Is El Pollo Loco or la Madeleine cheaper to open?

El Pollo Loco costs $793,750–$2,685,500 and la Madeleine costs $1,230,360–$2,254,160 to open (FDD Item 7). El Pollo Loco has the lower entry cost.

Which earns more, El Pollo Loco or la Madeleine?

El Pollo Loco reports $2,192,050 average annual unit revenue vs $2,187,227 for la Madeleine (FDD Item 19). El Pollo Loco is higher.

Which is the better franchise, El Pollo Loco or la Madeleine?

FranchiseVerdict grades El Pollo Loco A and la Madeleine A, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

El Pollo Loco vs la Madeleine

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both El Pollo Loco and la Madeleine are quick-service restaurants franchises. El Pollo Loco requires an investment of $794K – $2.7M while la Madeleine requires $1.2M – $2.3M. In terms of revenue, El Pollo Loco reports higher average unit revenue at $2.2M. El Pollo Loco has SBA lending data on file with a 6.5% charge-off rate. FranchiseVerdict rates El Pollo Loco A (Strongest tier) and la Madeleine A (Strongest tier).

Metric	El Pollo Loco	la Madeleine
Verdict Grade	AStrongest tierStrongest tier	AStrongest tierStrongest tier
Investment Range	$794K – $2.7M	$1.2M – $2.3M
Franchise Fee	$20K	$20K
Royalty Rate	5.0%	5.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	$2.2M	$2.2M
SBA Charge-Off Rate	6.5% (61 loans)	N/A
Total Units	503	91
Unit Growth (YoY)	N/A	N/A
Year Began Franchising	1980	2011
FDD Year	2026	2025