticeria Luna, on Preston just south of Gilmore Lane, which was started by a guy who used to be an executive with Pollo Loco, the immensely popular Colombian fast-food chain that's recently expanded into Southern California.

Rosticeria Luna is excellent.

No, it was Pollo Campero, but thanks for the tip. I love fried chicken.

[Robin Garr]

No, it was Pollo Campero, but thanks for the tip. I love fried chicken.

Umm ... Latino rosticerias don't fry chicken. They roast chicken. Fried chicken isn't all that big in Central America and South America.

Well, Spanish was what killed my GPA.

It'll be in Wally World shortly -- no surprise there!

Here is some info from the Progressive Grocer mag:

11/15/2007 BENTONVILLE, Ark-Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is boosting its Hispanic marketing profile via a new tenant/landlord relationship with Dallas-based Campero USA, the U.S. division of foodservice operator Pollo Campero, that will bring Pollo Campero restaurants to Wal-Mart stores beginning in 2008.Guatemalan-based Pollo Campero is a leading Latin American chicken restaurant chain, serving more than 75 million customers a year.Pollo Campero said it has launched an aggressive U.S. expansion after more than 35 successful years in Latin America. Campero now has more than 260 restaurants in 11 countries and three continents. The foodservice chain company said its goal is to open 500 units in the U.S. by 2012, and that the relationship with Wal-Mart will assist in this endeavor.

Here's the link: http://www.grocerynetwork.com/progressivegrocer/magazine/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003673160[/i]

Robin, are you referring to El Pollo Loco in southern california? I can't think of anything called Pollo Loco there, just El Pollo Loco which is a huge chain based in Irvine, Calif. But you're clearly referring to a specific chain based in Colombia so I'm not sure...

[Robin Garr]

Robin, are you referring to El Pollo Loco in southern california? I can't think of anything called Pollo Loco there, just El Pollo Loco which is a huge chain based in Irvine, Calif. But you're clearly referring to a specific chain based in Colombia so I'm not sure...

Tina, I did err about Colombia, but not in concept. El Pollo Loco started in Mexico, not Colombia, but it was nonetheless a huge success south of the border (mostly in Northern Mexico but including, I believe, outposts in Colombia and elsewhere) before it established a foothold in California (and, eventually, a few other Latino strongholds in the US) starting in the 1980s.

<b>Here's a company history</b> from the Pollo Loco Website. The US operation is indeed now headquartered in Orange County.