El Pollo Loco has signed three development agreements to bring 15 locations to the New York City area over the coming years, marking the citrus-grilled chicken chain's third attempt at the East Coast market after two failed entries in the past.

Nation's Restaurant News editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discussed the expansion on this week's Extra Serving podcast, along with Chipotle's drive-thru milestone and a new report detailing major struggles at Crumbl Cookies. The conversation drew on the Technomic Top 500, which showed chain restaurant sales slowed again in 2025 as consumers cut back on dining, while coffee, beverages and snacks and chicken segments thrived.

Why is El Pollo Loco trying New York again?

The Costa Mesa, California-based chain is better prepared for East Coast growth today than it was during its earlier failed attempts, Kelso said. She and Oches broke down what's possible for the brand as it pushes eastward, with the chicken category proving resilient even as broader chain restaurant sales decelerate.

The segment's strength is also behind Popeyes' menu offensive. The chain is launching a Honey Chicken Biscuit Sandwich, which Oches believes could be a winner against competitors like Bojangles — a direct menu-engineering play in the breakfast sandwich fight.

What does the 1,500th Chipotlane mean?

Chipotle celebrated its 1,500th Chipotlane location last week, a milestone for a company that once resisted drive-thru entirely. Oches and Kelso discussed the format's importance to Chipotle's overall strategy, particularly as digital sales become a bigger share of its business.

Chipotle is also running a new margarita promotion, which the hosts said might suggest the company is exploring more growth in the alcoholic beverage channel. Taco Bell, meanwhile, launched a Global Taco Day promotion with language app Duolingo.

Is Crumbl starting to crumble?

For the extra serving portion of the episode, Oches and Kelso welcomed Restaurant Business editor in chief Jonathan Maze to discuss his exclusive reporting on Crumbl Cookies. According to Maze's report, Crumbl — once the fastest-growing brand in the industry — has closed dozens of locations while tightening the screws on franchisees who are under more pressure than ever.

The chain's trajectory stands in contrast to the coffee, beverage, snack and chicken categories that thrived in 2025, according to Technomic's Top 500 data. Whether Crumbl can stabilize its franchise base — and whether El Pollo Loco can finally take hold in New York — will help define the next chapter for both brands.