The popular Mexican fast-food restaurant “El Pollo Loco,” best known for its flavorful fire-grilled chicken, tasty salsas, and beautiful bowls, is introducing five brand-new items expected by the summer of 2026.
What’s Coming and When?
As of March 5th and 6th, El Pollo Loco began market testing five original food items, including a new beverage! The testing process is expected to run through mid-April before they are officially added to their restaurant menus.
The following items will soon be ready for customers to try, including;
The Honey Chipotle BBQ, a citrusy chicken based in sweet and smoky sauces
Loco Tenders, fried, flavorful strips spiced up and ready to drive local chicken-lovers loco
Loaded Quesadillas, cheesy grilled chicken pocketed in a warm flour tortilla
Crispy Grilled Chicken Sandwich, filet style on a toasty bun 
Mexican-style Horchata Coffee Drink, cinnamon- and vanilla-flavored.
Each item is expected to be available in late April, and while a total of eight new items are expected in 2026, these are the first five to be revealed to the public for now.
The Expectations Before the Release
Before new menu items are available to customers, they must be checked for safety, quality, potential health violations, and allergens. Other food factors sought by chefs and focus groups include recipe consistency, appearance, texture, and flavor.
El Pollo Loco is testing in about 60 different locations in California and Utah. And while it is typically a high priority for fast food chains to meet customer expectations, the CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) Jill Adams emphasized the further importance of culinary innovation, and how fresh, unique food is a great value that pairs with the satisfaction of hungry customers.
“The ‘Let’s Get Loco’ rebrand last year wasn’t just a call to action for customers, it’s also a mantra for our internal teams to push the boundaries, test the limits, and deliver truly unique culinary innovation to our customers in a way that only El Pollo Loco can,” said CMO Jill Adams. 
Essentially, “What should we have for dinner? Let’s Get Loco” was a 2025 slogan created to motivate customers to make passionate meal choices. As Adams explained, “It’s so much more than a tagline, it’s really about celebrating the passion of others.”
And it sounds like the restaurant and its testing team are putting immense effort into keeping their brand famous for its uniquely fresh ingredients. Because Chef Rene Piscotti, the Sr. The Director of Culinary Innovation spoke about how “These market tests allow us to explore new flavor directions, bring more variety to our guests, and ensure every item we launch incorporates their feedback and reflects what our customers are craving most.“
Both Adams and Piscotti assured their thoughtful, continued approach to bringing safe and valid items to the menu.
A Test Item in Action 
As far as remaining a SoCal charm for many foodies, El Pollo Loco stays in the game. However, they have now joined the competitive “fast-food chicken wars” by introducing their own spicy chicken tenders for Orange County locations. And for the currently unreleased products, “KTLA 5” has a list of the California cities where the restaurant is currently testing them. Including Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, and more.
The restaurant challenges other competitors by “going beyond their grilled heritage” and finding a way to “do fried at a higher quality”, as CEO Liz Williams said to the publication. And so, in anticipation, El Pollo Loco will deliver fried options that promise to continue carrying the cultural uniqueness of their other culinary offerings!
