Costa Mesa-based Mexican food chain El Pollo Loco Inc. promoted Steve Sather to chief executive.
Sather, who temporarily took over the top spot in August following the departure of Stephen E. Carley, has been senior vice president of operations at the company since 2006.
He is tasked with reviving the restaurant chain, which was hit hard in the downturn.
In recent years, El Pollo Loco has seen flagging sales as its core Hispanic customers have struggled in a bad economy and slow recovery.
Before joining El Pollo Loco, Sather was senior vice president of retail operations at Great Circle Family Foods, the franchise operator of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts in Southern California.
He has more than 30 years of experience in the restaurant industry and has held executive positions at Rubio’s Restaurants, Rally’s Hamburgers and Taco Bell.
El Pollo Loco also tapped Samuel Borgese as chairman of its board. Borgese is former chief executive of New Jersey’s CB Holding Corp., a restaurant operator.
In the third quarter, EPL Intermediate Inc., El Pollo Loco’s parent, said revenue was down 0.4% from a year earlier to $68.2 million.
The company’s revenue includes sales from some 170 company-owned restaurants and revenue from about 240 franchisees.
El Pollo Loco is privately held but reports results for debt holders. New York-based private equity firm Trimaran Capital Partners owns the majority of the company.
