El Pollo Loco — Restaurant in Long Beach

Take this review SERIOUSLY!! Diners beware! I have no idea what is happening to management at this location :/... I have been coming here for many years.... this was actually one of my favorite Pollo Loco facilities.. not anymore... Covid changed this place completely.. they are short staffed, some of the workers are rude and disrespectful whenever there is a slight question about the order (not all employees, there are some great ones) but that is actually not what prompted me to write this review.. I regret not taking pics of food items..

1)... they are re-heating chicken that looked like it had already been cooked (could have been 1-2 days old or more than that, we will never know, right)

2).. the salads include lettuce that may already be ready to throw out and they have cut back in the ingredients that should be in there

3)... the water in the salsas was already separating which means that the salsa is days old or they are adding water.. big no, no (I cook Mexican food so I know exactly what that means)

4).. the rice was also reheated :/

5)... the churros were wrapped in aluminum foil and were deflated and rubbery when I got home and opened them...

I am all about supporting privately owned franchises and I really dislike writing negative reviews but sometimes owners need to really get with it and make changes or sell your part to someone who really has a passion for this type of business. Pay your workers more to keep them motivated to stay... this particular location has always been very busy so I definitely don't think the owners are losing money .. it just may be due to an overall mismanagement or lack of...

I'm giving 4 stars as the food and even the service was not terrible it was just slow. Now when I say slow I don't mean they were working slow and orders were taking a while but more that the employee just seemed like he was not all there at work that day. Basically I went in to pick up a preorder and gave my name and the guy said "one second" sure no problem. Then a woman who was waiting asked if her order was ready as she had been waiting. They bagged her food and said just waiting on a taco salad. They took a while and she complained her other food was getting cold. It was a valid complaint in my opinion and she wasn't rude about it. I thought to myself "is this what I am in for tonight?" Regardless I sat down to give them the benefit of the doubt. 10 min later I walked up and the same guy asked me "order or pick up" as if I just walked in the store (this is why I say it seemed like he wasn't all there that day). I Gave my name again and they grabbed the order. Not sure if it was already ready when I first arrived or how long it was sitting there but it was still hot so no big deal on that part just felt I wasted 10 minutes sitting there when I...

I went to this el pollo loco numerous number of times. All tho they are the most convient near my job and employees are always friendly i am forced to give a bad review. The very last time i went i ordered a 2 piece leg and thigh. Recieved my order and left. 10 mins later i began to dig in my bag and start eating the skin off the piece of chicken and when when i bit into a piece i realized it was white meat and not what i ordered. I returned to the el pollo loco and inf them that i had recieved the wrong chicken and asked if they could exchange it. I was a bit irrated and watched the lady hand the food back to the cook and he processed to take out the chicken i just had my hands all over AND PUT IT BACK ON THE GRILL. I WAS DISGUSTED!!!! I informed the lady that i had just bit the pick of chicken the the cook and just put back with the other chicken and she informed me that it was procedure to do so. Ugh. Health hazard for sure. I didnt did not want the new chicken they were going to provide me ... I just kept the drink ans rice and asked them to refund me for the chicken. Havent eaten el...