El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOCO) Q4 2020 Earnings Conference Call March 11, 2021 4:30 PM ET Company Participants Bernard Acoca - Chief Executive Officer and President Larry Roberts - Chief Financial Officer Conference Call Participants Jake Bartlett - Truist Securities Andy Barish - Jefferies David Tarantino - Robert W. Baird and Company Todd Brooks - CL King & Associates Operator Good day, ladies and gentlemen. And thank you for standing by. Welcome to El Pollo Loco's Fourth Quarter 2020 Earnings ...

Table of Contents UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 10-Q (Mark one) ☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the quarterly period ended September 23, 2020 or ☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to Commission File Number: 001-36556 EL POLLO LOCO HOLDINGS, INC. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) | --- | --- | - ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For Q3 2020, total revenue was approximately $111 million, a slight decrease from $112.1 million in Q3 2019 [21] - Pro forma diluted earnings per share increased by 40% to $0.28 compared to $0.20 in the prior year [7][25] - The company reported a net income of $9.9 million, up from $6.4 million in the same period last year [25] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Company-operated restaurant revenue was $97.3 million, down from $99.1 million in the same period last year, primarily due to the sale of five restaurants to franchisees and temporary closures related to COVID-19 [21] - Franchise revenue increased to $7.8 million from $7.3 million, driven by a 3% increase in franchise comparable restaurant sales [22] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - System-wide sales increased by 1.8% during Q3, with comparable sales outside of Los Angeles increasing by 6% [8][9] - The unemployment rate in Los Angeles was reported at 15.1% in September, nearly double the national rate, impacting sales trends [8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on operational efficiencies and has achieved the highest restaurant contribution margin in over two years at 22.4% [10] - New product launches include L.A. Mex Burritos and a focus on family meals, which accounted for over 30% of sales mix [11][12] - The company plans to enhance drive-thru operations and curbside pickup capabilities, reflecting a shift in consumer behavior due to COVID-19 [14][16] Management Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about returning to positive comparable restaurant sales and the potential for sales growth as economic conditions improve [7][9] - The company anticipates challenges due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic but remains committed to its transformation agenda and operational improvements [18] Other Important Information - The company has temporarily halted new company-operated unit development and does not expect new openings in 2020 [20] - The Loco Rewards Loyalty program has reached 2 million members, with app downloads increasing by approximately 45% since September [12][13] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is driving the expected margin decrease in Q4? - Management indicated that Q4 is typically the softest margin quarter due to holiday-related increases in volume and lower margins [29] Question: How should margins be viewed long-term as dining rooms reopen? - Long-term margin challenges will depend on pricing strategies and the relationship between transactions and labor costs as dining rooms reopen [31][32] Question: What caused the shift in same-store sales performance between company and franchise locations? - The difference is attributed to the concentration of company restaurants in California, which faced greater economic headwinds compared to outer markets [35][37] Question: What is the real estate pipeline for next year? - The company expects to open 3 to 5 new company-owned restaurants next year, with franchise development anticipated to be higher than this year [39][40] Question: What enhancements are being made in the remodels? - Future remodels will focus on technology and drive-thru efficiency, including double drive-thrus and smaller dining room footprints [42][44] Question: What efforts are being made to attract new franchisees? - The company is preparing to aggressively recruit new franchisees and has identified target markets for expansion [50]

Table of Contents UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 10-Q (Mark one) ☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the quarterly period ended June 24, 2020 or ☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to Commission File Number: 001-36556 EL POLLO LOCO HOLDINGS, INC. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Delaware 20-3563182 ...

El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOCO) Q2 2020 Earnings Conference Call July 30, 2020 4:30 PM ET Company Participants Laurance Roberts - CFO & Treasurer Bernard Acoca - President, CEO & Director Conference Call Participants Jack Corrigan - SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Andrew Barish - Jefferies Matthew DiFrisco - Guggenheim Securities Andrew North - Robert W. Baird & Co. Todd Brooks - CL King & Associates Operator Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for standing by. Welcome to the El Pollo Loco S ...

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share LOCO The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC FORM 10-Q (Mark one) ☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the quarterly period ended March 25, 2020 or ☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to Co ...

El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LOCO) Q1 2020 Results Earnings Conference Call April 30, 2020 4:30 PM ET Company Participants Laurance Roberts - Chief Financial Officer Bernard Acoca - President and Chief Executive Officer Conference Call Participants Jake Bartlett - SunTrust Robinson Humphrey David Tarantino - Baird Andy Barish - Jefferies Sharon Zackfia - William Blair Matthew DiFrisco - Guggenheim Todd Brooks - C.L. King & Associates Operator Good day ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for standing ...

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 10-K (Mark one) ☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 25, 2019 or ☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to Commission file number 001-36556 | --- | --- | --- | |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ...