Franchise opportunities compared
El Pollo Loco vs Fat Shack
Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.
Initial investment · Item 7
El Pollo Loco
$793,750
2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 33Fat Shack
$183,250 – $487,600
2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18Initial franchise fee · Item 5
El Pollo Loco
$40,000
2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15Fat Shack
$35,000
2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12Royalty · Item 6
El Pollo Loco
Not available
Fat Shack
6% · percent of Gross Sales
2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
- Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (El Pollo Loco: 34, Fat Shack: 2). Different groups are not directly comparable.
Financial commitment
El Pollo Loco
Fat ShackEl Pollo Loco
Fat Shack
El Pollo Loco
Fat Shack
El Pollo Loco
Fat Shack
El Pollo Loco
Fat Shack
System scale & health
El Pollo LocoFat ShackEl Pollo Loco
Fat Shack
El Pollo Loco
Fat Shack
El Pollo Loco
Fat Shack
El Pollo Loco
Fat Shack
El Pollo Loco
Fat Shack
Financial performance (Item 19), by location group
El Pollo LocoFat ShackItem 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.
El Pollo Loco vs Fat Shack: common questions
- Which costs less to open, El Pollo Loco or Fat Shack?
- El Pollo Loco: $793,750 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 33); Fat Shack: $183,250 – $487,600 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Fat Shack. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- Which has more locations, El Pollo Loco or Fat Shack?
- El Pollo Loco: 503 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 91); Fat Shack: 31 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 48). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do El Pollo Loco and Fat Shack disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- El Pollo Loco has reviewed Item 19 figures for 34 location groups; Fat Shack has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.
Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.
Keep researching
Full El Pollo Loco report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
Full Fat Shack report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
