Pollo Campero to open more ghost kitchens

Pollo Campero plans to expand its new, delivery-only digital kitchen (also called ghost kitchen) concept in 2021. 

The fast-casual chicken chain opened its first two digital kitchens in 2020, in San Francisco and Chicago. It expects to open at least 10 additional locations in 2021, beginning with a location in Anaheim, Calif., in January.

In addition to the delivery-only kitchens, Pollo Campero is focused on opening more traditional and franchised locations throughout 2021. The company currently has more than 350 locations around the world, including about 77 sites in the U.S. It is looking to open more than 250 domestic stores in the next five years, reported QSR Magazine.

Pollo Campero’s digital kitchens offer the restaurants’ full menu. Consumers can order online via the chain’s web site, app or “flavor hotline,” and also through DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub and Postmates. The kitchens will serve patrons via pickup and delivery within a 30-minute radius of its locations.  

"Pollo Campero's online ordering and delivery has increased by more than 300% this year, and we expect to see this trend continuing well past the pandemic as many people have come to value the convenience offered by these services," said Luis Javier Rodas, USA managing director & COO, Pollo Campero. "The digital kitchen model, with a smaller footprint and efficient cost structure, has enormous potential to help us further penetrate markets and bring our chicken to more consumers in a convenient way."