Pollo Campero is not a typical fast food restaurant. While it does have all of the elements of one, there are subtle differences both in food quality and atmosphere that elevate it above any traditional American fast food spots.
Founded in 1971, Pollo Campero has undergone drastic growth and changes. Originally, there were only restaurants in Guatemala and El Salvador. Demand increased, however, and locations popped up all over Central America. There are currently restaurants in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and now four locations in the United States, two of which are in Northern Virginia.
The opening of the Falls Church location last year is already historic for the company. Even though the restaurant opens at 10 a.m., people began lining up at 3 a.m. to be the first ones to indulge in its delicious Central American food. The wave did not stop, though, seeing as the Falls Church location broke the company record for sales by making $65,000 in just two days. What is this craze about? Who in their right mind would wait for seven hours just for fast food? Aside from a sentimental value – a reminder of home - for people from Central American countries, I attest that Pollo Campero does offer surprisingly good food for the price.
Menu items are comparable to those of a certain American fast food chain run by a Colonel. As a main dish, you can either order fried chicken or camperitos (chicken nuggets). Central American fried chicken is significantly different than what you’ll find in the U.S. It is not thickly breaded and, more importantly for a healthy diet, is not greasy. The camperitos are all white meat and come with ranch and honey mustard dipping sauces.
Each main dish comes with one or two side dishes, depending on how much you want to eat. Side dishes include French fries, mashed potatoes, beans, rice, and cole slaw. I would recommend getting beans and rice to get the full Latin experience. This way you can fill the tortillas that come with the meal and have a side burrito. If you’re feeling more down-home, though, you can opt for a biscuit. If you have room for dessert, there is lemon meringue pie, pecan pie, apple pie, or flan to satisfy your sweet tooth. Additionally, there are family and kids meals.
Differences between Pollo Campero and American fast food restaurants are most evident when you first enter the restaurant. First off, it is a very large establishment, probably three times the size of a typical fast food restaurant. This is probably because it gets so crowded on weekends that there is a line out the door all day. Strangely, you will actually be seated after taking your order. As if that weren’t enough, the staff will check up on you to make sure you are getting the most out of your meal. Try to find that in other fast food chains. There are no oldies playing softly on the radio; get ready to mambo in your seat to Latin dance tunes. The interior has a “kiddy” feel with many pictures of the Pollo Campero cartoon chicken mascot, though the pictures are different in that they tell the history of the restaurant as well as of significant Hispanic figures. And don’t worry about having to speak Spanish, although you can because all the staff speaks both English and Spanish. Of course, since Pollo Campero is a fast food place, you don’t have to eat in.
Signs throughout the restaurant say, “No te quedes con las ganas,” which roughly translates to “Do not hold in your desires.” Do yourself a favor and give in to the desire of eating exquisite Central American fast food by going to Pollo Campero.