El Pollo Rico LLC
El Pollo Rico LLC is a family-owned Peruvian rotisserie chicken restaurant chain operating four locations in Virginia and Maryland, serving individual diners, families, and event groups with charcoal-broiled pollo a la brasa and catering services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersArlington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What El Pollo Rico LLC does
El Pollo Rico LLC is a privately-held, family-owned Peruvian rotisserie chicken restaurant chain founded in 1988 by Victor and Nelida Solano in Arlington, Virginia. The company operates four restaurant locations across Virginia (Arlington, Fairfax, Woodbridge) and Maryland (Wheaton), serving local diners, families, and individuals seeking authentic Peruvian-style pollo a la brasa. The core offering is charcoal-broiled rotisserie chicken prepared from family recipes originating in Trujillo, Peru, accompanied by standard side items including coleslaw, beans, plantains, steak-cut fries, and a signature sauce.
The business extends beyond dine-in and takeout to include a catering service for large groups and events (with a 24-hour advance ordering requirement) and an online ordering platform launched in August 2020 that lets customers place pickup orders by store location. The technology stack is limited to a standard WordPress-based e-commerce/ordering site and a basic mailing-list signup, with no proprietary platform components, mobile applications, or delivery infrastructure indicated in the available data. Marketing is conducted primarily through Facebook and Instagram under the handle @elpolloricodmv, supplemented by organic press coverage in outlets including Washingtonian, Eater DC, Northern Virginia Magazine, Arlington Magazine, Washington Post, and a notable mention by Anthony Bourdain.
El Pollo Rico monetizes almost entirely through direct consumer restaurant transactions (dine-in, takeout) and ancillary catering fees; menu pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company reports no parent organization, no institutional investment, no franchising activity, and no disclosed revenue figures, consistent with a closely-held small business. Operational expansion has been gradual — a single new location opened in Fairfax in 2022 — and management remains with the founding Solano family.
El Pollo Rico LLC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- El Pollo Rico LLC
- Legal name
- El Pollo Rico LLC
- Website
- https://elpollorico.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- El Pollo Rico LLC is a family-owned Peruvian rotisserie chicken restaurant chain operating four locations in Virginia and Maryland, serving individual diners, families, and event groups with charcoal-broiled pollo a la brasa and catering services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
El Pollo Rico LLC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Peruvian Casual Dining Restaurants
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320), Caterers (72232)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mexican/Latin QSR (Tacos, Burritos, Bowls) (THAFAAAE)
Keywords
Where El Pollo Rico LLC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Arlington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
El Pollo Rico LLC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
El Pollo Rico LLC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
El Pollo Rico LLC operates a chain of four Peruvian restaurants serving charcoal-broiled rotisserie chicken (Pollo a la Brasa) prepared from family recipes originating in Trujillo, Peru, along with side items including coleslaw, beans, plantains, steak-cut fries, and a signature sauce. The company sells individual meals via dine-in and takeout at its physical locations and through its online ordering platform, and provides catering trays for large groups and events with 24-hour advance notice.
Product overview
El Pollo Rico LLC operates as a Peruvian charcoal-broiled rotisserie chicken restaurant chain, offering its signature Pollo a la Brasa as the core product along with complementary side items including coleslaw, beans, plantains, and steak-cut fries. The company provides catering services for large groups and events with advance ordering, and maintains an online ordering platform for customer convenience across its four locations serving Maryland and Virginia.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pollo a la Brasa (Charcoal Broiled Chicken) Signature whole charcoal-broiled rotisserie Peruvian chicken, marinated and cooked over charcoal to produce the restaurant's signature smoky flavor, served with sides such as coleslaw, beans, plantains, steak-cut fries, and a signature sauce. Sold to individual consumers at restaurant locations for dine-in and takeout.
- Catering Services Large group and event catering including chicken trays and party orders, available with 24-hour advance notice and delivery to large groups. Targeted at event hosts, party organizers, and group meal purchasers in the DC metro area.
