Review of the Pollo Campero Franchise Opp and Startup Costs

The quick service restaurant industry is one of the most exciting and most reliable franchising opportunities that exists around the world today. Featuring quality foods and quality prices, in some ways the QSR field has revolutionized how people approach food. What Pollo Campero does is change the concept of quick service so that instead of getting a burger or a sandwich, you’re going to get food that comes on real plates and needs to be eaten with real silverware. With fresh foods that are made to order, the goal of this organization is to let people sit back, relax, and enjoy some incredible food.

It’s working too, because this Latin chain is breaking sales records around the world. With just 50 locations in the United States and more on the way, this is definitely an investment opportunity to think about.

What Is the Initial Investment Required?

To get started on your journey towards owning a Pollo Campero franchise, you’ll need to go through Phase 1 of their five phase system of becoming a franchisee. The first phase involves an extensive background and credit check that will verify your assets, prove your history of investment success, and allow you the opportunity to get to know the organization a little better as well. You’ll need to provide proof of your financial records during this phase of the franchising process.

If you move onto Phase 2, then you’ll receive your first interview with Pollo Campero about becoming a franchisee. This organization is looking for people who have a true passion for food and won’t compromise on their standards of service no matter how busy their restaurant might become. In this phase, you’ll have have the chance to discuss the ins and outs of the business with other existing franchisees to see if it is the right investment to make for you.

In the third phase of the process, you’ll have a second interview with the home organization about becoming a franchisee. You’ll also be required to submit a full business plan to the licensing department for approval in order to continue with the process. Once that has been reviewed, you’ll receive notice as to whether or not you’ve been approved for a franchise. That begins Phase 4 of the process, where you’ll sign your store development agreement.

It is in Phase 4 where you will be required to pay your franchise fee, which is $40k. Many franchisees have a mandatory development schedule of 5 locations that are part of the agreement, which means the initial investment is usually a minimum of $200k in franchising fees. Your sites will become secured, your build outs approved, and you’ll be permitted to proceed to Phase 5 when you can open your restaurant.

Once you achieve your grand opening, there’s a continuing franchise fee that is 5% of weekly gross sales. There’s also a regional advertising royalty of 1% and you’ll be required to spend 4% of gross sales on local advertising efforts. The system utilizes MenuLink software, which also means a $3,600 upfront fee per store and $1k in annual maintenance fees.

What Kind of Support Do You Receive?

It’s the experience at Pollo Campero that sets this QSR apart from all the rest. What you’ll learn as a franchisee is this organization’s unique system of providing a quality product for a QSR price point that consumers like. Your marketing advantage is that you can provide fresh foods that are prepared after ordering instead of high fat options that might be sitting around for a while and have been frozen for who knows how long. You’ll get a chance to work with the recipes, get hands-on in an actual restaurant, and go through the operations manual to see what the organization’s best practices happen to be.

You’ll also receive ongoing support in the form of selecting the right location, negotiating bids for build outs, and other typical startup tasks that a franchisee must go through in order to achieve their grand opening. If you have real estate that you believe would be a good location for a Pollo Campero, and then speak with them about your location to determine if it would meet their requirements. All site locations must be approved by the home organization before any progress in the franchise agreement can be made.

There’s also continuing ongoing support that is given by the home organization to help keep your franchise vivid and strong in the minds of your consumers. New dishes are periodically introduced and there is admin support available as needed for those occasional hiccups a franchise can sometimes face.

Is This the Right Investment Opportunity?

Pollo Campero is aggressively pursuing franchisees and looking to build their brand, which means this could be a very exciting opportunity to get in on considering it is still in the early stages in the United States. With over 300 total locations in 12 countries, however, the brand is a proven commodity and the excitement that comes with a fresh meal in a QSR atmosphere is second to none. There is a high level of perceived value that this brand brings to a community and as a franchisee; you’ll be able to deliver upon the value well.

The vetting process with Pollo Campero also means that you’ll be working with a lot of like-minded people as a franchisee that all share a common goal: mutual success. You won’t find yourself stumbling over other locations just down the road or any of that other nonsense that other franchisees in the QSR niche face. You’ll instead be part of a networked family of franchisees that are all working hard to grow the brand, increase sales, and is extremely popular in markets that have heavy Latin or Hispanic influences.

If your community has the targeted demographics, could use a quality QSR, and you’ve got the skills and personality that Pollo Campero are looking to find, then this could be the perfect investment opportunity. Take a closer look at it yourself today.