El Pollo Loco Names Esteemed Restaurant Executive To Vice President Of Operations Post

Stephen J. Sather joins El Pollo Loco to further drive the flame-grilled chicken leader's national expansion plans

(Wednesday, January 18, 2006) - El Pollo Loco, Inc. announced today that restaurant industry veteran Stephen J. Sather, has joined the flame-grilled chicken leader as vice president of operations. In this role, Sather oversees operations for the company's more than 330 restaurants (a combination of company-owned and franchise locations) and will be instrumental in driving the chain's expansion across the nation.
Sather is known throughout the restaurant industry as a dynamic, results-oriented leader with a proven record of creating and implementing processes to facilitate unit growth. Prior to joining El Pollo Loco, Sather was senior vice president of retail operations for Great Circle Family Foods, LLC, the franchise operator of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts in Southern California. Earlier, Sather was chief operating officer for Rubio's Restaurants, Inc. and held senior management positions with Rally's Hamburgers, La Salsa Holding Company and Taco Bell.
"Steve Sather is a strategic power house with a wealth of restaurant industry experience, and we couldn't be more pleased to have him on our team," said Steve Carley, president and CEO of El Pollo Loco. "His exceptional leadership, coupled with an extraordinary level of initiative and focus, will fuel our expansion into new markets while maintaining our commitment to operational excellence and exceptional guest service."
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El Pollo Loco began significant franchise expansion plans last year, which included the introduction of a new restaurant prototype, designed to have broad demographic appeal and flexibility to drive growth outside of its core West Coast market. In October, 2005, El Pollo Loco opened its first restaurant east of the Mississippi, in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood. El Pollo Loco has a pipeline of 145 franchise restaurant commitments in California, Colorado, New England, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas and Washington.
Sather is based at El Pollo Loco's headquarters in Irvine, California and resides in Carlsbad, California with his family. He holds a Bachelors degree in business administration from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

About El Pollo Loco
El Pollo Loco currently operates 333 restaurants (191 franchised locations and 142 company-owned restaurants), located principally in California, with additional restaurants in Arizona, Nevada, Texas and Illinois. Headquartered in Irvine, California, El Pollo Loco, Inc. is a privately held company owned by Trimaran Capital Partners and company management. Trimaran is a private asset management firm, headquartered in New York, with assets under management and committed capital in excess of $3 billion. For more information about El Pollo Loco, visit the company's website at www.elpolloloco.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements about, among other items, the sales, revenues, products, consumer acceptance, growth rates and growth and franchising potential of El Pollo Loco, Inc. The statements reflect management's current expectations regarding future events. Risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, food-borne-illness incidents; increases in the cost of chicken; our dependence upon frequent deliveries of food and other supplies; our vulnerability to changes in consumer preferences and economic conditions; our ability to compete successfully with other quick service and fast casual restaurants; our ability to expand into new markets; our reliance in part on our franchises; and our ability to support our expanding franchise system; the possibility of unforeseen events affecting the industry in general. Statements about El Pollo Loco, Inc.'s past performance are not necessarily indicative of its future results. El Pollo Loco, Inc. undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as the result of new information, future events or otherwise.

This information is not offered or disclosed in connection with an offer to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy any franchise. Any such offer or solicitation is made only through our offering circular and only in jurisdictions where such offers are lawful.

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