ComplaintsforEl Pollo Loco Inc

• Initial Complaint

  05/14/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On May 13,2024 I went to El Pollo Loco Store 3442 located at *********************************. Upon arrival I ordered food with my son. Order# ***. The employee at the counter a female hispanic was ordering very fast and didn't get my order right. I have been at this location many times. Usually the employees are professional. This one was trying to complete my order to fast and I had to correct her so I could get what I wanted. I could see that she was not having a good day and then she started talking in Spanish to one of her other employees and it was about me. I understand spanish. I want you to know that I have talked with the manager at this location before about his employees and he doesn't care at all. I am fed up with this location and will never be eating there again. I have been in law enforcement for 29 years and always treat people fair and impartial. I just want to be reimbursed for my terrible meal that I had.

  Business response

  05/21/2024

  Hello ****, 

  Thank you for bringing your recent experience to your attention. At El Pollo Loco, we take customer feedback seriously and are committed to improving our customer service. To address your concerns, our Franchise Business Director will be speaking with the owner of the location to ensure additional customer interaction training is provided to the team. Our goal is to enhance the quality of service you and other customers receive during your visits. We will follow up with you in the next 2-3 business days to update you on the measures being taken. Your satisfaction is important to us, and we appreciate your patience as we work to improve your experience. Thank you for your understanding and continued support

  With Gratitude, 

  *****************************

  Customer Experience Manager

   

• Initial Complaint

  04/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Ive been unable to place online orders using the Pollo Loco iOS app or the website. Ive tried using multiple credit and debit cards but repeatedly get this error despite my payment info being correct:We are currently unable to take your order. Please check your payment information and try again.

  Business response

  04/11/2024

  Hi ******, thank you for taking the time to contact El Pollo Loco. We understand the frustration this may have caused and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience.The issue you experienced is likely due to our recent safety update,particularly regarding payment security. To ensure a seamless ordering process, please ensure that the billing address associated with your credit card matches the mailing address you've entered. Any discrepancies could potentially disrupt the transaction process, resulting in messages prompting you to check your payment information and try again. If you encounter any further difficulties or have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our customer support team. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We value your loyalty and are committed to providing a smooth, secure online and app ordering experience.

• Initial Complaint

  04/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On april first i went purchased 4 bowls and a 3pc meal all my chicken was burnt i called as soon as i seen it when i got home they tood me come back another day and we will fix the issue my father went and tried getting our order corrected they didnt give us all our meals and not just that my dad handed them a receipt you could read and when they returned it to him it was all greassy and you can hardly see anything my dad said im missing food they didnt care i want a refund i dont think customer should have to be treated with no care and ive been going to this place for years

  Business response

  04/04/2024

  Hi ******, thank you for taking the time to contact El Pollo Loco. Making freshly prepared food is our top priority, and we thank you for voicing your concerns regarding your online ordering experience. We've shared your feedback with our Franchise Business Director to ensure that the operations leader contacts you regarding a refund and about the overall experience at the store. Please allow our Franchise Business Director 2-3 business days to work with the location and ensure a follow-up call is made. We appreciate your patience and will do everything we can to ensure you have a better experience in the future. Thank you again for voicing your experience!

   

• Initial Complaint

  03/07/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Pollo bowl combo went up but almost $2 and this company never notified anyone via social media their website nothing it's completely unacceptable

  Business response

  03/11/2024

  Hello ****, thank you for taking the time to contact El Pollo Loco. We appreciate your feedback on our menu pricing and strive to provide our loyal customers with amazing food at great prices. We occasionally take price increases to ensure we can continue to deliver top-quality fire-grilled chicken and the great service that our customers have come to expect from us. We have shared your pricing feedback with our ********************** Team, as we always want to ensure our customers voices are heard. If you have any questions or additional feedback, please don't hesitate to contact us. Thank you! 

• Initial Complaint

  03/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I was charged for an online order (8:50 PM Saturday March 2) then when I went to pick up the food as scheduled I was told that they were sold out of everything. I asked for a refund and was not given one because the employee said that their manager instructed that I had to cancel the order on the app, which was not an option because the app had the order marked as completed. I was not offered food or a refund. I havent been contacted by the establishment, despite calling myself today. El pollo loco stole ***** from me and Id like it back. Thank you.

  Business response

  03/05/2024

  Hello *******, thank you for taking the time to contact El Pollo Loco. We've shared your feedback with our Franchise Business Director and have asked our Franchise Operator to give you a call regarding your online ordering experience at the El Pollo Loco on Palm Ave. Please allow the Operations Leader 1-2 business days to contact and resolve your recent experience. If you have any questions or additional feedback, please don't hesitate to contact us.

