Restaurant Opening Leader

El Pollo Loco, Inc.; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

HSA Savings Account

401(K) Retirement Plan

Paid Vacation

Sick Pay

12 Paid Holidays

Employee Assistance Program

Free Food

Restaurant Discounts

PerkSpot discounts

Job summary

El Pollo Loco, Inc. is seeking a Restaurant Opening Leader to drive open- ing new restaurants and stabilize at-risk locations. You will model elite GM performance, lead on-site operations, and collaborate across departments to ensure readiness and success from Day 1.

The role requires extensive travel, ownership mindset, and the ability to coach incoming leaders while safeguarding food safety and labor practices. This is a full-time position based at the Support Center with field travel.

Qualifications

• Must have General Manager experience with El Pollo Loco.
• Strong communication and leadership capabilities.
• Ability to travel 100% of the time.
• Comfortable leading in unfamiliar or newly built environments.
• Flexibility to work various shifts, including weekends and holidays.

Responsibilities

• Lead on-site execution for restaurant openings and stabilization.
• Partner with Operations, Training, HR, and Facilities for readiness.
• Model standards and labor deployment with accountability.
• Coach leaders and transfer systems knowledge to the GM.
• Protect company assets and ensure safety and compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Communication

Operational judgment

Travel willingness

Job description

At El Pollo Loco, we are on a mission to be the nation’s leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant. When it comes to our people, we are all about growth. Whether that means specialized training, a clearly laid out career trajectory or collaborating cross-functionally, we are committed to the success of our people the same way we’ve been committed to the success of the El Pollo Loco brand for the last 50 years. In fact, we see you as our secret ingredient. While our chicken is fire, it’s our people who set us ablaze.

Our restaurants are only the tip of the flame! If you’re looking for an innovative, winning, and welcoming workplace, then a flamin’ good career in our Restaurant Support Center is right for you.

At our Support Center, we believe our best work is done Together, when departments collaborate and everyone is confident in contributing their ideas. This is why we are in the office 3 days per week.

Let’s Get Loco!

What’s in it for you!

• STRONG office culture recognized as a Great Place to Work® and driven by our core values: Simple. Together. Relentless. Ownership. Nimble. Growth
• Career growth opportunities
• Competitive pay and bonus potential
• Medical + Dental + Vision Insurance + HSA Savings Account
• 401(K) Retirement Plan with company match and immediate vesting
• Paid Vacation + Sick Pay + 12 Paid Holidays
• Employee Assistance Program
• Free El Pollo Loco food + restaurant discounts
• PerkSpot discounts program

POSITION PURPOSE:

The Restaurant Opening Leader is a leader assigned to New Restaurant Openings to model elite General Manager performance and establish operational excellence from Day 1. This role does not replace the permanent GM at new restaurant openings — it elevates them through targeted focus and support.

The Restaurant Opening Leader sets the cultural tone, demonstrates ownership, accountability, and STRONG Values in action, and builds the capability of the incoming leadership team before transitioning the restaurant to its permanent leader. This role requires availability of travelling extensively and for long consecutive durations of time.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Restaurant Opening Leader will be responsible for both opening new restaurants and stabilizing at-risk restaurants. When not opening new restaurants, the Restaurant Opening Leader will support stabilizing Field Operations with restaurants and Managers (at all levels) in need of support and guidance in achieving company goals.

Model Best-In-Class Leadership

• Lead on‑site operational execution for all phases of restaurant development from pre-opening, training, opening, and through stabilization.
• Partner with Operations, Training, HR, and Facilities to ensure readiness in staffing, systems, food safety, and compliance.
• Conduct hands‑on modeling of standards.
• Demonstrate what strong labor deployment, food cost control, and operational discipline look like.
• Coach and model how to lead with urgency and accountability.
• Coach and model to protect company assets and uphold EPL STRONG Values in all environments.
• Coach and model how to hold leaders to standards respectfully but firmly.
• Coach and model timekeeping, food and workplace safety, and compliance discipline.

Establish Loco Love Culture

• Coach and model Loco Love in every interaction with guests and team members.
• Coach and model how hospitality should feel — not just be spoken about.
• Demonstrate professional leadership presence.
• Set expectations around communication, accountability, and teamwork.

Build the Permanent GM’s Capability

• Coach all Managers in real time.
• Coach and model team conversations, pre‑shift meetings, team performance management, and recognition.
• Provide feedback on leadership presence, operational judgment, and standards execution.
• Transfer systems knowledge (ordering, inventory, scheduling, deployment).
• Reinforce duty‑to‑report standards and elevate concerns immediately.
• Ensure the permanent GM is confident and competent before handoff.

Leave Behind Structure

• Confirm restaurant management team and team members understand compliance responsibilities.
• Validate staffing readiness and role clarity.
• Ensure labor, food cost, and inventory controls are executed precisely.
• Ensure strict adherence to food safety, workplace safety, timekeeping, and break compliance.
• Ensure systems are running correctly.

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, the candidate must be in good standing with HR approval. Must have prior General Manager experience with El Pollo Loco, including:

• Enthusiastic and positive demeanor, with a genuine passion for providing exceptional team and guest experiences.
• Strong communication, attention to detail, and organizational skills; ability to speak, write, and comprehend basic English.
• Strong coaching capability with proven ability to train new team members effectively.
• Strong operational judgment and decision‑making skills.
• Demonstrated ability to take ownership of a shift and hold self and others accountable.
• Demonstrated high performance.
• Certified in all restaurant positions.
• Ability to lead confidently in unfamiliar or newly built environments.
• Flexibility to work various shifts, including weekends and holidays.
• Commitment to upholding EPL values and standards of excellence.
• Ability to travel 100% of the time.

Our Company

In 1980 the first American El Pollo Loco opened on Alvarado Street in Los Angeles, quickly becoming a destination for the best citrus‑marinated, fire‑grilled pollo in town. Over the past four decades, El Pollo Loco has grown into more than 500 restaurants across 9 states, becoming an L.A. mainstay and cultural benchmark along the way. Today, we continue to work just as hard to always provide our customers with Quality Chicken. Fast. Easy. Affordable.

The pay range identified is the hourly or salary rate El Pollo Loco expects to pay for the posted position. This range does not include any benefits or bonus opportunities that might be available for the position based on position and eligibility criteria. At El Pollo Loco, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the high end of the range. Individual pay decisions will vary based on a variety of factors including years of experience, industry experience, education, geography, etc.