El Pollo Loco Launches First of Its Kind “Air Loco” Drone Delivery

COSTA MESA, Calif., June 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Starting June 24, El Pollo Loco, Inc. (“El Pollo Loco” or “Company) (Nasdaq: LOCO), the nation’s leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant chain, will become the first national restaurant company to test door-to-backyard drone delivery. The test-and-learn pilot of its drone delivery service is the continuation of the company’s digital evolution and focus on customer experience.

“We’re highly encouraged by the evolution of our digital flywheel and continued enhancement of the strategies we put in place last year,” President and Chief Executive Officer, Bernard Acoca said. “We look forward to further growth on the heels of our record-breaking 250% increase in delivery performance in 2020.”

El Pollo Loco is launching the pilot with Tel Aviv-based drone startup Flytrex, which manufactures and operates automated drones that cruise at 32 mph without traffic or other impediments and use a wire release mechanism to gently lower food orders from 80 feet.

“El Pollo Loco continues to explore new and innovative delivery services that offer our customers added quality and convenience, and the Air Loco drone delivery pilot program is our latest effort to unlock fresh options for getting our fire-grilled chicken to hungry customers everywhere — piping hot and in perfect condition,” El Pollo Loco Vice President of Digital Andy Rebhun said. “We want to offer drone food deliveries that are fast, convenient and safe. The insights gleaned during this test-and-learn pilot will play a crucial role in helping us shape this exciting new service ahead of its rollout.”

The Air Loco drone is also outfitted with a fastened delivery box that keeps orders intact, which means customers will receive hot fire-grilled chicken and fresh L.A. Mex food packed in El Pollo Loco’s new Thermo-to-Go™ packaging, in a fraction of the time it would take for a conventional delivery to arrive. During the pilot, a select number of El Pollo Loco’s loyal Loco Rewards members in Southern California will be surprised with one of the first fire-grilled flights, and will have the Air Loco drone gently lower their food order from from high above their home.

In addition, starting June 24, all customers can enjoy free delivery on El Pollo Loco’s current platform. This special, limited-time promotion aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of El Pollo Loco’s new Thermo-To-Go packaging, which keeps food hotter for longer. To take advantage of the free delivery offer, customers simply need to place an order of $20 or more on ElPolloLoco.com or through the Loco Rewards mobile app. Visit ElPolloLoco.com for more information.

About El Pollo Loco
El Pollo Loco (Nasdaq:LOCO) is the nation’s leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant with a mission to bring people together around food, family, and culture in the communities it serves. El Pollo Loco is renowned for its handcrafted L.A. Mex food, an innovative blend of traditional Mexican cuisine and better-for-you eating, that Los Angeles is known for. Since 1980, El Pollo Loco has successfully opened and maintained more than 480 company-owned and franchised restaurants in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and Louisiana while remaining true to its Mexican-American heritage. El Pollo Loco continues to grow and evolve, nourishing connections to tradition, culture, and one another through fire-grilled goodness that makes us feel like familia. For more information, visit us at ElPolloLoco.com.

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About Flytrex
Flytrex is ushering in a new era of on-demand delivery. Flytrex provides a direct-to-consumer autonomous drone delivery service that lets retailers and quick-service restaurants (QSRs) cater to a wider customer base with faster, safer and cheaper on-demand deliveries than ever before.

From setting new drone safety standards to helping advance regulations to meeting the ever-evolving needs of retailers and consumers alike, Flytrex is bringing about a future of simpler, quicker, and greener autonomous airborne delivery. Headquartered in Tel Aviv, the Flytrex team has 50+ years aerospace and defense experience

MEDIA CONTACT:
Rosie Herzog
Edible
213-878-7867 | EPLMedia@Edible-Inc.com

A photo accompanying this announcement can be found at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/81b7e2a7-8adf-4c43-b9e1-48ff8b18195e