Pollo Tropical is a restaurant that ensures a happy, and healthy lifestyle. It is the kind of place to relax and enjoy a tasty and delightful meal. The eatery is characterized by tropical flavors. It has a wide variety of interesting foods. From its famous grilled chicken, and the roasted mojo pork, any patron will be inclined to visit the diner again. The atmosphere is Caribbean inspired and is quite relaxing.

It all started as a simple recipe for grilled chicken with citrus-marinated flavor in Miami. It has evolved into a chain of restaurants. The parent company is Fiesta Restaurant Group. The headquarters of the chain is in Kendall, Miami-Dade County, Florida. It is found in more than 180 locations worldwide.

History

Larry Harris and Stuart Harris, who are siblings, established Pollo Tropical back in 1988. The establishment was first located in Miami around 37th Avenue, and it is still there up to date, newly refashioned, and looking good as new. In 1993, the establishment went public through the first offering of shares worth 1.5million.

In 1994, it reached 50 million dollar sales mark. The headquarters was also moved to Dadeland, the current location. The restaurant expanded outside the United State in 1995 and opened a franchised restaurant in Puerto Rico. It opened another location in 1996. This involved gathering about 2000 people forming a lunchtime conga line in downtown Miami for the celebrations.

Pollo Tropical was sold to Carrols Corporation in 1998. The eatery has won the black beans and super rice bowl. It has also set the Guinness World Record for serving the largest black beans and rice. In 2002, it earned the Golden Spoon Award for its distinctive restaurant concept and citrus marinade. The sales also reached the 100 million dollar milestone.

In 2006, the franchise grew westwards and opened an establishment in Pinellas Park, Cape Coral, and Tampa. In 2011, Carrols Corporation separated Taco Cabana and Pollo Tropical to form a new, independent public trading company namely Fiesta Restaurant Group managed by Tim Taft. The franchise has experienced immense growth up to date in both the United States and worldwide.

Review

The menu at Pollo Tropical is above average for its type of eatery. It has a wide array of items such as their famous grilled chicken, grilled citrus chicken, veggies, Mojo Roast pork, tropical favorites, salads, soups and much more. The outside catering foods include Caribbean BBQ, Wings, Classic Pollo, and wraps/sandwiches.

The price for the buffets can go for as low as $5 per head. The prices depend on the preference of the customers order. The breakfast is served as early as 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM. The Lunch is served from Monday to Sunday, from 11:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Dinner is also available from 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM Monday to Sunday.

The relaxed ambiance of the franchise is quite appealing to guests. It is open throughout the day until midnight. It has a fast service experience to meet the needs of a significant number of customers flowing in. It has wooden chairs and tables with the tropical or Caribbean concept. The hygiene in the restaurants is top notch as claimed by most of the visitors.

The locations of Pollo Tropical are mostly in the United States. The most important one is located in Miami. The wait times for the diner are minimal as the restaurants adjust based on the flow of customers. Lunch shift is the busiest, while dinner and breakfast are mildly busy. The restaurant makes ordering easy by their pre-set menus grouped for 15, 25, and 50 people.