Franchising FAQs

A:

Pollo Tropical® (Spanish for “Tropical Chicken” – pronounced Po-yo Trōp-ee-cal ) is a warm and friendly Miami-based chain of quick-service restaurants featuring a real fire-grill where we prepare fresh, citrus marinated chicken along with a variety of other dishes, including complementary side dishes, a “salsa bar,” offering freshly made salsas, sauces and condiments, and a full menu of sandwiches, soups, wraps, salads and desserts … all embodying our motto: Food You Feel Better About Eating.

The company is growing internationally through the proven business model of franchising, backed by an unwavering commitment to outstanding support, product innovation, defense of the brand and its trademarks, and unparalleled restaurant management systems.

A:

Pollo Tropical is NOT a typical QSR restaurant. We are not simply a food assembly plant; we prepare and cook food just as the best casual dining restaurants do.

Pollo Tropical is NOT a Mexican restaurant. Our home of Miami is an international city with a distinctly Pan-Caribbean flair.

Pollo Tropical is NOT a master franchise scheme. We are in the business of running our own restaurants in our home market of the USA, and in international markets we generally award franchises only to those who wish to own and run their restaurants too.

A:

No, Pollo Tropical only selects franchisees with the financial strength to fund their own development. Note that there are certain US Government backed programs that may be available to finance the export of US-manufactured equipment, however, and we are more than happy to connect our franchisees with those agencies.

A:

Yes. Recognizing that in some international markets food courts are the primary method of developing restaurant brands, the company does have the flexibility to adapt to food court locations. It is important to understand, however, that because sales generated in food courts are usually lower than sales from free-standing locations, Pollo Tropical encourages its international franchisees to seek prime, free-standing locations whenever possible, especially for the first restaurants in each market.

A:

Our brand is successful because we deliver a consistent, excellent product with unparalleled hospitality in a comfortable and welcoming environment unique to Pollo Tropical. This does not change wherever our brand is developed. Some minor adaptations may take place though, to ensure acceptance within international markets. In every country, our R&D and the Franchise teams assess what adaptations may or may not need to be made to our menu, our service style or any other elements of our system. All changes must be approved by Pollo Tropical. At all times and in all markets world-wide, our recipes and our “trade dress” (the trademarks, colors, uniforms, menu design, etc.) are rigorously maintained.

A:

In general, Pollo Tropical only awards franchises to companies already in the chain restaurant business or a related hospitality industry field. Under certain circumstances, established holding companies in other industries may be considered on a case-by-case basis, provided they demonstrate exceptional organization with the resources and infrastructure needed to create a viable restaurant development company.

It is important to understand that success in the chain restaurant business requires an incredible amount of hard work, excellent real estate and consistent compliance with system standards. Today’s food service environment is exceedingly competitive all over the world, and only companies with significant financial resources and a deep understanding of the business from an operational, marketing and a real-estate development perspective can expect to compete effectively in this marketplace.

A:

Please fill out the online inquiry and you will be contacted by Pollo Tropical if you meet the required qualifications.