El Pollo Loco - Yorba Linda

Went to get food at 7pm today (Saturday) and there were two employees inside. Doors were locked and they were refusing to take orders through the drive thru. Signs said dining room was supposed to be open until 8pm and drive thru until 930pm. The employees refused to acknowledge any of the customers, letting them sit in the drive thru for an extended time before the customer realized that they weren't taking orders. This was my first time trying this location, because the Anaheim Hills location has recently taken a turn for the worse as well. Looks like El Pollo Locos are on the decline fast.

I will NEVER darken the door of this location again. Because I know I 'll be vilified for this review, let me say that I am a business owner and as a business owner the customer is ALWAYS the primary priority. This is especially true in the service industry. Today El Pollo Loco was not staffed primarily by El Pollo Loco employees but rather by a group named Clear Motivations, which was evidently an adult special needs group. Let me say I fully support this kind of group, but it was not appropriate during a lunch hour rush, especially since one of the special needs employees and his assistant were sitting at a table on break leaving the front counter even more understaffed. Fast food is key during a lunch hour, fast being the operative word. There is a time crunch for most of us. I stood in line third and it took me ten minutes to get to the front of the line. When I got to the front of the line all the employees stepped away from the counter. After waiting more than 5 minutes with the line growing behind me out the door, I said excuse me, the line is out the door, can you help us? Evelyn, in her Clear Motivations polo, responded to me, I 'm sorry ma 'am, we can let other people 's food get cold, and left me waiting several minutes more. And I stood waiting several more minutes while they caught up in the drive thru, I could see all the orders on the board in red (late). Once my order was finally taken more than 20 minutes after my arrival I stood and waited another 10 minutes to get my order when I was able to open my tacos back at the office, back late from lunch, I found stale tortillas and dark avocado on my street tacos, my husband 's $5 meal had almost no chips and whoever replaced the root beer syrup in the drink machine did it with something other than root beer syrup, I think it was actually a bad mix of something because it didn 't taste anything like root beer. I will say again, I do not begrudge the concept of worker training for these special needs adults, but I do take issue with the complete breakdown of the service process of the restaurant, and I take great issue with the lack of urgency on the part of the trainers to do their job to serve El Pollo Loco 's paying customers on a lunchtime time crunch. Do better.

Ordered 3pc family meal through uber eats took an hour long to get my order. Called the store and told me they are busy thats why the chickens are burnt. So they told me to come to their store to get a new chicken. Whats the point of delivery!!!!!

I worked here almost 20 years ago. COVID ruined the few fresh colors that made this chain highlight. After living in San Francisco and New York, I can clearly say that the problem with the chain is nothing more fresh or juicy. Most ingredients are dry and blazing, microwave tortillas (which is not new), but the chicken is always overcooked. Wünsch the chain owners would stop to turn random menu items and revise the focus on fresh salsa (bar) and juicy chicken. I can get dry chicken everywhere.

I have been coming to this location for many years, but lately all the tables are dirty and you can see food all over the floors. Like today, there was not a single clean table. Very disappointing. ?