News

El Pollo Loco adds steak to menu

January 7, 2010

El Pollo Loco, known for its flame-grilled chicken, is putting a new protein on its grill: sirloin steak. The new offerings include two varieties of Flame-Grilled Sirloin Steak Tacos, a Sirloin Steak Bowl and the Sirloin Steak & 3-Cheese Quesadilla.

"We're not putting our chicken out to pasture. It still rules the roost," said Steve Carley, chief executive of El Pollo Loco Inc., in a news release. "But when our fans shared their passion for new ways to enjoy the flame-grilled taste of El Pollo Loco, we couldn't wait to bring the sizzling flavor of our juicy new Sirloin steak to the masses."

Available in stores Jan. 9, El Pollo Loco's newest additions include several sirloin steak specialties prepared Carne Asada style:

Two Steak Tacos — Citrus-marinated, flame-grilled sirloin steak with cilantro and onion in authentic corn tortillas
Grillmaster Steak Taco — Citrus-marinated, flame-grilled sirloin steak layered with melted Jack & Cheddar cheeses and topped with fresh Pico de Gallo and guacamole in an authentic grilled flour tortilla
Sirloin Steak Bowl — Citrus-marinated, flame-grilled sirloin steak served with fresh cilantro, onions and Pico de Gallo salsa atop Spanish rice and pinto beans
Steak & 3-Cheese Quesadilla — Citrus-marinated, flame-grilled sirloin steak layered with three melted cheeses — Jack, Cheddar and Cotija — grilled in an authentic flour tortilla and served with guacamole and sour cream

TV ad support will begin Jan. 17 with the debut of two new campaigns — one each in English and Spanish — that introduce the Flame-grilled sirloin steak menu as well as new "flame" characters that communicate the difference that grilling over an open fire makes. In the English spots created by Los Angeles-based Krueger Communications, the Firemaster (a grill chef created entirely out of CGI flames) demonstrates why El Pollo Loco is the only place he can grill his always perfect chicken and steak. As an original CGI character, the Firemaster is poised to become a well-recognized and unique mascot for El Pollo Loco.

The new Spanish-language spots created by Burbank, Calif.-based cruz/kravetz:IDEAS, take viewers into Grill-land where they discover a comedic band of flame characters that offer the inside story behind the flame-grilled deliciousness of El Pollo Loco.

El Pollo Loco also will host a Stampede for Steak event Jan. 20 to bring the herds into the Los Angeles store at 8154 Sunset Blvd. at Serrano. El Pollo Loco will offer a free flame-grilled sirloin steak taco to customers dressed in cowboy-themed clothing between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Those who tweet, post on Facebook or e-mail El Pollo Loco a picture of themselves in their cowboy or cowgirl attire at the Stampede for Steak will be entered to win $250 in El Pollo Loco gift vouchers. Five winners will be selected.