El Pollo Loco vs AllStar Wings & Ribs Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of El Pollo Loco vs AllStar Wings & Ribs including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
El Pollo Loco Franchise
AllStar Wings & Ribs Franchise
Investment $900,000 - $1,755,000$772,500 - $1,093,286
Franchise Fee $40,000$45,000
Royalty Fee 2%-3%-4%-
Advertising Fee --
Year Founded 19752003
Year Franchised 19800
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Term Of Agreement 20 years-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
El Pollo Loco Franchise
AllStar Wings & Ribs Franchise
Experience We require a minimum of five years of experience as an owner/operator within the restaurant industry. You must also live in the area of development in order to manage the restaurant on a daily basis.

It helps to have specific knowledge of the industry. It is not necessary to be a foodservice professional to successfully operate the business. The "Extraordinary Training" function is specifically designed to educate and train franchisees that do not have significant experience.


Financing Options

 
El Pollo Loco Franchise
AllStar Wings & Ribs Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees No/No-/-
Start-up Costs No/No-/-
Equipment No/No-/-
Inventory No/No-/-
Receivables No/No-/-
Payroll No/No-/-

Training & Support

 
El Pollo Loco Franchise
AllStar Wings & Ribs Franchise
Training * Seven weeks pre-opening training for franchisee and restaurant managers * Franchise training consultants offering ongoing training programs for crew and management * Complete restaurant-opening support

8 weeks at Home Office. Initial Training covers the A to Z of running your restaurant. We supply The AllStar Operation Manuals, Employee Handbooks and Training Manuals. The application of the operating system is thoroughly covered during training. This includes: Staff recruitment and management Supply Chain Management and Inventory Control Food Preparation and Presentation Advertising and Marketing Financial and Business Administration All other topics relevant to running your Franchised Business. Training is ongoing for everyone in the AllStar System and is accomplished at regional meetings, by on-site visits to individual franchises, newsletters and on-going research and development of the System.

Support Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations

Pre and Post Opening site support as well as on-going support.

Marketing Has a proven history of successful marketing Is aligned with award-winning advertising agencies Utilizes a strategic approach to building a strong brand Is focused on driving traffic and sales profitably We provide a full array of targeted advertising tools and marketing plans to build awareness and drive customers into our restaurants through: Innovative marketing and advertising campaign Development and execution of bilingual promotional strategies Product innovation to fuel sustained growth Support for grand openings Marketing plans tailored to each market's needs Effective communication and support of franchisees' needs Access to El Pollo Loco's online LSM toolkit (at franchisees disposal) -
Operations Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 40% of all franchisees own more than one unit

Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 25

Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

We prefer owner/operators. We will consider an arrangement in which one shareholder is silent Your partner must be a working shareholder holding a minimum of 10% of the shares.


Expansion Plans

 
El Pollo Loco Franchise
AllStar Wings & Ribs Franchise
US Expansion Yes-
Canada Expansion NoYes
International Expansion No-

Company Overviews

About El Pollo Loco

In 1975, Juan Ochoa opened a roadside chicken stand in Guasace, Mexico, he called El Pollo Loco. Ochoa served chicken the same way his mother did, hand-marinating using an old family recipe and flame-broiling. The stand quickly grew in popularity, and over the next four years, Ochoa's family opened 85 restaurants in Northern Mexico. The chain moved into the United States in 1980 with the first restaurant opening on Alvarado Street in Los Angeles, California. El Pollo Loco featured an authentic recipe of fresh chicken marinated in special herbs, spices and citrus juices, and then fire-grilled to perfection. The restaurant quickly became a local favorite. Over the years, El Pollo Loco has added tacos, burritos and salads to its menu, all featuring the Ochoa family's chicken. In 1995, the chain entered into a joint venture with Foster's Freeze to offer soft-serve treats at El Pollo Loco restaurants. Today, the tradition continues with signature dishes that satisfy consumers’ desire for flavorful food that fits well with today's active lifestyles. We're currently fire-grilling marinated chicken in about 400 company and franchise-owned El Pollo Loco restaurants.

Franchise fees apply to new and existing franchisees with multi-unit development agreements in new markets through March 31, 2018. The initial franchise fee has been cut to $30,000 for the first restaurant and $20,000 for each additional restaurant. The standard franchise fee is $40,000, and $30,000 for secondary units. The initial franchise fee for any restaurant opened in the calendar year ahead of the year in their development schedule will be cut by 50%. And any restaurants opened beyond the multi-development agreement will be eligible for a zero dollar initial franchise fee. Royalty fees have also been reduced for the first time in three years: 2% for the first year, 3% in the second year, and 4% in the third year. The standard royalty fee is 5%.



About AllStar Wings & Ribs

In 2003 Tom Anastopoulos, the Founder and President of the AllStar Group of Companies, was lamenting over supper one night that there didn't appear to be any really great place for wings. Coincidentally, the dinner Tom was serving was ribs. Everyone loved Tom's ribs! So while the dinner time discussions revolved around wings, it was quickly decided that Tom's excellent ribs should also be a staple of a daring, new business. And so AllStar Wings & Ribs was born! It was an instant success! It soon became evident that the success came as a result of careful planning and meticulous execution of the concept. Tom was sensitive to the fact that customers demand value and value meant quality product, fair price, great service and a convenient location. Product in the restaurant business is of paramount importance. So with AllStar the quality of the product that is served and the uniqueness of the service give AllStar Wings & Ribs Restaurants a distinct advantage over competition. Since its inception AllStar has focused on the quality that made the initial success possible. The combination of 180 flavours of wings to choose from, a "to-die-for" selection of meaty ribs, great service from a highly trained wait staff and an overall fun atmosphere continues to make new locations follow the successes enjoyed by earliest ones. For families, kids, fun-minded singles, adults and seniors looking for fun, cool atmosphere with great food and excellent service, AllStar Wings & Ribs delivers on all fronts. Recognizable by its multi-flagged logo, unique interior colours and multitudes of televisions and sports memorabilia on the walls, AllStar has quickly gained a reputation as an outstanding themed restaurant that delivers GREAT wings & ribs, great value, abundant portions and a memorable dining experience. AllStar Wings & Ribs' attention to detail and uncompromising commitment to quality has created a compelling image with customers in the marketplace - thereby occupying a unique position in the foodservice industry.