Pollo Campero, the world’s largest Latin American chicken franchise, is set to come to San Pablo by the end of 2025.
The Guatemalan-born franchise with headquarters in Dallas is expected to open a restaurant and drive-through late next year on the corner of San Pablo Avenue and San Pablo Dam Road. The restaurant will be built in a parking lot shared by FoodMaxx and Planet Fitness, and it could bring more than 40 jobs to the area.
The San Pablo Planning Commission approved the major design review and conditional use permit for the 2,619-square foot project last month, and a Pollo Campero spokesperson confirmed the projected late 2025 opening
“Pollo Campero wants to give locals the opportunity to enjoy Campero’s internationally famous fried and citrus-grilled chicken made from family recipes passed down from generation to generation,” a spokesperson with Pollo Campero said in a statement.
Since its founding in 1971 as a family restaurant in Guatemala City, the Guatemalan and Salvadoran diaspora have been spreading the gospel of Pollo Campero in the United States. Passengers on international flights from Central America who don’t have Pollo Campero at home have been known to take boxes of chicken and sides on board, filling plane cabins with the scent of deep-fried chicken.
In more recent years, the company has been focusing on growing its footprint in the United States. Pollo Campero opened its first restaurant in Los Angeles more than two decades ago, and has also set up shop in San Francisco. This year, CMI Foods, the parent company of Pollo Campero, celebrated the opening of its 100th restaurant in the United States, offering guests at the new Florida spot free refills for life.
In the Bay Area, there are Pollo Campero locations in San Francisco in the Mission and at Fisherman’s Wharf, and there is a Pollo Campero “digital kitchen,” offering delivery and takeout only, in Oakland.
CMI Food is planning to open at least 25 new U.S. restaurants by the end of this year, growing to a total of 250 locations by 2028.
At the San Pablo planning commission meeting in June, officials expressed support for the proposal, and appreciation for the outdoor seating options and the addition of trees.
Gabriela Marks, the architect involved in San Pablo’s Pollo Campero project, said the company looks for vibrant communities that are open to new products, and San Pablo was selected as one of them.
Marks asked the commission if they had a chance to try the food.
“It’s a really, really good product,” Marks said.
“I have not,” said Jerome Jackson, planning commission chair. “But I look forward to seeing it once you guys come to town.”
Exciting news for San Pablo. Looking forward to enjoying this new addition!
A fast food restaurant isn’t news. San Pablo needs to work on finding something other than a casino to get jobs in town. There are already: Taco bell, (2) Jack in the Box, (2) MacDonalds, Popeyes, Nations, El Pollo Loco, and Burger King, all for a population of 31K. This does not count the same restaurants in Richmond and in El Sobrante. The New Cop City compound is a move backwards and will not contribute to the betterment of the community (which is already over-policed). Community policing needs to be fast tracked, not fancy gun ranges. If the growing un-housed population is not addressed asap, it will grow exponentially. The city leaders need to stop pocketing their paychecks and actually lead, which is what they were hired (by the people) to do.
This will increase the traffic problems around the 880 access: more cutting people off, blocking intersections and back-ups on San Pablo Ave and Appian Way. A better use of that space would be reconfiguration of traffic patterns in that area to mitigate the problems already there, not to exacerbate them.
It’s nice that they are possibly “bringing 40 new jobs” to the area. More slave labor for rich people to make their money from?
To the people who say there are too many fast food places: How many food trucks, taquerias, pupuserias are there in Rich/SP? Are we going to cap the number? How about selling food out of homes? I can tell you news of this Pollo Campero is spreading fast. I know people all over the East Bay and Marin who will make it a destination , that’s the nostalgia love people from CA have for this brand. Don’t worry, we are a fast food community, we can absorb another fast food place.
Hooray for infill development! Delicioso infill 🤤