Founded in Guatemala in 1971, Pollo Campero is a popular Central American quick-service chicken restaurant that is planning a Louisiana expansion, starting with a new location in Jefferson Parish. Pollo Campero made a name for itself across Central America with its fried and grilled chicken dishes: fried chicken meals, grilled chicken meals, chicken sandwiches, chicken nuggets, and empanadas. The restaurant also serves family meals and sides inspired by recipes from the region, including yuca fries and sweet plantains.
Co-franchisee Diego Ruiz told What Now New Orleans that the details of a lease are being finalized for a location at 4808 Lapalco Blvd. in Marrero. Ruiz and his franchise partner Mauricio Blanco took over the Pollo Campero location in Kenner near the airport in May 2023, and Blanco said they’ve grown the business at that location by more than 25 percent since the takeover. He added that demographics were a big reason for choosing the new location in the West Bank.
“The greatest concentration of Central Americans in the area will be within 10 minutes of that new store,” Blanco said. “Some of those people are already coming to Kenner. So, in our opinion, that will be a very successful store in Marrero.”
Blanco also said him and Ruiz plan to open three more stores in the area, but the next location is still very much up in the air.
“New Orleans is a very saturated market when it comes to restaurants, so finding the right location is very important,” he said. “We’re looking at all of our options, but we have the intention and capacity to grow the brand.”
