Two years ago, Pollo Tropical was sold by Fiesta Restaurant Group — a Dallas-based company — to the much larger Authentic Restaurant Brands, which also recently acquired Tavern in the Square. With Authentic now naming a new CEO, the question remains: What will Pollo Tropical’s new owner do next to the brand? Let’s take a look.
CEO Alex Macedo: Here’s What He Said You Can Expect
Big things are on the horizon, but don’t expect a nationwide takeover any time soon. In a recent episode of The Deeper Dive podcast, Alex Macedo, CEO of Authentic Restaurant Brands (ARB), shared what’s next for the beloved Florida-based chain — and why regional growth is the name of the game.
“Our goal is to keep them regional,” Macedo said of the brands in ARB’s growing portfolio. “To the extent that we can develop Pollo Tropical within the state of Florida, we’ll do that, but we have no plans of taking it to California.”
According to Macedo, Pollo Tropical remains a powerhouse in its home state. “We have around 125 Pollo Tropical restaurants in Florida. Our volumes in the state are north of $3.5 million, so that to me says we could open more restaurants right here where we are now.”
But just because the brand won’t expand nationally doesn’t mean it isn’t evolving. Since ARB acquired Pollo Tropical, major operational improvements have been seen thanks to simple, data-driven changes. One standout example? “We created drive-thru menu numbers based on data analytics, figuring out which were the most ordered products,” Macedo explained. “We shaved off 15 seconds in speed of service and improved order accuracy by double digits just by doing that.”
Macedo emphasized a back-to-basics strategy for driving growth. “We are talking about the core. We are serving hotter food, we are serving it quicker, we are making the lives of our team members much easier,” he said. “Traffic is positive for us, and it has been for the last three years at Pollo Tropical.”
So what can fans expect next? More of what they already love — plus continued enhancements behind the scenes. “We’re running a happy place with great food,” Macedo added.
Pollo Tropical Closed Down Locations in North Florida
Meanwhile, late last month, the beloved brand shut down its last three remaining Jacksonville restaurants.
And with these closures, there are no more Pollo Tropical restaurants in North Florida.
According to Jacksonville.com, the closures occurred 16 months after ARB — a holding company of Garnett Station Partners, LLC, a New York-based private investment firm — acquired the chain’s parent company, Fiesta Restaurant Group of Dallas.
The corporate-owned eateries at 10989 San Jose Blvd. in Mandarin, 730 Skymarks Drive in River City Marketplace, and 4863 Gate Parkway at the Markets at Town Center, had their windows covered, their doors shuttered, and their signage taken down.
“We appreciate our loyal guests. It has been a pleasure to serve you over the years,” read the signs on Pollo Tropical stationery.
After RetailWire’s initial report, a company spokesperson reached out to give the following statement: “Through the normal course of business, we continually evaluate our portfolio to ensure our restaurants have the resources to achieve their growth potential. After careful consideration, Pollo Tropical made the decision to close our three Jacksonville restaurants and focus on higher growth markets in Florida.”
Founded in 1988, Pollo Tropical offers a variety of traditional Latin American and Cuban dishes. The restaurant chain’s specialty dishes include citrus-marinated chicken, black beans and rice, and slow-roasted mojo pork, according to the ARB website.
