[El Monte] [Fast Food] El Pollo Loco

El Pollo Loco
4794 Peck Road
El Monte, CA 91732
(626) 448-6767
http://www.elpolloloco.com

To counter KFC's free grilled chicken offer, El Pollo Loco also offered their grilled chicken for free the next day.  KFC only gave away 1 piece of chicken.  El Pollo Loco gave away 2 pieces + tortilla.  El Pollo Loco won 1 point for that.  I got to the fast food joint around 10:30am, and only about 5 people were in line.  Nice!


Flame-Grilled Chicken

El Pollo Loco's grilled chicken was marinated in special herbs, spices and citrus juices.  It just tasted much more flavorful than KFC's.  Plus you get to eat the chicken with their spicy avocado sauce and salsa wrapped in tortilla.  El Pollo Loco got another point for that.



Spanish Rice ($1.00)

They offered small sides for $1 each.  I got a few of them.  The Spanich rice was my mom's favorite.  We like to put the rice in our self-made chicken mini burrito.


Mashed Potatoes ($1.00)

Mashed Potatoes was alright.


Corn Cobbete ($1.00)

Corn Cobbete was a big disappointment.  On the menu, the picture shows about 5 or 6 cobbete in the container.  So I thought a small order probably will have 2 or 3.  Nope.  You get 1.  It was like 1/3 of a corn.  Even at the special price of $1, it was way too expensive.


Caesar Bowl
Chicken breast, romaine lettuce, rice, creamy cilantro dressing, cotija cheese, Pico de Gallo & tortilla strips

I went alone first because I wasn't sure how long the wait would be.  After finding out the line was short, I sent my parents there after I got http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com.  They also said the line was short.  But there was a bus (YES... BUS) load of really old people from an old people http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com there in the parking lot.  They already got their free chicken and was about to leave.  Some of the grandpa/grandma couldn't even walk too well.  But they workers at the old people http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com made them stand in line to get their free "lunch".  My parents said they were all speaking Cantonese.  Hmmm... not a very nice old people http://www.eileenlikestoeat.com.

Anyway, so my parents got the free chickens.  But they said they felt bad if they just get the free food, so they bought 2 chicken bowls with a buy 1 get 1 free coupon.  I don't know the exact price, but my parents said each bowl was about $5 something.  What?  A small bowl like that for $5?  What a ripoff!  But with the coupon, 2 for $5, that's more acceptable.

The Caesar Bowl was very good.  I like the fresh salad with the creamy cilantro dressing.  The chicken breast was really tender.


The Original Pollo Bowl
Chicken breast, pinto beans, rice, cilantro, onion & Pico de Gallo

The Original Pollo Bowl had rice, bean, and chicken.  I thought the Caeser Bowl tasted better, but the Original Bowl was more filling.

So who is the winner at this grilled chicken war?  I say El Pollo Chicken.  Seriuosly, it just tasted better.  In my opinion, I think KFC should just stick to fried chicken.  They should just focus on their specialty and try to make it better.  So which one do you like better?  KFC or El Pollo Loco?

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