- Online Ordering Digital ordering platform allowing customers to place orders online for pickup at their nearest El Pollo Rico location across the four DC-metro restaurants.
Companies that use El Pollo Rico LLC
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
El Pollo Rico LLC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
El Pollo Rico LLC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
El Pollo Rico LLC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pio Pio: NYC-based Peruvian rotisserie chicken restaurant chain offering the same Pollo a la Brasa concept with sides, directly comparable in cuisine, format, and family-recipe heritage to El Pollo Rico. Both operate multi-location casual dining concepts focused on charcoal-broiled Peruvian chicken.
- El Pollo Loco: Publicly traded Latin-inspired flame-grilled chicken QSR with hundreds of US locations, directly comparable in menu (chicken-focused) and Latin American culinary positioning, though at significantly larger scale and faster-casual service model.
- Pollo Campero: Latin American (Guatemalan) fried and roasted chicken chain with US presence, directly comparable in chicken-centric Latin menu and family-recipe heritage, though as a larger international operator.
Broad incumbents
- Sizzler: Established American casual dining chain featuring rotisserie/grilled chicken among its menu offerings, comparable in casual family dining and catering/event service positioning, though as a much broader full-service steakhouse-style concept.
- Boston Market: Established rotisserie chicken casual dining chain with broader American menu, comparable in core offering (rotisserie chicken as flagship) and family-meal/catering positioning, though at significantly larger scale and less specialized.
- Kenny Rogers Roasters: Established rotisserie chicken restaurant brand with international presence, comparable in menu focus on wood-fired/rotisserie chicken and family-style casual dining service model.
Emerging players
- Boloco: Latin-inspired fast-casual chain serving bowls, burritos, and wraps with bold flavors, comparable in Latin American cuisine positioning and casual/fast-casual service model, though with broader menu and different geographic focus.
- Peruvian Bros: Smaller, emerging Peruvian rotisserie chicken concept with overlapping cuisine, target customer (Latin-American food enthusiasts), and Pollo a la Brasa specialty, representing a newer entrant in the same niche El Pollo Rico helped establish.
- Roaming Rooster: Wood-fired Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken concept, comparable in charcoal/wood-fired Pollo a la Brasa specialty and casual dining format, though operating as a smaller, emerging regional concept rather than established chain.
Regional players
- Chicken Kitchen: Florida-based rotisserie chicken chain with Latin/Caribbean flavor profiles, comparable in rotisserie chicken menu positioning and casual family-dining format, but operating primarily in a different geographic region.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
El Pollo Rico LLC social profiles
Digital presenceEl Pollo Rico LLC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
El Pollo Rico LLC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
El Pollo Rico LLC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
El Pollo Rico LLC M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about El Pollo Rico LLC
What does El Pollo Rico LLC do?
El Pollo Rico LLC operates a chain of four Peruvian restaurants serving charcoal-broiled rotisserie chicken (Pollo a la Brasa) prepared from family recipes originating in Trujillo, Peru, along with side items including coleslaw, beans, plantains, steak-cut fries, and a signature sauce. The company sells individual meals via dine-in and takeout at its physical locations and through its online ordering platform, and provides catering trays for large groups and events with 24-hour advance notice.
Is El Pollo Rico LLC a public or private company?
El Pollo Rico LLC is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was El Pollo Rico LLC founded?
El Pollo Rico LLC was founded in 1988. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is El Pollo Rico LLC based?
El Pollo Rico LLC is headquartered in Arlington, United States, in the North America region.
Who are El Pollo Rico LLC's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pio Pio, El Pollo Loco and Pollo Campero. Broad incumbents are Sizzler, Boston Market and Kenny Rogers Roasters. Emerging players are Boloco, Peruvian Bros and Roaming Rooster. Chicken Kitchen is listed as a regional player.
Does El Pollo Rico LLC have an API?
No public API is recorded for El Pollo Rico LLC.
What industry is El Pollo Rico LLC in?
El Pollo Rico LLC's product category is Peruvian Casual Dining Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAAAE, Mexican/Latin QSR (Tacos, Burritos, Bowls). Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.