Franchise Facts Report → compare → Godfather's Pizza vs El Pollo Loco
Godfather's Pizza vs El Pollo Loco
Two other franchises, compared on the numbers their own Franchise Disclosure Documents put on record — investment, fees, Item 19 earnings, outlet churn, and litigation. Not marketing copy.
| Godfather's Pizza | El Pollo Loco | |
|---|---|---|
| Total initial investment FDD Item 7 | $711,450 – $1,344,340 | $793,750 – $2,685,500 |
| Initial franchise fee FDD Item 5 | $2,000 | $40,000 |
| Royalty FDD Item 6 | — | 5% |
| Item 19 earnings disclosed FDD Item 19 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Avg unit revenue (headline) FDD Item 19 | — | — |
| Franchised outlets FDD Item 20 | 592 | 325 |
| Net outlet change (latest yr) FDD Item 20 | +6 | +2 |
| Closure rate FDD Item 20 | — | — |
| Franchisee lawsuits FDD Item 3 | disclosed | disclosed |
| Risk level our read | Medium | Medium |
| FDD year registration | 2025 | 2024 |
Are Godfather's Pizza and El Pollo Loco the same company?
No — Godfather's Pizza and El Pollo Loco are franchised by separate companies. Godfather's Pizza's franchisor is GODFATHER'S PIZZA INC; El Pollo Loco's is EL POLLO LOCO INC. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
Cost to open
Godfather's Pizza is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $711,450 – $1,344,340, against $793,750 – $2,685,500 for El Pollo Loco.
How much does each make? (Item 19)
Neither Godfather's Pizza nor El Pollo Loco makes an Item 19 financial performance representation in its most recent FDD — neither franchisor discloses what units earn. Any earnings claim you hear for either brand is not backed by the disclosure document.
Closures & failure rate
Godfather's Pizza reports 592 franchised outlets, net change +6 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20). El Pollo Loco reports 325 franchised outlets, net change +2 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20). Outlet churn — closures, terminations, non-renewals — is the closest thing an FDD has to a failure rate.
Litigation
Godfather's Pizza discloses litigation in FDD Item 3 (each case is described there). El Pollo Loco discloses litigation in FDD Item 3 (each case is described there).
Deciding between Godfather's Pizza and El Pollo Loco?
See what else fits before you choose. Tell us your budget and state and we'll send you the 5–10 other franchises (or any industries you pick) with the strongest FDD record for it.
Godfather's Pizza vs El Pollo Loco — frequently asked
Are Godfather's Pizza and El Pollo Loco the same company?
No — Godfather's Pizza and El Pollo Loco are franchised by separate companies. Godfather's Pizza's franchisor is GODFATHER'S PIZZA INC; El Pollo Loco's is EL POLLO LOCO INC. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
What is the difference between Godfather's Pizza and El Pollo Loco?
Godfather's Pizza and El Pollo Loco are other franchises from different franchisors (GODFATHER'S PIZZA INC and EL POLLO LOCO INC). Godfather's Pizza is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $711,450 – $1,344,340, against $793,750 – $2,685,500 for El Pollo Loco. Neither Godfather's Pizza nor El Pollo Loco makes an Item 19 financial performance representation in its most recent FDD — neither franchisor discloses what units earn. Any earnings claim you hear for either brand is not backed by the disclosure document.
Is Godfather's Pizza more profitable than El Pollo Loco?
Neither Godfather's Pizza nor El Pollo Loco makes an Item 19 financial performance representation in its most recent FDD — neither franchisor discloses what units earn. Any earnings claim you hear for either brand is not backed by the disclosure document.
Which is cheaper to open — Godfather's Pizza or El Pollo Loco?
Godfather's Pizza is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $711,450 – $1,344,340, against $793,750 – $2,685,500 for El Pollo Loco.
Is Godfather's Pizza or El Pollo Loco growing faster?
Godfather's Pizza reports 592 franchised outlets, net change +6 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20). El Pollo Loco reports 325 franchised outlets, net change +2 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20).
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Other rankings
Figures are as disclosed in each brand's most recent registered FDD (Godfather's Pizza 2025, El Pollo Loco 2024). “—” means the FDD does not disclose it or the table did not parse cleanly — never an estimate.