El Pollo Loco — Restaurant in Dallas

Normally when I go to this El Pollo Loco they have great customer service through the drive-thru and front counter. I spend a lot of money here to be exact I've already gotten three or four $10 coupons so that means I've spent between 3 and $400 and not counting the money I spent before I got the app I always tell everyone to go here and buy food and I also bring my doctor here on some Sundays along with her mom so we can eat a good meal. But tonight around 6:30 I went and first of all when I pulled up in the drive thru I told the young man I had a coupon and he asked me a few questions and I was uncertain about them so I asked could I drive around to the window so we both can have a better understanding and he was hesitant about that when I get to the window the young man and his coworker are there at the window I showed them my coupons I had on my phone is simply said if you purchase a family meal you can get five free tamales but I realize what I did wrong was having them think that I was trying to use the coupon for the family meal and the coupon for the free tamales which I was trying to purchase the family meal and get the tamales for free which the employee I was trying to explain to me but every time I come to this restaurant that employee and I don't know her name always is rude or she speaks very loudly and you feel like she has no customer service at all everyone else there is nice. The food I got tonight was horrible the chicken was overcooked there was no way me or my kids could eat the skin at all the macaroni was overcooked the rice was hard and the tamales were so dry and on the ends where the chicken and sauce is supposed to ooze out it was burnt and dry ever since I've been going here I have never gotten food this way and like I explained in the beginning most of the staff is very nice but there is two or three people that work there that are rude and when I went inside to place another order after I came through the drive-thru the young man was putting bags on the bag stand he acted like he did not want to speak to me but he spoke very dry and low and when it was time to take the order I just assumed he helped the other man that was standing there when I walked up but he hadn't he thought the bags were more important and you could tell he really didn't want to be there or maybe he is just young and doesn't know a lot about customer service. I am 37 years old I used to work at Whataburger I have working at the hospital Medical City of Dallas for 15 or 16 years inside of a gift shop and no matter how bad my day was going or how I felt I never would take it out on the customers. I feel like a lot of these young people they want to work but they don't want to do what it takes to help the establishment stay # one they just want a paycheck. What's so messed up I work by the El Pollo Loco on Plano Road and Beltline and their food is not good and every time I eat there my stomach ends up hurting an hour later so I driveway on Forest and Abrams just to get food from there because it's always fresh and hot and the customer service most of the time is great but now I just don't know if I want to even come back and after all the customers I have brought their including my family it's just like a...

One of the most unnecessary frustrations that should not have occurred. I was in the area so we decided to eat out instead. When we got home, there was some confusion with the two different burritos; mine wasn't the one I usually get. I called the store and spoke with a manager. I even asked the manager what the ingredients were, and he said it was no big deal to re-make it. Okay cool. I arrived, only to discover that I had called the incorrect restaurant. Because I believe Richardson has two restaurants. The employee proceeded to take the old burritos and wanted to go back and forth.I was already irritated by the fact that I had to drive 30 minutes away from home, let alone have two children who were past their bedtime. I asked the employee if she had the menu so I could explain to her what was wrong with the order, she said there's no menu, I had to go through online only to find the menu, let her know etc. all for her to go back and pull out her little guidance "handbook" when she could've just pulled it out from the beginning of the conversation to save us all the energy. I told her right away that I wasn't going to argue about something I clearly am unfamiliar with, let alone work at. When I finally had to raise my voice, she said she was still going to make them; she could've just taken the burritos and redone them, or she could've said no and I could've just left. No, but "Brenda" felt the need to express her "right." We didn't eat the burritos that were still wrapped in the bag at the end of the night. Because the order was still incorrect. She never asked me how I wanted them because she shut the window before I could finish. The burritos are still in the bag,...

I had an absolutely terrible experience at this El Pollo Loco 9425 Forest Ln, Dallas, TX 75243 two days ago. I asked if they could give me more thigh pieces instead of drumsticks, and at first, they flat-out refused. I found this frustrating because at another location—specifically the one at Belt Line and Plano Road—the staff has always been accommodating and professional.

After finally getting my order and leaving, I realized just a few minutes later that they had given me only seven pieces instead of eight. So, I went back to address the issue. I spoke to a very young employee who claimed to be the manager, and instead of resolving the mistake professionally, he accused me of possibly hiding or throwing away a piece just to get another one. I have never in my life been insulted like this at a restaurant!

The level of unprofessionalism at this place is shocking. If that person is truly the manager, I feel bad for this location because with that kind of attitude, they are bound to lose customers and money. It’s unbelievable how fast food chains hire staff with no professionalism just because they are willing to accept low wages.

For anyone considering eating here, I strongly recommend avoiding this location. If you want a better experience, go to the Belt Line and Plano Road location instead—the staff there is much nicer and actually know how to treat customers.

I ended up returning my order and getting my money back. I will never return to this...