COSTA MESA, Calif., Nov. 20, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. ("El Pollo Loco" and the "Company") (Nasdaq:LOCO) today announced the pricing of its public follow-on offering (the "Offering") by certain of the Company's stockholders (the "Selling Stockholders") of 6,000,000 shares of the Company's common stock at a price of $27.00 per share. In addition, the Selling Stockholders have granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to 900,000 additional shares of common stock. El Pollo Loco will not receive any proceeds from the sale of these shares. The closing of the Offering is expected to occur on November 25, 2014, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

Jefferies and Morgan Stanley are acting as active joint book-running managers for the Offering. Baird and William Blair are also acting as joint book-running managers for the Offering.  Stifel is acting as co-manager for the Offering.

This Offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained from: Jefferies LLC, 520 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10022, Attention: Equity Syndicate Prospectus Department, by emailing Prospectus_Department@Jefferies.com, or by calling (877) 547-6340; Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10014, Attention: Prospectus Department; Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, 777 E. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202, Attention: Syndicate Department, by emailing syndicate@rwbaird.com, or by calling (800) 792-2473; or William Blair & Company, L.L.C., 222 West Adams Street, Chicago, IL 60606, Attention: Prospectus Department, by emailing prospectus@williamblair.com, or by calling (800) 621-0687.

A registration statement relating to these securities was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on November 19, 2014. A copy of the registration statement can be accessed through the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About El Pollo Loco

El Pollo Loco is a differentiated and growing restaurant concept that specializes in fire-grilling citrus-marinated chicken in front of its customers. El Pollo Loco opened its first location on Alvarado Street in Los Angeles, California, in 1980 and has grown to more than 400 company-owned and franchised restaurants in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas and Utah. The Company's distinctive menu features its signature product - citrus-marinated fire-grilled chicken - and a variety of Mexican-inspired entrees that the Company and its franchisees create from that chicken.

CONTACT: Investor Contact:

         Fitzhugh Taylor, ICR

         (714) 599-5200

         investors@elpolloloco.com