  Customer response

  03/06/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  ******* ****
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This is regarding order # ***************** I had placed the online order at 5:30pm on 02/08/24 scheduled for pick up at 6:15pm I arrived around 6:30pm and went up to the pick up area and gave my name. The staff promptly gave me my order and I asked if everything was in there They reassured, but I had to check. Turns out they were missing my other 8pc ************ which I had to wait another 30 minutes for I know that things happen and sometimes it gets really busy; it's frustrating but totally understandable After returning home to have dinner with my wife and kids, we found out that some of the chicken pieces were under cooked; about 3/4 of the entire order It makes sense why they were under cooked - because they were ******* to give me the rest of the order.I was standing by the pick up area the whole time and could see the butcher trying to find any piece that looked "cooked" and tossed it into my tray As he was chopping up the chicken pieces, he tossed some back on the grill. I'm assuming because they were still under cooked I called the store and spoke with the manager/supervisor. I requested a refund and let him know that I can bring the chicken in for them to inspect I was told the following: "it's kind of hard to do that since it's already open." He insisted that they can charge me for a different order instead, but can't do a refund Me and my family had already lost our appetite and I ended up getting something else for dinner, which further prolonged our dinner.I am very disappointed in how the person on duty handled this particular situation and didn't provide any type of reasonable solution to the issue It's not my first time getting food at El Pollo Loco. Me and family loves the chicken and side dishes.I was able to deal with the longer wait, but serving under cooked chicken and denying your refund? That's just unacceptable.I hope this feedback helps the store and staff get properly trained and further improve their customer service

  Business response

  02/13/2024

  Hello ****, Thank you for contacting us. Making freshly prepared food is our top priority, and we thank you for voicing your concerns over the quality of your meal. We appreciate your feedback and have shared it internally with our Restaurant Excellence Team to ensure we work to create a better customer experience in the future. We are happy to provide a full refund which will appear within your account in the next 3-5 business days. If you have other concerns or additional feedback, please don't hesitate to contact us. 

• Initial Complaint

  01/18/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I placed an online order through their app. I got an email right after stating that they had cancelled that order and to call ************** if I had any problems or further questions. When it went through the companies mobile app put a hold on my card. I did not worry initially, but then the charge for that order was all taken from that account. Upon calling the number they stated that they did not ever deliver so it was through a 3rd partythey would not help me resolve this issue. I then called their corporate number and they stated they wanted all of my personal information and would get this to the proper person to deal with this issue. I feel like their app is not easily navigated if that store did not deliver they should state that. I dont understand the burden of proof and identification needed to get my money back for food that was never prepared or delivered to me. It was through their own app.

  Business response

  01/25/2024

  Hi *****, thank you for reaching out to us regarding your online order experience at our **************** location. We've shared your information the Franchise owner to ensure a follow up call is given regarding your experience on 1/17/24. Please allow 1-2 business days for the operation leader to follow up and should you have any questions please feel free to respond to this thread.  

• Initial Complaint

  01/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I placed an order online but it was sent to the wrong store. I immediately called to cancel. They said it had to be done online. No where online was I able to cancel. No one at the store was a me to cancel the order. I sent a msg on the app and have yet r receive a full refund for the meal that I never received. This is the order number ***************** and it was at the ************** location. I would like to receive my full refund on my card.

• Initial Complaint

  12/11/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I ordered the carnitas wet burrito with no Pico and they got my order wrong and also did not provide the chips with my combo. Hoping I can just get a credit or another meal. Thank you

  Business response

  12/22/2023

  Thank you for taking the time to contact El Pollo Loco.

  Making freshly prepared food is our top priority, and we thank you for voicing your concerns over the quality of your meal. We appreciate your feedback and have shared it internally with our Restaurant Excellence Team to ensure we work to create a better customer experience in the future. As a token of our commitment, we will be sending you 2 $10 Be Our Guest Voucher to the address provided to the BBB. Thanks for being part of our Familia! 

  Sincerely,
  *****************************
  Customer Experience Team
  **************************. 

• Initial Complaint

  11/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I placed an order online in the app and I didn't receive my drink this is not the first time this had happened I didn't report it but I did call the restaurant about it they said go online and file a complaint they are located at ********************************************************************** the order # is22820224020792302

  Business response

  11/28/2023

  Thank you for taking the time to contact El Pollo Loco. Making freshly prepared food is our top priority, and we thank you for voicing your order accuracy concerns during your recent visit. We appreciate your feedback and have shared it internally with our Restaurant Excellence Team to ensure we work to create a better customer experience in the future. As a token of our commitment, we added a $10 redeemable to your Loco Rewards account for the overall experience. This one-time-use redeemable reward can be found under the My Offers section within the Reward tab and must be used in its entirety and has no cash value. Thanks for being part of our Familia. We look forward to your next visit!  
  
  Sincerely,
  *****************************
  Customer Experience
  **************************. 

  Customer response

  11/28/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
  
  Regards,
  
  *******************************
  
   
  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