El Pollo Loco — Restaurant in San Marcos

I give this place a zero because my whole family got food poisoning from here and corporate did nothing I had the receipt and never got a response I spent 60$ on 💩 food a year goes by we decided to get some salads from here instead of getting the family bundle still spent 50$ and got half assed the entire order! We called to get it replaced and the guy was really nice and offered us a replacement! We went in today September 12. 2025 and the manager on staff, she was so rude and asked for my receipt and I looked to see if I might have it but I didn’t and the other manager Who offered to replace it didn’t ask us to keep our receipt so we told her that and she just gave me a shitty look And just walk to the back and said let me look I didn’t ask for my name. She was just being rude the whole time for no reason I was very nice and understanding and then she comes back 10 minutes later from the back. I’m guessing she was expecting us to leave and starts making the order and all the people that work. There are just standing around looking at the people in line. Nobody’s getting helped. It was just ridiculous. This place needs to either be shut down or managed by somebody who honestly knows how to run a restaurant. I work in the restaurant industry and never would I treat my guest like this. This was the worst experience I’ve ever had in a restaurant. This is why it’s so long and corporate needs to reach out because this is bullshit. Please don’t go to this location. You’re wasting your...

Went in to go pick up an order a family member had made online. When I got in there and approached the counter to tell them I was picking up there were three or four, maybe five staff members behind the counter doing stuff and I was completely ignored by all of them. Even in making eye contact with me and knowing I was there they just flat out chose to ignore me. Not even a hello or anything. A guy finally ended up coming out from the back and was nice enough, in that he was polite but still kind of seemed like he just wanted to get through this fast. I explained I was there to pick up an order and gave the name, and he brought it to me. I asked if I could get some salsas and before I could explain which ones, he said they already put some in there, feeling the bag and saying that there was a lot in there (right, I guess three green salsas and three pico de gallos is a LOT). The vibe of the place was overall just pretty awkward and unwelcoming so I decided to just say my thank you’s and leave. Once we were eating, my family noted that the chicken was pretty dry, and the food just didn’t seem as flavorful as it used to be. I’m also seeing quite a few other not so favorable reviews, so I would suggest that this location try to get it together, starting with hiring a...

I usually dont eat here.. Sadly have had bad experiences .. But tonight i had this craving for a chicken bowl... So here i was... Around 8 at night.. I ordered they told me they were out of rice .. Bummer!!! 😓😓 but hey they offered extra chicken 😁😁... So i paid .. Sat down.. And waited.. There was like 3 other people dining in as well.. 5 workers.. Mostly all working to get rid of their drive thru line .. Been there.. I work in a restaurant . Drive thru as well.. So i get it.. So i waited.m got my bowl.. It was a hot mess.... Ironic.. Cuz the food was cold.. Beans cold.. Chicken cold.. Had a slice and a.half of avocado.. And def did not see any extra chicken added.. I counted 10 small cube shaped chicken pieces... 😔😔 very disappointed .. My chicken avocado bowl.. Was litteraly.. A whole lot of beans .. Few pieces of chicken, a lil bit of cabbage, corn, and a few slices of tomato.... Where was the sour cream.. The cheese.. The extra chicken... The presentation.... Oh and they gave me two tortillas .... That def were not warmed up enough.. Stiff, cold , it was terrible... Im sorry to say this but i was right .. It still was a horrible experience.. Will def not eat pollo loco again.. I tried to give this place a second chance.....