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El Pollo Loco gearing up new location on Albuquerque鈥檚 West Side
The restaurant will employ between 50 and 70 people
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El Pollo Loco is spreading its wings and gearing up for expansion in Albuquerque.
The flame-grilled chicken chain, popular throughout the West Coast, is slated to open on the West Side in mid-September. The restaurant will revitalize a long-vacant Carl鈥檚 Jr. at 3811 Ellison NW near a Chick-fil-A and Cavender鈥檚.
鈥淲e like that area,鈥� said franchisee Ashim Chopra. 鈥淲e started the whole process probably last November or December, and we are in construction now.鈥�
The city鈥檚 Planning Department issued a $370,000 permit for the project in late July, allowing for alterations at the site. The 3,024-square-foot building will receive all-new exterior finishes and signage, a modified interior layout, restroom upgrades and kitchen equipment, according to the permit filing.
Plans for the restaurant are progressing roughly nine months after the chain opened at 845 Juan Tabo NE 鈥� the first of nine units Chopra signed agreements for in 2023.
In years past, El Pollo Loco had locations across Santa Fe and Albuquerque, according to Journal archives. The chain began eyeing a reentry into New Mexico in 2021.
The community鈥檚 response to the chain has been 鈥渂etter than we expected,鈥� Chopra said. El Pollo Loco is known for its spiced and citrus-marinated chicken featured in burrito bowls, quesadillas, nachos, tostadas and salads, typically between $15 and $20.
The West Side restaurant will employ between 50 and 70 people, who will provide both dine-in and drive-thru service, Chopra said.
Chopra has also determined the site of El Pollo Loco鈥檚 third Albuquerque location 鈥� another former Carl鈥檚 Jr. along Central Avenue 鈥� and is preparing permit applications for that remodel. Chopra said his eyes are 鈥渁lways open鈥� to finding potential locations in other New Mexico cities as well.
鈥淲e love the market; we love the people,鈥� Chopra said. 鈥淲e want to bring the family presence of what we have in the stores and make sure that everybody in New Mexico has the opportunity to come and enjoy our food and what we love.鈥�
Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com.
