El Pollo Loco Employees Volunteer to Help Train Gen Z For Their First Jobs

Company Partners with Non Profit to Offer Valuable Lessons for High School Students

El Pollo Loco (“El Pollo Loco” or “Company”) (Nasdaq:LOCO), the nation's leading fire-grilled chicken chain, today announced its participation in Force In Training™ (FIT) Day, an annual event organized by the California Restaurant Association Foundation (CRAF) to teach high school students practical skills to help land their first job. Led by volunteers from local restaurants in California, the students learn essentials not necessarily taught in school curriculum such as writing resumes, interview skills and tips for applying for jobs. This one-day classroom takeover will be hosted in 53 high schools across the state of California, training close to a total of 3,500 students. FIT Day is a part of ProStart®, a program offered through CRAF that provides restaurant career-exploration and training programs for high school students.

“We are members of each community where you can find an El Pollo Loco restaurant and we see mentorship as an important responsibility to help the next generation joining the workforce achieve their full potential,” said Jennifer Jaffe, Chief People Officer of El Pollo Loco. “As a Company that prides itself on its employees and the great work they do every day, we hope the students feel inspired, excited and confident to land their first position with the help of the El Pollo Loco and Force in Training teams.”

Restaurants play a key role in youth employment, with nearly one-in-three individuals getting their start in the restaurant industry. A person’s first job is critical to fostering skills such as teamwork, organization, responsibility, and more.

“We are so grateful to El Pollo Loco for taking the time to invest in our students,” said Alycia Harshfield, Executive Director of CRAF. “For 75% of the students we serve, this is the only job-readiness course they receive. Together with our volunteers and partners, we are preparing these young people for very bright futures.”

For more information, visit www.calrestfoundation.org/fit  

About El Pollo Loco: El Pollo Loco (Nasdaq:LOCO) is the nation's leading fire-grilled chicken restaurant chain renowned for its masterfully citrus-marinated, fire-grilled chicken and handcrafted entrees using fresh ingredients inspired by Mexican recipes. With more than 480 company-owned and franchised restaurants in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and Louisiana, El Pollo Loco is expanding its presence in key markets through a combination of company and existing and new franchisee development. Visit us on our website at www.elpolloloco.com.

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About the California Restaurant Association Foundation:California is home to more than 90,000 eating and drinking places that ring up more than $72 billion in sales and employ more than 1.6 million workers, making restaurants an indisputable driving force in the state’s economy. The California Restaurant Association Foundation is a non-profit that empowers and invests in California's current and future restaurant workforce. Founded in 1981, CRAF supports the restaurant community through emergency assistance grants for restaurant workers facing a hardship, job and life skills training for 9,000 high school students each year, and scholarships.